Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-09-03

matter-of-course way: DO not fee
bound to devote yourself to me, Mr.
Remington, for am quite Independent
of such support; and know how much
more natural it is for you to be among
the young ladies of your acquaintance,
than to waste yourself upon an old
woman like me.
Mr.. Remington felt like replying that
he had been in quest of ''and old woman
like her," for some time past /; but, in.
stead of this. he merely said,
81 shall be happy to waste myself in
this way, as long as You will permit it. y
A beautiful flush tinged the fail
cheek of the republican queen, as she
glanced at the expressive eyes of hel
companion and, feeling that this con-
versation had lasted long enough, she
said, quietly: eff you will give me
your arm, should like to go into the
other room. There are some pictures
there which will repay your attention
1 see that you are a lover of such
things"
"How did she know that ?" thought
Philip.
'Not there" added the vision in the
gray brocade. 81 am too old, you know,
for dancing"
Except the gray hair and antique
dress, she looked, as she smiled, an in
carnation of perpetual youth and her
companion gazed at the pictures she
pointed out to him, with the conviction
that the picture beside him was worth
all the efforts of the old and young mas
tiers combined.
Meanwhile people were watching the
couple with different degrees of inter-
est, and while many glances of admira-
tion were directed toward the modern
Lady Washington, few rosy lips were
curled with pique that Prince Philip
should slight their charms to devote
himself to an old lady.
But Mrs. Lorraine would not allow
this so exclusively as the gentleman de-
sired !: two or three times did she ban
ish him on various pretexts, and at an
unreasonable early hour, and very much
to his disgust, she left the gay scene for
the quiet of her own apartment.
Some hours later she was joined by
Mrs. Farland, who said, laughingly !:
"Do you know, Gertrude, think you
are decided success. And feel quite
indebted to you for the freak that sur
prised me so at first. A figure like you
at ones receptions is a card of the first
value, for there is sure to be nothing
similar. You certainly might have
stepped out of Martha WashingtOp's
picture frame but who except yourself
would have thought of acting as though
you had"
Mrs. Lorraine looked up rather
wearily from her comfortable position
on the lounge. She had doffed her rich
dress for white wrapper, ard brown
locks, instead of gray ones, foated over
her shoulders for the gray, like the
dolls dresses, ''took off and on. She
was pretty woman, undoubtedly; but
singular, too-somewhat of species by
herself-and so thought the friend who
sat studying her.
81 believe l am half tired of masque-
rading," said she. absently.
"Since when ?" asked Mrs. Farland,
with smile. But You do it so well,
that I should think the venerable role
would become second nature. And
how can you be such startling likeness
of Martha Washington, without drop
of her blood in your veins, is problem
1 cannot fathom. Seriously, though,
did you not miss the attentions to which
you are so accustomed from all mar
men from eighteen to eighty?"
"Of course I missed them," was the
reply; "and, although it seemed little
odd at first, yet can assure you that it
was really a relief. l think that, to
most of my admirers, 1 am only the i'm
parsonage of SO many thousands.
Gas though you had no other attrac-
tions whatever" observed her friend.
"But you certainly were not displeased
with Philips attentions p
"He entertained me-" said Mrs. Lor-
raine, dreamily. 81 think there is some
thing in him."
Prince Philip would be fattered,"
was the amused reply. "He is so high
and mighty parsonage very kind of
society, in fact of that l had serious
doubts as to whether he would conde-
scend to accept my invitation. / am
afraid he would not have done so, had
he known me for the 'parvenu' am"
"'Parvenu =" repeated her friend, in
"What can you be think
ing of, Clara? You look like anything
but 'parvenu ?"
81 believe I do" replied the fair,
stately woman, laughing merrily; "but
for all that, used to pick blackberries
for living; and my home was the least
little mite of red house you ever saw
among the hills of New Hampshire.
And / don't care who knows it, for So
ciety wouldn't dare to be rude to me
now"
Her companion was too much aston
ished to reply; and Mrs. Farland con-
tinued;
81 believe I never told you this when
we were at school together, and it was
picking and my own resolu-
ton that took me to school; but it was
not pride that kept me from it. l always
meant to marry a rich man though
when first met Ralph Farland, he was
not the millionaire he is now. l really
think that if the lives of at least half
the women in society were written, they
would eclipse the widest sensation
novels"
~ could give pretty shrewd guess"
said Mrs. Farland, mischievously.
'It must be that the sunset of life
gives you the mystical lore" was the
reply, as the speaker glanced
at her friends fair youthful face. "But.
seriously, Clara, hope you don't think
me deceitful, do you? l was afraid from
your reply, that you didn't half like it,
when 1 wrote to you my intention to
come as a middle-aged lady attired for
high days and holidays. la Martha
Washington, but that wished to try it
as it might be. am fairly sick of the
round have led for the
last two years, since my conventional
period of mourning expired. My mar
riage, you know, brought me $500, ,OOO-
only this and nothing more and I really
enjoy the excitement of new phase of
existence. was always said to look
like the Mother of her Country; and l
created quite sensation at fancy ball
in the very dress wore tonight. This
put the idea into my head and, as it
continued to haunt me, I resolved, in