The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-01-31
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OR, R,TFIE RIvALLovERS.
Isabel Wyndham lay lazily back on her
soft.cushioned fauteuil, with her hands
slasped behind her heard, looking dream
hgly oat 81 the curtained window. Slow,
N aud serenely sailed up the full round
moon behind the misty Kentucky hills,
and the, roar of rapid river very near,
rose above the signing Of the melancholy
night wind. The STARS cleaving bright
and keen through the blue-black arch,
looked bleak and wintry, and a hard black
frost baked the earth.
But to Miss Isabel Wyndham, nesting
costly: among the rosy cushions OF her
chair, the outer GOODNESS and desolat'on
only made the comfort of her pretty cham
ber more luxurious. 1t was the prettlest,
the daintiest of maiden bowers, perfect
from tha 10 ossy carpet, where rosebnas
Bleoinsdr to the plump, snowy bed ana
thaoFaf pictures on the futed walls 1t
was all charming, but nothing there was
more charming than herself, as she loung-
ed with negligent grace in that gold
eolored morning robe with its black belt,
and her trim sIippered feet resting on an
ottoman. Her black hair fell, all tumbled
and loose, over her shoulders, and her
dark eyes were misty, with languid
thought.
."I wish I knew what to do," Miss
Wyndham was thinking, rather ruefully.
III don't want to be married that ! know
OF, and I'm not in love I'm certain, and
yet it. seems I must be Mrs. Somebody
before long, or my dear absurd old uncle
will 90 distracted. I wish l. could take to
matrimeny in the natural way like other
girls and have done.with it. I've had the
measles, and whooping cough, and scar
let;na, and the rest.of the diseases COM
mon to jiuvenility, bnt I can't fall in love.
The: nearest approach ever felt to the
tender passion was at the age of fifteen.
Now + am three-and-twenty, and-come
in."
"A rap at the door disturbed the current
of her thoughts. Miss Wyndham sat erect,
and a tall, thin old gentleman, got up in
faultless evening costume, entered, and
paused in the doorway aghast.
"Miss Wyndham, are you aware it is
halfpast six, and we dine at seven 7"
.aGood gracious, uncle! Halfpast six !!
I never dreamed of such q thing! Has
anybody comet"
aCur guests are all down stairs. Mr..
Raymond and Mr.. Warner arrived this
moment. This negligence on your part.
Miss Wyndham, is absolutely disgraceful."
Isabel jumped up and rang the bell.
aDon't be cross, uncle Tom, there's
darling, and I will be ready in fifteen
minutes. know it's disgraceful, and I'm
dreadfally ashamed of myself, but Lob,
Susie! hurry and make me as pretty as
you can. am raid l shall be late"
Susie, q bright quadroon girl, hurried
through the boudoir into the dressing
room, and her mistress was following her,
when her uncle laid his hand on her arm
and detained her.
saIsabel, you viii have proposal to-
night-in fact, tvo proposals"
"Two proposals Now what on earth"
Mr.. Jordan gave his niece an impatient
shake.
aYou understand very we'll, only you
are tho most aggrayating-Mr. Raymond
and Mr., Warner, have both done you the
honor of asking my permission to- address
you. Both are unexceptionable in point
qffamily and fortune, both are-young und'
good looking What more can any wo-
man in her senses require {" -
,"Nothing," replied Isabel, meekiy. "Am
I to, accept them both? Shall ! marry
one first and tho other after, or both to-
gsther, or how p
"Don't BIO absurd! Accept which of
them you please. Mr.. Raymond is more
polished and considerably the wealthiest,
but please yourself. I know both will
make you an offer tonight, and one or
the other you must accept under pain of
my deep displeasure."
:. Mr.. Jordan strode with dignity out of
the chamber and down to the drawing
rooms where his guests were assembled,
waiting for the dining bell. Walter Ray
mond and John Warner were waiting for
something else-what do young men in
the last stage Of love care for their meals !!
They fidgetted and made objects of them
solves, John Warner particularly, and
watched the door, and answered at ran
dom when people talked to them, and sat
on,nettles generally.
Mr. Raymond who was slender and
elegant, and had beautiful moustache
and Partisan manners, managed to con-
ceal hisanxiety tolerably, and to talk to a
passe lady in red velvet; but Mr. Warner
codld not. He was tall, fair haired
young man, this John Warner, who blush
Ell when Miss Wyndham spoke to him,
and hadaa crazy notion that the angels
in paradise could not be much more beau
tigils Or perfect than she.
presently she came in, radiant in bright
hEue.sglaee and nasty lace with jcwels
spsrkIino about her. and her dark carls