The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-06-08

Can poison truth Is.
"Whatis the matter with you to night, An
ma? Who's been laylag a straw in your path?'
Il wish II was only straw, ,>answered Mrs
Maxwell, taking up herhusband's half playful
remark But il is worse than that-a forebo-
ding" ~. .,e.-f .eroa 1aar} h..at
Surely, Anna, you would not dwell on a
silly fancy as long as you have been musine
over that one fashion plate-though ladies
generally are supposed to find food for thought
IN those enchanting pages. Bu;, happen to
know that you have your clock and bonnet
and all that sort OF thing ria ttssfN
"Well, ifyou must have 1.-THE truth is this
One of these faces has strong resemblance to
Susie Lane, and that recalled to me her visit
this afternoon-and, unfortunately, Mrs. Ar
not came in. ffi
''How, unfortunately
"Why, she's been wIshiffg to make her ac.
quaintance ever since we have been SO init
mate" srft.oW aHifu9i14 lpafouA
$50 much the better should think"
"Dear Harry"-Mrs. Arnot always empha-
sled the adjective when she wished to be par.
ticularly understood--''You don't seem to see
that did not wish them to meet"
IL hope you are not selfish, Anna" said Mr.
Maxwell, grayey. 81 thought you were anx.
ious Mrs. Arnot shopld 90 into society now tha,
she has laid aside her mourning. / think il
would be best for her myself
Mrs. Maxwell was quiet for a momeut and
then said-'I am no. bit jealous. Harry;
you know it is not at all my nature--apd re-
ally can't say why il is. but dread something
unpleasant. Perhaps am vexed a little at
the eagerness with which she offered to i'm
prove the opportunity. Susie, mean. AL
most before Angela was seated she said--I am
so happy TO meet you at last Mrs. Arnot have
heard so much of YOU from Mrs. Maxwell -
And then, the moment it could decenly be
said--she begged on the strength of her inti-
macy with me, that Mrs. Arnot would consider
her an acquaintance"
"Well, isn't that the way you ladies proceedT'
- "Why, as Mrs. Arnot was comparatively a
stranger in the city. il was right enough for
Susie to make the first advances Angela had
nothing left but to ask her TO call, or but TO
offer to 90 with her some day. You need not
shake your head, Harry. ! am not coyeting to
keep Mrs. Arnot all TO myself"
The truth was, though Mrs. Maxwell did not
imagine for moment that she was trying to
decevd her husband, she did not like TO con-
fess TO him, that she considered Miss Susie Lane
an unsafe acquaintancc TO introduce Mr..
Maxwell had not liked their own intimacy at
first, and she was afraid of reviving old preju-
dices, which she had striven so zealously to
conquer. She was fascinated by Mrs. Lanes
good natured sprigh;ly conversation. She
had then but a few intimate acquaintanees in
tho city, and enjoyed the cbatty, lively visits
Miss. Lane was lavish of. She felt quite lost
ifa week passed without one of them Susie
so amusing told story copitally, always
knew who was engaged, and who expected to
be-what was WON at the last wedding, and
how it happened that the Lawrenccs and
Hathways did not speak. A list of bridal pres
ents at any reception she attended might be
relied OH os accurate enough for publication,
and if an engagement was broken off. the next
time you saw Miss Lane, you had the reason
i'll full. Yet there was nothing vulgar or i'm
pertinent in it all apparently. Nothing but a
good natured wish to make her conversation
in society agreeable. "Besides. it was only
natural Susie should know everything that was
going on Mrs. Maxwell had once argued
with her husband. "She had such large cir
Gle of acquaintances, was sought by every one,
and with her time and income at her own dis
posal" No ono would dream of calling Miss
Lane an sold maid" but certainly she was au
passe, with very small hands and little feet,
good teeth, bright eyes and an ever ready smile
to keep her account in the social current
No one ever heard her say an absolutely IL
natured thing-if she mimicked an unfortunate
peculiarity, she was sure to excuse the sery de-
feet moment after in the blandest possible
Indntlt'. anu dllCI Sllt Iiitu EOuc, yOu 1clO
uncomfortable and some sensitive point burn
ed and smarted you could not trace b1ck tho
sting, nor the precise moment it was received.
Nothing more was said by Mr.. Mr. Maxwell
about his wife's pre-occupa'ion, but he noticed
that when he arranged the chesS-board a few
moments afterwards. her opening moves lacked
purpose and as the game proceeded she
grew positively careless SO he very quietiy
set away the stN1d and offered 10 read aloud
wthe latest number of he Ctxt ns. thoughtful
Husband that he was; in little while her eyes
lighted with Interest at its clever witlicsms
and the cloud passed away.
A close acquan ntance If more than year,
had deepened the friendship between Mrs.
Maxwell and Mrs. Arno,, so romantically con-
ceived, and sadly brought about. They had
many tastes and pursuits in common, could see
much Of each other from the neighborhood of
their dwellings, and almost come TO supply
the place of sisters to each other. In thonotes
which often bore messages between them,
they did not writo darling Angela" or my
''sweetest Anna" nor did they kiss at the street
corders through wells, or, indeed, any time they
met and parted, rs many ladies' make point
of doing with common acquaintances; prac-
tice. by the way, so universal that il has lost
all significance: so much so, that forourselves,
we prize cordial grip of he hand and emile,
far more than Zip service" shared in common
with the merest acquaintance.
Our friends had often spoken of this, and
the conversation was renewed one morning
which they were passing together each en-
ployed with the needle, in Mrs. Arnot's pretty
dressing room. 1t was just the time and place
for confidential chat.
"One of Mrs. Msxwell's days." Mrs. Arnot
always said, for with he- country habit of ex-
posure Mrs Maxwell did not mind little rain
and liked to pass the morning in Pine street
best, where they were thus secured from all in.
truders. The storm had increased since hei
arrival, so that the thick mist had become
heavy shower, that pattered against the win
dow near where their sewing chairs were drawr
serving to make the cheerful fire in the CRATE
all the brighter by contrast. One loves 10
draw closer to the CRATE on such day, if sol
tarv and buried in a lounainp chair muse al