The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1868-12-11

impetuous.'
''I'm not in the least impetuous,
!. said Nan-who, while she decline
advice and rejected hints, alway
denied accusations-"only nothin
on earth, you know mamma, woul
make me 60 to ball with f."
And SO on, in fact, de capo, ringin
the changes. But Eve forgot all tbs
was not just gracious in Nan, whc
with her own heart beating painfully
|. she chaperoned her through the ope
door of the ballroom and foun
there no face that was sweeter tha
the one that had inherited the besut
Of the dead. And Eve herself hat
never looked more like the girl youn,
Ashley had chosen, and who had beef
so admired, when he had taken he
with him half over the world.
That evening was . glorious sue
cess for Nan, but Eve, even whil'
she gloried in it. yet trembled fol
results. She had ensconced hersel
close to window, where she coult
always see the well known putting o
Mans dress, and where she ooult
even catch little wrafts of her talk, al
the revolving dances brought hel
round that way.
Nan had q knack OF saying th.
most unfattering things; with hel
caressing voice, and all the dimplsi
in her face contradicting them fatty
so that no compliment could be &C
delicious as Mans little quaint at
tempts to set people down, and the
descent was for them easy, while the
blue eyes softened the sentence, and
the very mouth laughed at its rude.
nsss. But all this, though pleasant
enough, and sort Of Intoxicating to
Cavendish, a Young war officer swell,
now swinging around with Nan, and
inwardly vouing she was the "nicesi
girl out" was considerable source
of uneasiness to Eve. whose dislike
to the old idea of the moth and the
candle was constitutional, and who
took no pleasure in watching any
game, where, as well as a spider, q
fly is also requisite.
"This is our dance, Miss Ashley" "
This moth was known among his
fellows by the name of Popham, and
Tor him to have been seorched would
have been deemed serious.
har
Miss Ashley, is mine"
So spoke young Cavendish, wholly
ignoring the existence of a rival.
"If you will look at your card,
Miss Ashley"
allow foolish r. said Nan, balancing
on ono foot to the great amusement
of a would-be claimant behind her,
and with all the dimples in her face
in full play. "Well, you must settle,
you know; 1t can't possibly signify
to me-"
81 do not hold any lady to an en-.
gagement which she does not herself
indorse.'
So said young Cavendish, magnifi
Gently choice in his words, sitting
disconsolately down by Eve.
"Then the dance is mine,' says
Hopham, and Nan fired Parthain
shot.
"Mamma, this is Mr. Cavendish,
and he is quite nice il yCu talk to
him of horses. l don't think he
cares much about any thing else-'
Cavendish smiled little sulkily,
and Eve, rather shocked, hastened
to apologize. And thus 1t fell out,
that two people very much interested
in Nan, were first made acquainted.
at was not at all fair, you know
says Cavendish, addressing Eve,
and quite ready to talk when the
subject was Nan, and the listener
was the pretty. looking mother, "That
the third time this evening Misi
Ashley has done the same thing.'
"It's only her way, Mr.. Caven
DISH" returned Eve, little absently
with hef eyes somewhat out In the
distance, and her pretty lips set TO-
gethsr firmly. She did not like the
looks of that Mr.. Popham, and she
did not much fancy Mans father
would have done so either, and tha
was, with Eve, the safest Of al
standards.
81 am 80 glad to know you, Mrs
Ashley" young Cavendish goes on
"your daughter and ] are very ole
acauaintances.'
And Eve came back from some
what long journey into the future
with all o mothers quick instinct o
danger pricking round her heart.
"Oh-I did not know"
"You don't remember me-" salt
Cavendish, blushing like q girl
"Pve been away such . time, but on
of nv earliest recollections is your
daughter, ! danced with her at I
children's ball, years ago, in this yer,
house. ! remember her perfectly
She had on a white frock and blscI
ribbons. Now, had she not, Mrs.
Ashley q
Eve smiled. He wss quite righ,
, and she liked him for remembering
, At the time of which be spoke, Ma
E was in mourning for her father, bu
: Eve had made it slight because he
. child was such 8 baby, and ha
| dressed her in a white frock, and pu
+, ON her a black sash as to who's
| width there had been NO question
q snd sewn black bows on her littl
2 short sleeves. and passed blac
2 ribbon through her gold brown hai
q And now it appeared the little pit
s ture was vivid to another as we'll q
to herself. Nan floating toward then
t Popham in the background.
Mamma, ! don't at all suppos
q It's trus-don't you move Mr.. Cav
r endish-but we've just been tOl
there isn't a carriage to be had, an
t ifips q question Of walking home, v
It shall have to start before supper
d This was the time for Cavenish, IN
l. dog cart is put up round the corne
not ten minutes from here. Mr.
t, Ashley will you do me the unspeal
/; able favor efallowing me to drive ye
n home |" And thus, though POpha
took her In to supper, Cayendii
u drove Nan home at Hight.