Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-01-29
pictures which seemed to her the choicest

4
banker?"
"But then you must be rich TO have
such stock In trade" cried Annie deci-
sively.
Robert answered only by aquick glance
| at his wife. She was reader of tongue.
"Certainly, Annie" she said, 'must DC
or mill be, for appearances produce real
| tiles"
Mrs. Robert Bell was perhaps also
classed by Robert as part Of his stock in
trade, her social talent attracting many
| of those to his house who aftcrward be-
came useful to him In business.
| Not a few men Of retired habits and in
| herited wealth, not few well-endowed
widows had been decIded--in the deli
cate question of the clearinghouse which
should become the depository OF their
| unemployed capital and the adviser and
agent in its investment-by graceful at
| tention from lady who combined the ele-
gance of perfect ton with tact that enabled
her to adapt herself to each varied form
! of character among those whose favor she
| desired TO win. There was no doubt that
this marriage, If speculation, had been
| a profitable speculation for the house OF
Braine 81 Bell; and now, just as an un-
usual run on the stock Of the Ocafenoca
Railroad, Of which Braine 81 Bell were
| the principal holders, had been made by
the "bears"--Braine g. Bell were
"bulls," of course they might have
suffered in consequence, John Bell had
died, and the fortune he left--Annie's
share of it as well as Robert's-served AS
a very convenient bolster for the sinking
heads Of the firm.
"Annie, find that my fathers property
has increased in value since he retired
from business. His estate is valued at
two hundred thousand dollars. SO you
see you are an heiress What will you do
with your money!"
"Tlhat is for you to say, Robert" said
Annie, quickly then hesitated, and,
biusiiibg and stammering, added: "Of
course, Robert, | want you to take-that
is, want TO pay--that is, / mean
my expenses here, you know"
"Oh, that is nothingp said Robert.
"Oh, yes, Robert; indeed / could not be
easy"
ooh, well--be easy. I'll see to all that;
but that will be bagatetle-a thousand or
so, two at most-how much more will
you want2 All you do not want had bet
ter be invested in railroad bonds--pay
capitally"
aCouid have five hundred dollars to
spend as please?" asked Annie, timidly.
give hundred dollarsl Why, you will
want that for your dress alone as soon as
you lay aside this heavy, gloomy dress;
and, by.the-by, dear, / wish you would
tighten your mourLing-now don't begin
to cry, Annie--you know, if 1t would do
him any good, | would wear 1t, and have
you wear it, forever; but it cannot, and it
does me serious harm"
alarm, Roberto" sobbed Annie, trying
vainly to press back her tears "How can
that be? II 1t is so, l had better go
away"
"Just like woman's reasoning. Now
listen To me one moment, Annie, and you
will understand the case, and, am sure,
will do what j want. 1t is not, Annie,
that feel less our great loss than you do,
but business men have not time TO listen
TO feeling; hence, If one pauses in the
race for that, down he goes, and dozen
trample over him in their eager rush for
agreeable young lady in house Is often
a great help in my business, and you
know, dear, we are In the same boat now,
and sink or swim together"
"But, Robert, do not yet understand
wnob my hou'h h"o w Wv Wv" "'i
this"
"Why, Annie, do you not see that it
makes the house gloomy, and people will
not come to gloomy housel Sarah
would have given one of her charming
petits s0upers last week, but how could she
entertain gay guests while you moved
like heavy, black cloud over the
sccne2"
"Then, Robert, let me go away"
"And have everybody saying was so
hard hearted had driven my sister from
my house!''
tWhat shall I do, Robert? / know
not what you WISH" Annie spoke impa-
tiently.
II will tell you, Annie. have asked
two or three gentlemen to dinner to-day;
let Sarah make some change In your
dress; 1t shall still be black, but 1t may
be a little lighter, a little more becoming,
and then come to dinner determined to
be my bright, beautiful sister again"
81 will do my best" Annie said, colby,
and Robert kissed her and called her his
pet, and then hurried away, feeling
himself a little ashamed of his
own talk Could he have looked
back and seen the girlish face
fall into the clasped hands, and heard the
deep sobs that shook tho slender form, he
would scarcely have been comforted.
But he did not look back, and the storm
lulled at last, and Annie rose and sought
Mrs. Robert Bell, decided to do all they
wished tonight, and tomorrow to write
to friend in E. to look out home
| for her there.
We have said that Mrs. Robert Bell
| possessed tact, and she manifested 1t on
this occasion. Annie was asked to make
no painful changes, and yet, by the aid
of skillful cOteur and n,odists, differ
ent air was given to her dress, which
| seemed now to render more interesting
the sweet, childlike face glowing with
the excitement of dressing for the first
| time consciously for effect.
Among the guests of the evening was
young Southerner, rich, handsome, agree
able. The first quality was his passport
to the society Of Mr.. and Mrs. Robert
Bell. The others won for him the heart
of Annie. Over their loves l shall not
linger 1t was the old story-who does
not know itf Bryan Randolph, proud
of his pedigree, of his old home,
of the associations with his name, who
had sometimes doubted whether he should