The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-11-28
LOST OR WON AT WIMBLEDON

LOST OR WON AT WIMBLEDON.
"I shall look out for you at Wimble-
don."
Those were his last words as he put
her into her carriage after the Hor-
woods pleasant dance words that had
dwelt in her memory more than she
And it was with undisguised pleasure
that she now turned to answer his eager
greeting.
Very pretty she looked in her dainty
dress and ribbons and SO Ralph Leices-
ter thought when he met the earnest
glance of her gray eyes uplifted to his.
He felt as though he could then and
there have pledged himself her life
long slave, instead of pressing on about
the heat and the shooting, and thou
sand other commonplaces, which go to
make up an ordinary conversation. As
| it was, / think his gaze was sufficiently
expressive, and that Margaret Dene APP
precIated its silent eloquence quite as
much as she would have done more out
spoken admiration.
| They had met for the first time at
picnic some two years before, and then
not seen each other again till the dance
I have referred to; but each held a
lively remembrance of the pleasant day
spent together, and had been glad to
renew their acquaintance. Now they
seemed quite like old friends, and more
than one remark was made during the
| day on the attention Leicester was pay
ing to that pretty Miss Dene while the
men wondered, as they will do some
| times, what the latter found in her com
panion so attractive. Handsome young
| exquisites looked down upon him from
the superiority of their good looks and
greater number of inches, and said that
"by Jove she'd a funny taste p reflect
ing, perhaps, on her apparent blindness
70 their perfections, and evident liking
| for the "ugly little barrister." Ugly
he was but in spite of his plain face
and somewhat short stature there was
talent and power in his strongly marked
features, and an indescribable freshness
and vigor about his character which
Margaret Dene at once recognized and
admired.
No luncheon party could be merrier
than that which gathered in the tent of
Charlie Dene, captain of the - rifles.
His own spirits was Cverfowing, and his
guests seemed to have caught the infec-
tion of his gayety.
"Who knows whether the report is
true that Clara Rivers has gone off with
Tom Lightfoot of the Engineers? ?" asked
somebody.
at do" answered Charlie. cold
Rivers told me about it himself this
shall neither of them ever touch a
&c hn
Travers, " he added, turning round sud
young man at his side, "we ought to |
condole with you, fancy; were you
not rather sweet in that quarter ?"
"Not at ALL" answered Travers, try |
ing vainly to look unconcerned. CT
awe were only amusing ourselves"
"Oh, see," said voice from the end |
of the table 'fattention without inten- |
tior, as somebody has defining flirting. |
Very kind of you though, old fellow, to
let her use you as blind. Or perhaps
she despaired of your ever coming to
the point, and it's pique after all, that
has led her into this marriage ?"
Such roar of laughter followed this
sally that Charlie called for order, and
begged to know the cause of it.
"Did you never hear that story %
said Bob Lambert, fixing his merciless
eyes on poor Travers, who was becom-
ing more and more uncomfortable
under this chaff cone evening, the
lovely Clara threw over our friend here
for a waltz with tTOiSten1pS Charlie, and
when he called her to order for her
she only laughed. Trav-
ers could not understand such indiffer-
ence, until at last the happy thought
occurred to him that he had himself
danced three times with certain young
lady in blue. Il know why you did it,
he said, inspired with this new idea;
it was pique.' 'Pique Mr.. Travers,'
replied Flora and they said her face
was quite sublime in its innocence Il
don't know the word ; what does it
mean? {? By the bye, I never heard your
answer" he added, across the table, to
the unhappy youth; &C rather difficult to
ind one, was it not p
"How charming Quite situation"
3himed in another voice, with such an
exact imitation of Travers's speech and
manner, that Charlie, in his character of
enough a; and to turn the tide of CONVEX
,ation he broke it with question on his
cousin Margaret's long tete-a-tete with
Ralph Leicester.
"Who do you think saw to-day,
Meg? Your old friend, Cecil Collins !; (
le made most particular inquiries after
you."
"Do you know Collins p said Ralph, (
ooking up. I
For a amoment Margaret hesitated, and
Ter companion's quick eye detected the {
TRANCE expression which fitted across
Ter countenance but she recovered her
elf possession almost Immediately as
he answered -...
"We were near neighbors and great {
riends as children, but 1 have not seen 6
i'm now for several years."
"Ah," said Charlie, "you would 8
carceIy know him again he is hand
ONE still, but mere wreck of his |
ormer self. He's not forgotten how to s
hoot, though; by George, his scores 6
re something already, Leicester, for t
We backed you for the que MS prize {
gainst all the ladies know Froment's
7hole stock couldn't clear me if you l
ost." I
''Take my advice and hedge at once,
hen," answered Ralph, laughing; then c
owering his voice he added: y
"Miss Dene, will You wish me sue {
ess ?" f
"With all my heart, Mr.. Leicester. F." I
''I think shall succeed, then" he {
aid, in his odd, cool way. "Do you S
now can understand now how those | y