The Opelousas courier., 1901-06-22

1onder and stronger with years.
AND now to have her entirely to nv
self, and to pour into her willing ear
oil the secrets Of my uneventful life.
secrets so innocent and delightful
ana which a certain old.maidish shy.
ness mad Kept even from my mother.
l relt half AFRAID to be so happy. In
the cool mornings and evenings we
gardened together, Glare and I, pulling
on the dead leaves and flowers, roofing
up weeds, raking the paths and keep
ing my pretty bit of ground a model
OF neatness and beauty, and in the
neal or the day we sewed and read, or
swung In the hammock that Oscar has
swung for us between the peach trees,
and after 'ea we devoted ourselves to
our visitor, for Oscar had fallen into
the habit Of coming to us on every
night Of the week. This had come
about SO naturally thet I had not ne
ticed 1t. and it was my mother who
first drew my attention to it.
lis Oscar here tonight, too?" che
asked n evening. He had come in
late. and when I chided him for not
| coming to tea, he answered, almost
p%ettishly, that he had taken
thing in town., and I needn't bother
about getting him anything to eat"
Eyes, mother, DEAR" 1 answered,
"he comes almost every night now
indeed, every night, 1 think, Of late"
A half audible sigh escaped my
mothers lips.
II thought I heard his voice." she
said, presently, though I haven't seen
him yet"
Hes in the garden with Clare" I
answered. "she is SO charming. and
he enjoys her company so much"
II have observed it."
Ny mother spoke almost bitterly,
and again she sighed, this time deeply
and audibly.
A sharp pain went through my heart,
and I dared not ask myself the reason.
AS the evening shadows deepened, and
/ moved about to place the lamp on
the table and then to find a match to
light it, Oscar and Glare entered the
room together. merry and laughing.
We all chatted and laughed, in =
somewhat forced manner, and then Os-
car got the backgammon board and
challenged Glare to n game. I could
not but remember how I had learned
the game merely to please him, and
that he now asked me to play 1t.
The evening passed quickly, but not
happily; a cloud seemed to be hanging
over us. Oscar put off his "good-
night till the last moment, then sud-
denly looking at his watch he started
to his feet, declaring that he would
have to run to catch his train, and In
the next moment, as 1t seemed, ]
heard his hurried step c%runching the
gravel on the pathway, and then the
sound of the gate closing after him.
That was q wretched night to me,
and when at last I slept my dreams
were troubled. Glare looked pale and
sad when we met at breakfast in the
morning, but I thought she had never
seemed SO l~ovely-her pallor, her dewy
eyes, her sweet and tremulous tones
and plantive mouth, prettier than ever
with the gentle baby-like pout on the
delicate lips, had a peculiar fascina-
ton. I loved the girl, and though in
some underlined way I felt that she
had brought darkness into my life, I
could not hate her for tat least-not
yet.
Oscar did not come that evening,
three days passed and he did not come
but in the evening l received a little
note from him. 1t was kind and af-
fectionate, and like himself. I read 1t
more than once, and wondered what
could have made me feel unhappy-he
was, as always. my true lover!
Could it be possible that I had been
almost-jealous? / rated myself
soundly in my own thoughts, and went
gayly singing about the house. When
Clare talked, next morning, at break
fast of going home, I would not listen
to her, and / compelled her to promi:5
me at least another month.
By this time we were well into July
and the cherries were ripe. Oscar had
been very busy, and came only two
evenings In the week, and as I remem-
bered afterWard, Glare contrived to be
occupied on these evenings in her own
room. But on a certain Wednesday |
evening I had begged them to pick a
basket of cherries for me that I might
make a cherry pie for tea on Oscars
next visit, and though Glare had begun
1,- ,,.lyrn 1pa avoIyCn- ~ nndn6 NV 1
both going out to get the cherries.
They stayed a long while, and as it
was getting dark / went to call them,
and when I found them he was kneel-
ing at her feet, her hands were tightly
clased in his, and she vas sobbing bit |
terly.
"You love me-" he was saying, "yoEr
eyes have said 1t, and you dare not
deny it."
II do not love you," she said, an
grily, but her voice faltered. "And
do not respect you-what should
think Of myself, either-I would de-
spise myself even more than I do you,
if I could listen to words Of love from
the man who is to marry my own dear
friend"
"But you love me In spite Of all
that!' he interrupted. triumphantly.
"Oh, don't think but I despise myself!
I have kept away from you that
might not see your maddening beauty, |
but your eheavenly eyes have danced
before me. Your enchanting voice has
rung in my ears. Among. a thousand