The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-09-10
NARCISSUS THE SECOND.


"A gentleman in the parlor, miss y
Jessie Somers took the card the
servant brought, and as she read the
name a flush Of pleasure rose to her
cheek-he was evidently a welcome
guest
Her mother who was watching her
closely, remarked this with anything
but satisfaction.
"Is it Mr.. Hartford ~ she asked.
r Jessie answered in the Affirmative,
saving, as she left the room, III be
back soon, mamma. | don't believe
he'll stay long"
Mrs. Somers sighed, for Jessie
would, doubtless, be better pleased if
be did stay long and, as the sweet,
graceful looking girl closed the door
behind her, the anxious mother file
into a brown study over this Mr..
Hartford
Primarily, she did not like him in
himself; and, seeondarily, she was
very much afraid that be meant to
marry Jessie, and that Jessie was
very much inclined to say yes"
when he asked her. Mrs. Somers
was aware that q little personal
piqHe mingled with her dislike for Mr..
Hartford; be had never taken the
trouble TO pay her any of those little
attentions which all true gentlemen
render to omen as women, irrespec-
tive Of other considerations, and which
young gentlemen in love are apt to
render to the mothers OF their divini-
ties and as Mrs Somers was human,
and knew perfectly well what was
due in this respect, she naturally re-
sented the omission.
The man had no right now, she
thought, to ask for Jessie alone, in
stead of asking for "the ladies"-un-
less, horror of horrors. his errand
was strictly private and confden-
tial one. How did she know what
either be or Jessie might be saying
that very minute!
Another disadvantage consisted in
the fact that Mr.. Hartford was
very handsome man, with almost q
Greek regularity of features, and
dark, dangerous eyes, that expressed
all sorts of emotions which their
owner never felt. He was just the
man to captivate a girl like Jessie,
who, although fair, and sweet and
graceful-looking, had no pretenten-
tions to beauty.
Then, too, Mrs Somers feared that
Mr. Hartford's attention were by no
means disinterested the late Mr.. |
SOmers had left a very comfortable
property. which report magnifed ten
fold, and Jessie was an only child
Their house had an appearance OF
substantial elegance, and visitors
foeked there in troops, all of them
probably thinking the Somers much
richer than they really were If
Jessie should be married for her
money,
Mrs. Somers felt that the very
thought was more than she could
bear; but, to her great surprise, the
young lady herself walked into the
room, after an absence of not more
than ten minutes.
"Your visitor did not stay long"
observed her mother, in more delight
than she cared to show
1T was who did not stay" re-
piled Miss Jessie.
Mrs. Somers saw that her daugh-
ter's head was very erect, and her
voice sharp and decided. Something
had evidently happened, and that not
of an agreeable nature, but, ike
wise woman, she waited to hear what
it was.
II have done with Mr.. Hartford
the young lady, presently,
'and | never mean to see him again.
| didn't see him ROtc-or. rather, he
didn't see me"
This was somewhat 'paregorieal,
as Mrs. Partington would say but
Mrs. Somers found a great deal of
comfort in these disjointed sentences.
1t was sometime before Miss Jessie's
story became very lucid, but this is
the substance of it;
Gliding softly to the farthest door
Of the long saloon parlor to meet one
who might possibly be lover, she !
paused a moment with the knob in
her hand-wondering just where be
would be sitting, or if he would be .
standing looking over the books or
When she opened the door, it was
lone so noiselessly, that the absorbed
visitor at the other end of the room
lid not turn from his employment ,,
Jessie's eyes were on the floor, at
irst; but raising them in some sur
Prise at the gentleman's silence, I
ceiling Of thorough contempt took I
of her, to the utter exclu- I
,ion Of the dawning love that quick I
ened the beatings of her heart
The gentleman stood complacently |
before the mirror, evidently lost in
admiration of his own handsome iace, '
Ind twisting his mustache now this l
way and now that, as though he
.ould not decide what arrangement a
'uited his style of loveliness best. 9
Fales Hartfort really felt quite ner- c
7ous on the subject Of his appearance I