The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-07-20

~, ~ >"puSro 6Ao"' uSaA duout
her, and when ii the autumn she met
Richard Fillmore again at somebody's
country1,ouse and their acquaintance
|2g'ew rapidly, she suffered a vague pain
and Jealousy in remembering the gossip
she had heard concerning his Irritation
with the beautiful woman
7 Helen returned late to town, and
MIS-. Vincent was gone after that she
found no time to think about her, for.
got stories, and would have smiled
with blind: youthful sco-n during the
past month at the idea Of the lady in
any way disturbing her lovely dream.
'To-night's ball was rather dull af
fair, 70. ylen, for Falmore was uuavoid-
! ably absent. Fl She would have stayed at
nome if there had been any possible
pretext>; but as there Was not, she came
and smiled and behaved properly, Won
deri"g all the. while why the hours
should be so stupid aud 50 long.
she sat down to rest by her step
mother after waltz, listening with an
effort to the talk Of dancing man,
sadly cut Of his Gle ement In the CONVEX
sational arena. Mrs. Vincent Aoat:d
in from the ballroom, surrounded BY a
little court Of admirers Helen had
fsupposed her Thousands of blessed
leagues away tie very" sight of her
brought q thrill Of uncasiness to which
she gave no name. Mrs. Vincent saw
'her. t'oj and had already accepted her
krole. She approached Helen, ostensib!y
to greet some old dowagcr acquaintance,
turned; become ,nscious Of the girls
presence, and did bit Of pretty cordi-
ulity on .lhe instant. :. ..:" :"
III hope you have: not .forgvtton me,
Miss B1svoore 2, ! l;needn't ask if you
are; well, With that calor and those
eyes"
Helen had toyaccept the white hand
50 gracefully offered and reply as credit
ally as as she could; but not being much
of an actress yet, she could not help
showing her surprise at Mrs. Vincent's
nlanner-that with which she might
have greeted an old friend.
"No, shall not dance," Mrs. Vim
cent was saying, when the old COM
motion in Helen's mind wo I'D permit
her to listen again. "Go away, every
one Of YOU. I am going to sit
down here by Miss Brevoort and rest !;
remember, | am just off a journey and
tired t. DEATH"
Helen was forced to make room for
her; the dand'es lowered about, the
gay, conversation Went on, SO. wearisome
e the girl jost then, and though she
tried to talk, Mrs. Vincent sa plainly
thut she Was bored, and understanding
the reason-as she had learned Falmore
was not there-felt an unreasonable
wrath rise in her soul against the crea-
ture because she dared to miss him.
"Mr. Dormer came dovn to Havana
With such a glowing account OF your
triumps that I expect every day an 10
vasion Of enthusiastic Cubaas," she
said laughinsly, apropos to some ques-
tious she had been as king about Helen's
winter. " ''''
Something in the tone or words
she could not have told what-offended
tue girl. She did not like Mrs. Vim
cent; she did not mean to have any but
the merest acquaintance with her anu
unfortunately she was prompted to Hash
her maiden sword against the trie d
l4uco of this veteran coquette. She
made some answer that had sting in
bit. Mr.. Vincent passed it over. 10 a
few moments 1t happened again, and
Mrs. ~Vinuent*,hought::
''Li.tle girl, you are taking danger
Gus stand / meant to punish that man !;
I shall have to Include you in the
castiga,ion. Why, you're Jealous, you
small wasp!'' .>,,~ ...~ -
She smiled more sweetly than ever !;
coofused Helen with pretty speeches !;
finally took aope mans arm, and away
like a bright cloud, followed by her
! troop Of. .adorors. II
The ps}t day Richard Fslmore did
not call ; the second was dark and
snowy, and Mss. Vincent stood at her
window and watched the storm and
yielded to. the bitter, wicked reflections
.thstso often 6!ledpp her lonely hours.
sbe:was' not q happy woman, poor soul:
She shads married a man many years
older than herself, and found she had
been ve;ldel: for her, money. He was
q coldblooded old frog, devoted to Wall
street, and bad {, built up man moth
fortune allowed his wife to go her own
way, aud divided his time between
business aud pleasures suitable to a
coarse nature. So, mad with tho dis.
appointment. and the loneliness, AIDE
laide Vincent rushed. into the world,
and for six years her name on either
side the Atlantic had been the syn nyme
for everything that was fascinating, ex-..
'ravagant, and rtck les. :......, ~
Her coquetries were SO general, that
she esc'pcd much Of the condemnation
which usually follows such. woman,
however courted she may be, anl what
she sought was power, not sentimental
romance. She was able to boast to her
self that uo. mao had ever dared put his
Alteration into words, and she. delighted