Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1872-04-20
Love in a Snow Storm.

q know I'm pretty" said Clare Whiting
ham to herself, gazing composedy into the
depths Of her mirror, "but don't think I'm
sufficiently beautiful to send all the young
men of my acquaintance into ecstacies over
me-"
1t is not always very easy for girl to Judge
Of her own looks tu Clare tried to be as i'm
partial as possible on this special OCCASION
And what was it she saw reflected in the glass
before which she stood, critically surveying the
creature whom the world called Clare Whit
ringham.
A tall, supple figure with slopng shoulders
and daintily taperei waist, a skin as soft as
satin, and tinted ike an oleander blossom;
deep blue eyes, just shaded into violet at the
iris, and little fresh mouth, where the teeth
shone at every smile like pearls through a
crimson she'll.
"Ye.," said Clare, nodding her head so that
certain spiras Of golden brown hair which
always huug over her forehead danced coquet-
iShly up and down, &c | am pretty" And then
that twelve hundred dollars year that Uncle
Bruce's will secured to me isn't altogether a
disagrceable pill for some Of my lovers to
swallow. l don't think I was made for an
Loircss. / like to make and mend, to patch
aud contriye and I've always hsd an idea that
I should make a splendid poor mans wife.
mean, of course, splendid wife for poor
man"
She took from her belt withercd rcd rose
and a bunch of faded voets as she spoke, aud
arched her pretty eyebrows over them in a
puzzled fashion.
Harvey Gallette gave me the rcso," she
sohloquized. He's very handsome, is Harry,
and always did have a weakness for hand
some people; and he's a rising young man in
his profession, people say. like talented
people, too. I'll keep tie rose just little
while. And she laid it away in certain
satiu-Hucd boz whsro she was won't TO treasure
soureuirs Of these her girlish days. Aud
Frank Hoods violets-poor Frank Hood Hes
so silent and so awkward, aud yet there's
something about hiu that won't let you de-
spise him. And he certainly is not handsome,
though lie has fine eyes, and face like one Of
those old marble creations one sees in the
Academy Of Design. Well, won't throw
away tie yiolets either, not just yet
And Clare took the jeweled hairpins ont Of
her shining trcsses, and laid aside her white
tarlatan dress and wreaths Of blue blossoms,
and went cornposed!y to bei
For why should she lie awake and lose the
fresh roses Of ber complexion, and dim the
sparkle Of these glorious violet eyes, thinking
about the respective claims Of the various low
ers who lowered noth-like about the torch
light Of hsr charms There was time enough
to make up her mind-quite time enough
Why, she Was not yet nineteen, and life was
so full oiIlocm aud freshness for her. Clare
knew that the autumn must come Eooner or
later. but she meant to have good time first
Sensible Clarel
So, in tie very middle Of the season, when
balls, operas, masquerades and d9nes dan
santes were at their height, and when old Aunt
Dalmayne wrote piteous letter up to her
brother in town, setting forth that she has
the rheumatic dreadful bad, and there want
no reliable help to be had, and she was that
lonesome that she couldn't stand it any longer,
and wouldn't one Of her three nieces come down
and stay along with her spell?" Clare aston
ithed the family circle by volunteering to 60.