The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1872-07-03
BY W. A. LEE AND HUGH WILSON.

touch to this SUCCESS was given when
the duty of taking her in to dinner
devolvcd ON Mr.. Dcvercaux; and
having thus safely paired off her lions
Mrs. Reynolds felt the easc and rcpose
Of a wcll.satisfied conscience.
At first Alice fell into the common
error Of taking Mr.. Dcvcrcsux's quiet
ness for stupidity, and pitching the
tono of her conversation accordingly
But she was too clever woman not
to learn better than this from his first
remark, and in few minutes she had
drawn him out sufficiently to see that
his reserve was not unconqucrable,
por his euietness Of that troublesome
kind which dcgeneratcs into ~heavi'
ness. He was a cultivated man him
self. but it had been his misfortune to
know very little of tho society of cnl.
tivated people; 30, q woman who was
Young and beautiful, with sense enough,
to meet him on his own. ground, and
lightness enough to lend grace TO the
dullcst themes, was q phenomenon
to which he bowed at once. Before
dinner was over, Rose saw how mat
.crs were drifting. And, though she
had angrily rcpellcd the idea of at,
tracing Mr.. Devereaux, and had even
sone so fur as to declare that she
would have nothing whatever to say
to him, shc felt throb of genuine
disappointment that she was pot to
lave tho opportunity of showing that
she did not care for tho attentions OF
this desirable cavalier.
Before the evening was over, every
body saw that Mr.. Devereaux was
quite captivatcd by the beautiful wid.
ow. He did not absolutely spend tho
whole time at her side; but, whenever
he was with anybody else, he relapsed
into his. usual reserve and silence,
proving such very unsatisfactory
companion that several young ladies
were reduced to the verge of despair
by a total exhaustion of their CONVEX
sational ideas. 1t was only when he
was again under the influence Of Mrs
Inglesby, that he revived and became
once more genial and pleasant com,
panion. Of course there was but one
explanation for q state of affairs like
this; and that explanation the compa.
ny in Mrs. Reynolds's drawing.room
were not slow to give. "Your hand
some sister-in-law has accomplished
what NIL the young ladies in North
orpc promised themselves the plcasuec
of doing" said ap old lady to rose
and Rose made the most FOOLISH speech
in the world when she answered: Il
bee you will make one exception
when you speak Of the young ladies
of Northorpc Mrs. Holmes. I have
neither promised myself the pleasure,
nor felt any desire to attract Mr.. Dcr-
crcaux." 'Oh, my dear, you can't
suppose that l was thinking Of YOU"
SAID Mrs. Holmes apolosctica'ly.
And in truth she had not been think
ing of Rose at all, knowing that she
was an hciress, and therefore quito
able to please herself in a matrimonl,
al way. But, after this speech, her
eyes were suddenly opened. Soon
every body in the room knew that
"Rosc Inglesby was ready to bite Oft
her sister.in-law's head because she
had secured Mr. Devcrcux."
Great was Mrs. Inglesby's dismay
when she heard how matters had
pono. on that momontous evening.
Too late she recognized her own folly,
too late she felt that shc would have
given anything to undo her own work.
It is the highest compliment to the
good lady's simplicity to say that
such n fear as this had never entered
her head Rose, in her eyes was in
vincible, and she had boldly thrown
Rose in juxtaposition with u woman
whom any ordinary mother would
have avoided as men avoid the plague
"a woman of beauty so remarkable,
of attractions SO. great, that no girl
could safely have encountered her as
rival. When Rose made her mali
cious report of how the fortunes of
the night had gono, Mrs. 1nglesby
could freely have chokcd herself, If
choking herself would at all have
mendcd matters. But, as that was
out of the question, she could only
think, "Perhaps he will change his
mind when he sees Rose by day
light"
The falIacy of this hope was soon
demonstrated. Two days later, hr
Dcvcrcux caled-supportcd by the
liberal aid and cour,enancc Of Mrs
Rcynolds-saw Rose by daylight, and
barely said six commonplace, civil
words to her. 1t is impossible to be
very devoted in the course of q cere
monious morning call; but, "a much
as was possible, he devoted himself tc
Alice. His eyes followed her, hi
whole attention was engrossed by her
and, when he left, Mrs Inglcsby wa.
justified in her dospairing thought
1T is all over. That dreadful Ken
non is inevitable"
A week passed; another week TO!
lowed, and still tho dreadful Kennor
had hot mado his appearance. Some
people smiled, and said be would moi
como back at all, that ho had no dc
sire to SEQ bis cousin basking in the
prosperity which might have been hi
own, and that he had quietly taker
himself off the aesne. Others thought
difPersntly /; and among tho latter was
Mrs. IBsleshy. Bose kept her opin
Jon 10 heraelf; bpt jn her own mind
sho was Rpmty nersuadcd that IennOr