The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1902-02-20


never adopt resolution without hav-
ing carefully examined all reasons for
and against it,
did you," broke in Dorothy, i'm
pulsively, exercise this caution before
you told me you loved me?"
Percy flushed angrily. 81 believe,,'
he went on, sin the old Persian prov
erb, Undertake nothing of which thou
hast not well considered the end.'"
AN excellent motto, truly" said
Dorothy, coldly. "Since when, NAV I
ask, did you adopt this most wise
philosophy It seems pity it should
have come to you so late. Do you think
you have well considered the end you
so evidently contemplate" Feminine
instinct had already warned her of the
treachery the unworthy youth medi-
tated.
"Oh, yes," ne continued, 81 know
what l am doing. 1 have considered
it all. did avoid you last night. 1
want to bring this thing to an end" he
added, brutally.
Don't trouble yourself, Percy Ter
Brock" replied the now indignant girl.
ut is ended"
"Well, Dorothy" said Percy, some
what nettled, for his self-love was hurt.
you did seem awfully in love with me.
But l don't blame you for this misun-
derstanding. You should be glad that
we have both discovered our true feel
ings in time, before we had become
hopelessly bound to each other. 1t is
best for you that 1 should leave you,
best that we should part. will return
you your letters and presents, and you
can throw my schoolboy effusions in
the fire."
every well, Percy returned his dis
carded fiancee. I'll throw them in the
fire. That will be the first time they
will have had any warmth in them.''
"Ha, hal" laughed Percy, uneasily.
"You are positively brilliant" He did
not like the fact that Dorothy gave
him his freedom SO readily. 1t some
what deprecated the high value he set
on himself. 'Believe me- he said,
pompously, Il shall always entertain
the highest opinion of you. But you
know yourself that your father is not
able to give you dowry, and that the
position in the Philippines is worth
only $1,000 year. How could two peo-
pie live on that? with my tastes and
you with yours
Il don't choose to discuss the mat
ter with you. now that l have~released
you,' said Dorothy; "but be pleased
not to refer to my tastes. 1t is true
was born in luxury and accustomed to
have every taste gratified, but have
never let that fact stand in my way,
since we lost our wealth. The fact
that 1 was willing to marry you was
sufficient proof of that. However, that
is nothing. Good-by, Percy. Keep up
your spirits. This incident will soon
be forgotten. You have quite dispelled
any foolish ideas l may have had. Still,
we can be friends. Call occasionally,
and people will think there has never
been anything between u.s. Had Per-
cy known anything of what was going
on in Dorothy's mind he would have
as soon entered lions den as have
called at the Smith mansion again.
Dorothy returned to town, resumed
in earnest the training of her voice,
which at first she had taken up as a
pastime, and made such good use of
her tuition that her naturally flexible
soprano voice of wide range acquired
brilliancy and came so perfectly un-
der control that bright future opened
before her. At the same time fortune,
as if tired of frowning on the Smiths,
gave such a turn to Dorothy's fathers
business that the gloomy aspect in his
affairs that had first frightened away
the selfish Percy vanished, and one fine
morning the merchant by successful
deal was able to pull out of specula-
tion into his legitimate business with
a large fortune.
Percy began to think he had made
a mistake, and took to frequenting the
Smith residence with regularity; but
Dorothy treated him with absolute
frankness. ~"I am welded to my art
now," she said, "even if you had not
effectually cured me of all the folly.
Next month l go to Germany to study;
but, my dear Percy, before I go wish
to prove my friendship for you. Mrs.
Vansittart is living at the Lexington.
She has two daughters. One is an angel
of beauty, but poor as church mouse;
the other has been left S5,Oo0,000 by her
uncle, the copper king. 1t is an awful
pity, though, that she is ugly, dull. and
some say an epileptic. Go down there.
You know Mrs Vansittart. You met
her at our house last winter. Call,
make yourself agreeab BILE. Make Love
to the ogress. Five million dollars will
gild the most bitter pill. hear she is
full of romance and would be charmed
if some one would elope with her"
A hint was enough. Avarice dulled
Percy's apprehension of everything,
and he lost no time in ingra tiating
himself with Mrs. Vansittart.
"Old chap, it's all right he said to
his friend Billy, the trainer, few
weeks after his conversation with Dor
othy. "It's all right, old boy. I'll pay
YOU that $1,000 next week. 1 have-the
heiress hypnotized. Maud's her lcvely
NJ