Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1857-08-11

Something in the voice or words made
hiIn turn TO look in her face, but the flush
was past now He could read nothine in
it but the simplest unconccrn. in her
lightest tone she asked: ''And pray, Mr..
Ellis, what has all this 10 do with Annie 2
think, she was The text to our sermon,
was she not g
Somewhat coldiy he replied: 'sOuly,
hat she is not safer than the rest
ssNo safer, Do you not know, tha,
she is engaged to ny cousin, Charles
Dormer!"
Eyes, | know it,
"Well - Had he looked now, lie
would have seen the brown head bent.
the sweet face swept of every trace of
scorn or anger, changing and flushing
only with painful interest. IL a voice, in
which fear and eagerness strove with and
almost oyercame the pretty feigned I'M
patience, she repeated:
"lYell, what do ycu mean?''
81 only mean -- he stopped, and
her eyes followed the direction of his
soon enough to catch a glimpse of Charles
Dormer just leaving the ball, in company
with some half dozen young men, two or
three Of whom We're we'll known 10 Louise
Il only mean," Mr.. Ellis went on.
that | know better than Miss Anna does,
Wlther he has gone. | know that the bar
room down below has been the ruin of
other young men as promising as Charles
Dormer, aye, and of those too, who held
the hearts of as lovely girls as Annie
Morton. They have tempted him, and
he will find it hard TO resist. He will
drink but one glass, it may be, tonight
Eut no man who ever does that is safe
But my sermon has been too long for a
tall room, already. | am promised to
my sister for this dance = and he left
her.
Once her lips parted to recall him for
another word, and another question. -
There was that in his earnest words that
carried conviction in them, aud she felt
their truth, and would have said more :;
but no, he thought her ''heartless." She
would not undeccive him, and tossing back
the curls from her hot cheek, she stood
up TO greet her companions, with bright
smile and gay response to their raillery
about her solemn admrcr
a brief trial OF skill in aiming and par
rying shafts, ended as usual in the victory
Of the gay beauty, acknowledged 10y the
laughing applause of the l.uIe circle. ~
Graciously declining half dozen petiti-
oncrs for her hand in the next dance,
with look She brought her brother to
her side, laid her hand within his arm,
and deNtcrously clearing herself from the
merry cluster, the two made their way
quietly through the crowd. James Ellis
had caught the sound Of her light laughter
across the hall, and with something on
his brow that seemed almost like pain,
but might have been stcrnness, he turned
to the pale girl at his side with,
s'Louise Philips has no heart" Tho
little lady looked too happy at being 10y
the side Of her grave, gentle brother, to
care whether beauties ever had hearts,
and she made no reply.
Meanwhile, the brother and sister had
reached the drawing room. care you
going to dance the next time, William 2"
Yes, sister, I'm SO happy as to have
secured the services of that little witch,
Kate Carlton, to assist me through the
trials of the next cotiIIon, unless you've
counter commands for me-
No, go back and find her = leave me
here, this is a nice seat"
'Leave you? What freak is this, to
send some poor swain on an Arctic cX-
pedtion through the rooms in search of
the North Star - instead of the North
Pole - and when he has ventured with
in the circle, to play the iceberg and
freeze him out of Paradise"
can iceberg in Paradise! You've got
beyond your depth in rhetoric, Master
| William. Back to Kate Carlton win you.
And with an imperious gesture she waved
him back to the hall; then, instead ol
throwing herself OH the sofa, she turned
10 the door and went out, closing it noise
IessIy behind her.
Gliding like spirit down The staircase
through the dim lighted entry, down az.
other flight of stairs, she paused before
the bar room door. One quick breath
one strong heart beat perhaps, and tbc
door swung noiselessIy open under heI
siISen touch, and she stood before the
the startled group. More than one rudt
oath was checked, and more than on,