New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-10-31
NEW ORLEANS REPUBLICAN,, SUNDAY, OCTOBER 81, 1875

with something of the zeal and revereuc
they felt for the artist. At last they sci,
Mrs. Gilbert must see it, and followet
it in procession to the room Of tn
She had been having her breakfast il
bed, and now set in berutfled, sweet
scented dishabille, which became her pale
middle-aged, invalid good l0oks-he
French mar quise effect, one young CIR
called it, Mrs. Gilbeit's hair being quit
gray, and her thick eyebrows dark, lik,
those of powdered old regime beauty
and che considered it long while with he
hands lying in her lap. EYES," she sighed
at last ''its very fair, indeed, poo
thing"
Blossom or Rachel, Mrs. Gilbert3
promptly demanded the lady who had beer
chaperoning the picture, with tremor O.
humorous appreciation at the corners of her
mouth, and quick glance at her very darl
brown eyes.
Rachel" answered Mrs. Gilbert. "Blos
som is blessed COW. But woman of re
MUS in New England farmhouse whert
| they take summer boarders-0h, dear me
| Yes, it's quite az bad as that, should say,
she added thong after another stare
at the picture. "Quite."
The company had settled and perche d
and poised upon the different pieces of fur
niture, as if they expected Mrs. Gilbert to
90 on talking; out she seemed to be out OF
the mood, and chose rather to listen to theil
applauses of the picture. The sum of their
kindly feeling appeared to be that some
thing must be done to encourage Miss
Woodward, but they were not certain how
she ought to be encouraged, and they began
to stray away from the subject before any.
thing was concluded. When the surprise
had been drained TO the dregs, natural re.
action began, and they left Mrs. Gilbert
| somewhat sooner than usual. and with
signs of fatigue. Presently no one remained
but the lady who had exhibited the picture;
her, as she made movement to take ii
from the mantel, Mrs Gilbert stopped, and
began to ask about the artistic history Of
Miss Woodward.
Mrs. Belle Farrell, one OF the summer
bOarders, stood waiting at the side of the
road for Rachel Woodward, who presently
appeared on the threshold of the red school
house, with several books on her arm. 1t
was Saturday afternoon; her school term
had ended the day before, and she had e.
turned now for some property of hers left
down the books while she locked the door
and put the key in her pocket, and then abe
gathered them up and moved somewhat
languidly toward Mrs. Farrell. This lady
was slender enough to seem of greater
height than she really was, but not slender
enough to look meagre, and she wore stuff
that chung to her shape, and. without de-
its stylishness. Her dress was not SO we'll
suited to walking along country roads as it
was to some pretty effects OF pose; caught
with the left hand and drawn tightly
across from behind, it's plated folds ex-
banded about Mrs. Farrell's feet. and as she
turned her head for sidelong glance at
her skirt, it made her look like lady on
heightened by Mrs. Farrell's brunette color
ing of dusky red and white, and very dark
eyes and hair; but for the rest her features
were too regular; she knitted her level
brows under forehead overbung with loose
hair like French painters fancy OF a
Roman girl Of the decadence and she was
not Buddhist half the time. This after
noon, for example, she had IN the hand with
which she swept her skirt forward, a very
charming little English copy of Keble's
Christian Year, in mouse-colOred, flexible
leather, with red edges. 1t was book
that she had carried good deal that sum
mer.
She now looked up and down the road,
and seeing no one but Rachel she undid her
attitude and pinned her draperies cour-
ageousl y out of the way. Let US go home
through the berry PASTURE" she said
and at the same time she stepped out
a stride that showed the elastic beauty
of her ankles and the neat fit of her
stout walking-shoes; she mounted and
was over before the country girl could let,
down one of the bars and creep through.
In spite of Mrs. Farrel's stylishness, the
pasture and she seemed joyously to &C.
cept each other as parts of nature; as she
mo- ln1n aA pxrarf hat urvb L ILL
and leaped from one gray lichened rock to
another, and glided in and out of the sun
shotten clumps of white birches, she sug-
gested well millinered wood nymph not
the least afraid of satyrs; she suffered her.
self to whistle fragments Of opera, as she
stopped from time to time and examined the
low bushes to see if there were any ripe
berries yet. Such as she found she ate with
frank, natural, charming greed; but there
were not many of them,
"We shall have to stick D custard pie for
another week." she said; "Pm glad it's so
good. Don't let's 60 home at once, Rachel.
Sit down and have talk, and III help you
through afterward, or get you out of the
trouble somehow. HALL" she commanded.
The girl showed q conscientious hest
tation, while Mrs. Farrell sank down at
the base of . bowlder on which the sun
that freshness which comes often enough
to the New England hills even late in July;
Mrs. Farrell leaned back with her hands
clasped behind her head, and closed her
eyes in luxury. "Oh you nice old rock,
you How warm you are to q persons
back y
Rachel crouched somewhat primly near
her, with her books on her knee, and
glanced with Q slight anxiety at the freedom
of Mrs. Farrell's seltdisposition, whose
signal grace might well have justified its
own daring.
''Rachel, y said Mrs. Farrell, subtly inter
preting her expression, you're almost as
modest as man; Pm always putting you to
the blush. There, will that do any bettera"
she asked, modifying her posture. She gazed
into the young girls face with q caricatured
prudery, and Rachel cOlored family and
smiled.
perhaps l wasn't thinking what you
thought" she said.
"Oh yes, you were, you ely thing; don't
perience. ! suppose you're glad your schools
over for the summer, Rschell"
II don't know. Yes, I'm glad; it's hard
work. l shall have change at least, help
ing about home"
"Whst shall you dot"
II suppose shall wait on table," =
swell. then, you shall not. I'll arrange
that With your mother. any way. Ill wait
II don't see what difference 1t makes
whether work for the boarders in the
kitchen or wait ON them ut the ia ble."
cit makes great difference; You can't
be hidden by them if you're not In the way,
and I'm not going to have q woman Of
genius asking common clay ii 1t will take
some NOSE Of the hash or another help of
Rachel. ana Mra CiIhort .o;a 90 - n .-;J