Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1872-06-15
CHAPTER |.

lc,ntinued from Thursdays CoDunercidil
lie lifted his hat and bowed. But Rose
lid moi return the salutatiOn She had turned
~" trll her mother that the expected guest
,yos near AT hand and, when she turned
hack again he was already walking rapidly
away. She had meant to say something be
fore he went-sOmething that would bring
him back sOOn-but il was too late now. The
carriage was approaching, and, even while
Mrs. ingesby was saying, "You might really
have some regard for my wishes, Rose, in
the matter of encouraging that MIR. kennon,"
Il drew up before the house.
The two ladies went out at once to welcome.
the stranger. AS they reached the front door,
they saw Colonel lnglesby assisting a tall,
graceful woman in long Grape veil, and a
onr black cloak, from the carriage. Roses
brart rave a bound "A beautiful figure, at
any rate, she thought; land still in widows
weeds" The next moment, there was the
rush of reception and greeting clasped
kisses given, half uttered words spoken, a
few tears shed, perhaps, for this visit could
not be other than sad In the thoughts and as
snciations which II Weakened, and, when all
this subsidized, the young widow was within
her husbands home.
you would like to go TO your own room
at once, would you not, my dear p asked
"Thank you, yes. l am very tired, the
stranger answered, In sweet voice.
So she was borne away to the upper re-
gions, while Rose-who was Intensely curious
10 see that yelled face--fOund herself left to
endure the curiosity as best she might.
She did not endure II very well. She was
impatient and unsettled, and she roamed rest
lessly about the drawingToom waiting for
her mother to return, and quite unconscious
that Mrs. Inglesby had come down stairs and
been absorbed into the dining-room, whence
proceeded, ever and anon, that friendly clat-
Ter of dishes which speaks so confidently of
coming cheer. John was good servant,
but rather stupid so his mistress, who was
naturally anxious that on the first day of the
strangers arrival, every thing should be right
and proper had thought II best to go and SUI
pcrntend matters in person. Hence Miss
lnglesby fidgeted in the drawing room quite
alone; and hence, also, she went to the
window and stretched her neck 10 gaze up
and down the street, in faint hope of seeing
Mr.. Kennon on the visible horizon. While
she was thus engaged, the rustic of dress
sounded behind her, and melOdious voice
said
Have drifted into the right room 2" and
turning suddenly, she faced her sister-in-law
In moment she saw what she was like,
and in a moment, too, her heart without
rhyme or reason, sank down into her very
shoes. ''les, this is the right room, she
said, land | am very glad to see you. Pray
sit down." Meanwhile she thought, "What
vain fool was to wonder if she would be
prettier than ami" In truth, Mrs. Henry
lnglasby was woman such rs one does not
seo very often. AS she stood in the soft,
golden light, with her graceful figure, her
flowing dress of lustreess black silk, and the
folds of sheer white Grape at her neck and
wrists, she looked so queenly and imposing
that pretty, dainty Rose shrank into absolute
insigniticance before her. Then, what an ala
baster complexion; what statuesque features (;
what large, full eyes of the rare gOlden-brown
tint; what rich, heavy masses of magnificent
golden brown hair Altogether, she was a
woman whose beauty no one could deny, a
woman born to lead hearts captive by right
divine of her witching face, and woman
with fascination quite Independent of these
personal gifts, as Rose herself was soon
forced TO acknowledge.
For, beginning with soft, sad remem.
hrances of the bright young engineer, who
had been the link between them, Mrs lngles
by soon won her way to the girls heart. HeI
manners were very sweet and graciOus-a
little too dignified, perhaps, for the taste Of
the present day, but very perfect, for al
that and very well calculated to wear away
by gentle degrees, the barriers of shyness ant
reserve, Though the dead Harry" had beer
only Roses half-brother, she was very tende
toward his memory and, despite the beauty
which at first had startled her, was very wei
disposed to like the wife of whom he hal
been so proud. The two were talking lilS
old acquaintance when Colonel lnglesb,
came in after while-a little shaken from
his ordinary calm, little subdued in his or
binary manner; for, though he had SAT-
nothing about il, this visit was a trial to him
recalling, as ii did, the son who had been, o
all the children, his fayorite and pride. lii
was relieved when he saw how matters wer
progressing, for Rose was an uncertain gil
at all times, and in nothing more uncertain
than her likes and dislikes. Ii had been
matter of doubt how she would receive th
new sister-in-law; and, therefore, her fathe
was relieved 10 see that friendly relation
were already established between them. 500
after his entrance Mrs. Inglesby appeared
and presently dinner was announced.
The evening which followed, though
strictly domestic, was far from a duh onI
The lnglesby house was, of all houses in No
thrope, the most popular in a social way
and, though tonight not one of its usui
visitors rang the dUOr-bel, or dropped in fC
the 'halt-minute' that always lengthene
into half hom or probably several ha
hours, no one missed them, or felt time Il
dious because of their absence. True RIOS
looked once or twice wistfully toward III
street as masculine step rang on the paw,
ment, or masculine voice tlOated thrOug
the window: but she bore the unusual iso
ton very well, and even she acknowledge,
when tue evening was over, that the ne
slster-in-law was II singularly charming pc
son. What the latter had said or done tl
was specially attractive nobody knew b
that whatever she said or did had grace
its own they ali felt After she had bidd,
them goodnight and retired TO her chambC
they each looked at the chair where she In
lately sat, and where the fragrance of h
presence still fingered, and each expressed,
different ways, the same degree OF admir-
ton
Poor Harry poor fellow ~ said the &C
onel, rising and walking to and fro. 1T W
even harder ON him than l thought-tO lea
all his bright prospects in life, and such
wife so soon. | have not seen as fine a "
mani don't know when, he went on, qul
regardless that his wife and daughter we
listening to him. Il hope you will take sol
lessons from her, Rose, Her manners u
perfect"
They arc very good, papa, said Roi
with slight toss of her head 'but as
their perfection that's all mater of tas
you know. Some people might think L
manners perfect, and then | should be sOT