The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1870-02-04

/ cDlel WaS uOne. '..t@ Fl.
Dora could not have refused with
out uapardonable rulcncss. SO she
gave Mr.. Stanton the extreme tip ot
her little finger, and stood by1his
side, drawn up to tho utmost height
of her rather petite figure, aud with
as grave and stately an air as though
she were a duchess opening the vii
lag: ball with a peasant. As for
Mr.. Stanton, he Seemed not to ob-
serve her baughtiness, but chatted
in the intervals Of the dance with
easy grace, and did not appear to be
sorry to'lcad her ba"k to us WHEN
the dance vas over. ~. r.
Dora" said, half Indignantly,
the. next morning. what made you
treat Mr.. Stantsn so? Johns par
ticnlar friend, too! John will be
quite mortified. -. ri
Il don't care whose friend he. is, "
responded Dora. warmly. " John
ought not to have asked me to dane G
with him. I would rather have dane
ed with--witlra bear IL HATE
him!"
Here hcr passion reached it's eli
max in burst of tears. SAnd then
she lifted her head and Put back her
bright brown hair, and wiped her eyes
and laughed little at my conster-
nation, rather Historically though,
'Did you ever speak to Mr.. Stan
ton before last evcning?" l asked.
No." replied Dora.
"And never mot him bcfore!'
Don't ask me-, Clara-aon't :"
pleaded Dora, half impaticntly. Il
hate tc think of him. l do hope
shall never again sec him. -
But, my dear, he will dine here
tomorrow. John has asked him. +"
"Has lie? Then I will go and
spend the doy with aunt Mary" said
Dora, rcsolutely.
With some difficulty we dissuaded
her f1om this, but nothing could ex-
ceed the stately dignity aud distance
of her maaner to Mark Stanton. both
on this and other occasions. For he
came to our house frequeatly--on
Johns account, to whom his company
was great pleasure, and Dora,
though she tried, could not always
avoid meeting him.
"Clara," said joan to me. one
day, What on earth ails Dora
What makes her treat Mark so dist
antly--so rudely, l might say?'
"Indccd it is as much puzzle to
me as to you, John, ;" l responded.
Il think there must be some mystc.
ry in it which Dora is unwilling to
explain, -s..
Ytcrcupon Jt thn resolved to fathom
this mystery; and being, az l have
hinted, somcwiut of a blunderer, and
indeed, the most devoid of tact Of
any person I ever knew. he could
think of no other way than by inquir-
Ing Of Mark Stanton whether he had
ever known Miss Courtney previous
to their present acquaintance? 70
which Mr. Stanton replied. quite as
briefly and frankly, that he had not,
though he had once met with young
lady of the same namc--quitc dif-
ferelt looking person he added, from
Mrs Ingoldby's cousin.
And 50 matters continued for some
time, unit! it gradually dawned upon
my perception, that Dir. Stanton S
visits to Us were no. wholly on Johns
account. IN fact, | began to suspect
that he was little in love with my
pretty cousin. Ycs he did not open
ly mnns,st it by paying her any
mark ed attention. And as for Dora,
though she was as distant as eyer, l
more than once detected on her face,
as she would enter the room, a Slight
blush which did not look like the
angry flush | had seen there on pre-
vious occasions. Yet she would
leave the room for all that. And
observed too that Mr.. Stanton now
began to understand that her manner
toward him WAS different from what
it was toward others. 1t was this
perception probably which depressed
his attentions. ......~
Oac day | had been out servant
hunting. Bridget had left US Gin II
huff, - about a week ago; and cook
was sick to-day-as she averred from
''oyer work in consequence of Briag.
ct exodus. At that time, we beng
young housckecpers, kept only two
servants. So coming in about dusk,
tired and cold, and vcxed anA disap-
pointed, | found the parlor fire ont,
and knew that John would be home
presently, as tired and cold as myself.
What was to be done? A fire in
the parlor We mast have, and | knew
as m uch about making one as bout
manufacturing pyrotechuics. How
ever | knelt down on the hearth-rug.
and with a box of matches and a
half dozen newspapers, essayed the
difficult task. The matches and pa
pers were soon consumed, and except
a good deal Of smoke, there was , 0
sign of iire. Just then Dola danced
in, merry aud rosy.
Dear how cold. And what a
smoke! No fire! Poor little cousin,
let me help you. You may be mar
ried, and mother, and a housekrcp-
er, and all that, yet | Il wager box
of matches that in some household
atfsirs-making fire for instance,
can beat you. Only wait moment,
anu we shall scc.'
She ran up stairs and presently re-
turned, attired in an old wrapper of
mine, the long skirts of which were