The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1907-10-18
A CHANGE
OF HE
by MAUD 8. PEASLEE
copyright, by Joseph b. BowIes.)

the village thought she did so well.
Sylvie was my sister and several
years my junior. We were a large
family once, but now only she and |
were left, and we chung more closely
than ever together.
She was so pretty and lovable, |
could not bear to have her out OF my
sight.
When | was young, and had had
some claims to beauty myself, Walter
Whitcomb had thought me fair. For
n bright summer, love may have
made me so. Then came misunder-
standings, fault-finding, with bitter re-
criminations-and, a parting that
wrenched my heart-strings, though my
lips smiled.
Sylvie met Dick Ormond the summer
she was IS. / can remember now how
the faint pink flush used to come and
30 in her cheeks; but then l thought
little of her admiring glances. ! had
been used to seeing Sylvie made much
over; / almost worshiped her my
self.
They became great friends, but | do
not think he courted her at that time.
He vent away in the fall to be gone
two years. He was to finish his edu-
cation at a famous college, and then
he was coming back to practice with
his uncle, Lawyer Benson. didn't
AXE the old gentleman. and l remem-
Der I told Sylvie that l hated lawyers.
Che looked quite grieved, for you see
that was Dicks profession.
! do not think l was sad in those
days; I'm afraid was cross. ! know
was morbid and heavy-hearted with
IN uneasy sense of coming loss. l
must have known even then how 1t
would end; but l was 10th to acknowl-
edge even to myself that Sylvie could
over love another better than me.
When Dick came home in the spring
he asked her IL she loved him well
enough to marry him in the fall. and
help him make a home. The deal
child! how happy she was. and. thank
God. is yet!
/ could not refuse my consent; ! had
NO reasonable grounds, but l looked
with strong disapproval on every.
ching. Yet l remember how l worked
sand planned that Sylvie's outfit might
be dainty and complete. She timidly
proposed that l should live with item
n the cottage on the hill, and assured
me Dick was willing.
'sBut I am mott" l answered grimly.
and I made our old sewing machine
4Airly rattle as th' yards of dainty
'Sufling fell crowdinG into my lap.
They had not been married Ions
when Lawyer Benson died Of hear
disease. AS Dick was his heir, they
left the cottage, and moved into the
big house with its fine library and
handsome furniture. Dick was very
busy, for all his uncle's practice fell
into his hands; and l must say he gave
great satisfaction.
Dick had bought the cottage with
money his uncle had given him for q
wedding present, and 1t was nicely
furnished. They wanted me to go and
live there when l still refused to go to
them. They asked me to let my care
Of the house settle all question of rent
between US, but l was paying rent on
the house where Sylvie and l had
lived, and so l insisted on paying them
the same IL / made the change.
Sylvie used often to come up and sit
with me, because | would rarely go to
the big house to see her. Besides she
loved the memories the house held for
he?.
By-and-by 1t grew to be too much
for Sylvie to climb the hill, and she
did MT go out often In the carriage.
Still l did not go down to see her IN
less they sent for me.
Cne day the buggy came for me In
great haste. and l went, although I
grumbled all the way.
When they put Sylvie's little daugh.
ter in my arms. l kissed her because
/ Just couldn't help 1t; but l didn't
make any fuss over her, and l won.
Z derei audibly If there was any need Of
my hanging around there any longer.
Dicks face was very grave, and he
asked me to stay 4 few days. IL I
could. l only smiled and made him no
reply. l didn't offer to do anything at
all that next day; indeed there was no
need.
That night, though, Sylvie grew
worse, and when I went to her I found
she was in danger Of her life, just
through the carelessness Of her nurse.
Well, l Just swe pit her, and all the
rest out of the room. and fell on my
knees by the bed and prayed God to
forgive me.
think He did. for I pulled her
thrc ugh. Even TIE doctor, and he
didn't like me very much either, said
l saved her.
For ten days and nights I stood over
l;ar with only brief intervals a rest.
.'tterwards nothing wa saia q my
so!n. +, ONE. and ! was glad. Tor I did
not want to 60. Ny pride On LIT me
TIE night I thought Sylvie would die,
and knew ] had neglected her
through my stubbornness. Now I
wanted to Be neag some one ! loved.