Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1869-04-09

the dazzling star around which The
smaller stars ceased to shine. She was
quite surrounded by gentlemen obtm
sive in their attention and tiresome in
their fattcry. She seemed 10 feel it
acutely, as she said, with heightened
color and disdainful lips, mutcly in
their midst. she scarcely lifted the the
curling lashes from her dark black
eyes, or gave the least movement to the
hair that covered her white shoulders
like a golden veil. She was per;urbed
and distressed, and wanted TO get away
from them.
All the evening she hal bee merry
and cay but her most careless glance
had been met by one almost passionate
in its admiration, her laughing tones
answered by the m ost fusome iiattery,
that, angry with herself and them
having APPLY learned, in three short
weeks to heartily dispise the hollow
moclcfy of what the world calls pleas
ure-she now stood this last hour in the
ballroom in anything but n happy
| frame of mind.
/ At last there was Il break in the circle
and the low tones Of the votaries of
fashion ceased FRA moment. AZ Il young
man ofquiet, gentcnanly hearing made
his way up to the young lady.
Miss Lysle, permit me to conduct
you to the conservatory. Ioi were
s. eaking Of
They had passed through the rooms,
and she turned to .ank him for bring
ing her away.
But where is Clive?' she asked.
"And arc we not soon going home? !
am so tired, Willie"
."Tired of dancing, or of London dis
sipation, Florence, which is it ~ he
asked.
"Both,u she replied. IL would not
live here for worlds, if am to be drag
gcd about, night after night like this"
''Then such Il lite has no charm, for
you"
ono, indeed" was tn, reply. II am
disappointed in Give Hardingc, l
thought him superior to such frivolity.
lie seems to like it,"
"There you mistake, Floy," said her
companion. at is society that courts
i'm; not he who courts it. AS you say
he is superior to it,"
"Then why does hc 80 into it so
much?n
''He is performing sort of penancc,"
was the reply, "and mixing in gaiety,
which he &c tests, fer the sake of one
for whom he cares much, to see if the
pure gold of spirituality in her heart
will stand tie test of The schcming
world"
She looked up into The clear dark eye
the smile upon his lips, and the slight
pressure of her hand upon his arm, she
could read nothing.
II am going home in five days" she
said, as they passed through the rooms.
care you sorry or glad "' he asked.
81 shall be glad to see my mother
again ; but l shall be sorry to leave my
aunt, she has been 50 kind to me-and
cousin Give"
"He is rather old, don't you think,
FiOy? something of the old bachelor
about him-too old to marry, in fact"
"Who-tlive 2" she said "Hc is not
old, is he? l never noticed it. His
hair is not gray, and his face is not
gray, and his lace is not wrinkled. He
Is very handsome"
"Handsome, Floy! You must have
put on loves spectacles, surely; friend
as he is, | could never call him hand
sOmc.'
"Don't talk nonsense, Willie. | re-
peat, Give Hardinge is handsome he
has more strength, might and majesty
in his countenance than a dozen Ordl
nary men. Here he comes, now judge
for yourself.
If a weary look and pale face denoted
handsome physique, Give Hardinge
certainly possessed it at that moment.
"Would you like to go now? mother
is already cloaked and waiting for the
carriage"
She quietly took his pfoftered arm,
and extending her hand TO Gives friend
babe him good night.
Miss Lysle set at work in her aunt's
morning room. the day before her de-
parture home, The blue cashmere robe
she wore suited well the purity of her
complexion and the ricl curls of glitter
ing hair She looked marvelously pretty.
And so thought Give Hardinge, as he
room that morning. But her eyelashes
were wet she looked as if she had been
shedding tear or two, silently there to
herself and perhaps the softness and
tenerness in hel face made her appear
more beautiful still. Give carried a long
narrow box in his hand, of blue enamel
and gilt, and placed it under her eyes,
"The bet, Florence,n said he. Had
you forgotten it? You have won it
quite fairly-or will have don so to-mor-
row, for there remains yet one more Jay
before the month is completed. Now
will you tell me why you have so coldly
ucCllicu tiic WV ollclS VI you
have been honored with since your stay
with us ?"
~ did not feel myself honored," she
replied Zone was from spendthrift
and dehauchee the other from brain
less fop, who possessed but one idea in
the world-that OF admiring his own
figure
"But you have repealed admiration so
persistently,n said Olive f." others, who
certainly admired you, might have"
"Thank you, cousin Give, for the bet.
Lys s as she put out her hand fr' the
box