Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1873-02-22

that pleased me was the supper. 1t
really was good; particularly the
berries and cream, which are q spe-
cialty with me. / was in an ap-
prOachable temper after them, and
willing to allow all the good points
in the place.
"But, father" l inquired, "are
there any Christians here besides
Ourselves?"
cit is to be hoped so, Olive. l
saw little church at the foot of the
hill"
'Pshaw, fatherl l did not mean
Church Christians; l meant Society
Christians"
"Ahl so you think they are diff
ferent, do you? What do you think
of Agusta Pennington fer a Chris
tian!"
Augusta Pennington, Is she
! hcre?' / asked in amazement.
"No, she is not; but her brother
lives within two miles, and he has
daughter about the same age as
Yourself. Mrs. Pennington wrote
them we should be here to-day;
they viii doubtless call in the morn
ing"
WeIll / did not care if they did.
The dresses in my trunks were of a
style and make sufficient to inspire
any woman with comfortable salts
faction. The next morning / made
a beautiful toilet. The people in
the dining room wondered, if they
/. did not appreciate it; but neither
Mr.. nor Miss Lacelles called. just
at lamplighting l heard a little stir
aud n hulf 10 r,ra fhn - faS Srse 81
ripping laugh, the rustic of silken
robes, and leaning on her fathers
arm Miss Lacelles entered. She
glance. Her eyes were soft and
large, and brown, and she had a
trick of casting them down, and
then suddenly flashing them in your
face, which must have had some pc
culiar face, which must have had
some peculiar charm in it; for no
ticed that much as it bewildered
them, the gentlemen liked it She
was tall and pale, and lady-like, re-
minding you of a fair white lily
Such was Mary Lacelles; and being
such gave up at once all my inten-
tions of patronizing her; but we
soon struck up friendship-a girls
friendship, mean. Some one has
said that there is no friendship be-
tween the sexes and some one,' l
think, is mistaken; for the world
holds no safer friend for a woman
than an honorable man. a Woman's
friendship is very likely to be the
result, as Mary's and mine did, as
one of convenience, cOntiguity, or
of being, as father rather sneering-
ly remarked, THAT of the only
Christians within hail of each 9TH
er." Mary showed me all her dres-
ses, and told me all her secrets, and
1 returned the compliment, mind
ful, however, Of Robert Burns ad-
vice:
cay, free oldham your story tell,
Whcn-yi a bosom crOny,
But still Keep something 20 yolrseL
Ye wadna tell TO ony."
l have said nothing of Mr.. Lacel-
les because he was Just another of
the stereotyped Virginia gentle
men--courteous and hospitable, with
a strong strain of despotism in his
character; the natural result of gem
erations of power so despotic as to
be able to say to all around, "Come,"
and they came; "Go," and they went;
''DO this" and it was done. The
of centurion or slave own
er would have suited me exactly
{ Query-HOw would it have agreed
with the poor fellows under author
ity?)
Life settled down into an unexci-
ting, but endurable routine. Mary
and l visited each other, read nov
els, and arranged our next winters |
for L had invited her to |
pass the cold weather With me in
New York. And think was very
good patured in me to do so, for
did not really care much about her,
vet I'had been touched, womanly,
by her description of matrimonial
chances available in The neighbor-
hood.
"Why, Olive" she said, "There
is literally no one, even to flirt with.
Young PeytOn used to be a good |
beau; but since freedom, his whole |
soul is in steam plows and bone
dust. Then there is the man who
keeps the variety store at Four Cor
ners and the Methodist preacher. l |
had some slight hopes when this ho-
tel was building of a 'gentlemanly
bNI Oh GCI AAOh H4ldllAG-
fully was disappointed in the crea-
ture."
l could not help smiling at her de-
scription, and sympathizing in her |
- 1 answered. "keep the |
variety clerk and the Methodist |
preacher tor the fOrlorn hope, Mary.
Come with me next winter into the |
great market place of New York |
society; depend upon 1T some one
will hire you, dear"
We discussed this proposal every
day, and one day in the middle of
one Of these pleasant talks, SER
want came in and handed me a card. |
The name on it reused at once all
the antagonism in my nature. 1t
was "Geoffry Gardiner"
Now it so happened that the exis-
tence of this gentlemen was the One
thing l had Kept back in my conf
dences with Mary. Sol had now to
explain who and what he was. l |
wanted her to come into the parlOr |
with me; but no, she would 90 home |
first and dress and be back in time
for tea, which we always took at
in our own sitting-room.
l disliked Geof'ry, and yet l was
glad to see him. My mental facul-
ties were rusting for want of some
attrition. Father would not quar-
rel with me, and Mary was my only
face card; 1 could not throw her
away. Besides, rather liked to
see his great handsome figure in the
room. He was so full of life that
he seemed to vitalize even the chairs
and stools; they tumblcd about and
got out or his way in the strangest
manner. | confess too, that l had
missed him at our quiet tea table,
There was nobody to argue with
father or contradict the newspa-
pers; nobody to throw the cream
over or tread on my skirts, or do
anything to break the calmly-proper
routine of our bread and butter.
told him about Mary Lacelles, and
warned him that he would lose his
heart; and he gravely told me that
he had none to lose.
Imagine six feet two inches of hu-
manity without a heartl
We waited tea for Mary, but she
did not come till quite dark, and we
had begun tea She said she had
bee detained by company, but l
knew better than that. She was
dressed with reference to candle
light effect, and would not lose its
influence on her first appearance. l
never saw her look so lovely. Talk
about "Beaty unadoruedr' Give me
Beauty in silken robes and fine Ia
ces. At any rate, Mary's rose-col-
ored dress, with its broad glancins
bands of white silk, wonderfully
enhanced her charms. Geoffrv
looked delighted, and she gave him
the full benefit of her upward and
downward glance. Then she retired
to an omen MindoM. She Mould