The daily gazette., 1875-08-28
THE COQUE1 TIE.
BY ELLEN ASHTON

Sihlultu Adult I1OWhIu W ulb IIltUu !
as they stood at the entrance of the
ball room ''she is perfect goddess.
'Whom do You meanf" said Henry
Stanhope. "for yol have not yet told
me of whom you speak in such raptures
though to Judge by the direction your
eyes have taken the goddess is none
other than my old playmate Charlotte
Ferney."
"What that divine creature with
the flashing eyes, the brilliant COM
plexion. and such queenly form-she
one Of your old playmates. Why, my
| dear fellow, you must have heart Of
Ice, else you would have been at her
feet years ago."
Always enthusiasticr' exclaimed
Stanhope with smile.
And you are always stoical," re.
torted his friend "but come, since
you really 10 know this bewitching
fairy, present me to her at once.
would give almost anything for an
introduction"
| Stanhope answered ny another Of
his meaning smiles, and taking his
| friends arm, led him across the room
to where Miss Ferney sat surrounded
by her usual train OF admirers. Max
ing his way through these, Stanhope
| presented his friend to the beauty and
after lingering few minutes with
the group; glided away to another
}quarter Of tho room
Meanwhile Howard was endeavor.
! ing to entertain his new acquaintance,
| and, as few men could equel him in
conversational ability, he soon became
the most favored Of the evenings sui
tors. When the next set took the
| floor, he succeeded In leading out Miss
Ferncy, and, IS both were graceful
dancers, they attracted directly the at
tentton OF the room. The gentleman
lad Q figure was kr exn to DO SIS 4
large fortune and had widely extend.
reputation as man of ability. Els
partner was certsinlythe most beautiful
woman In the room. Her form was
faultless, and her dress was in the fin.
est taste. The splendor of her co m
plexIon was unrivaled, her eyes were
olack and brilliant as a sibyl's, and her
features were In the purest Grecian
style and would have seemed cut ont
| of marble, but for the carnation In her
| cheek. Always in high spirits, she
seemed this evening peculiarly CAV
while her partners evident admiration
OF her called even a richer color than
usual into her cheek, To Charlotte
Ferney It ~ SiaBseh ST the ball, Howard
escorted her to her carriage, her heart
thrilled with the pride OF conquest
which, she knew, was envied her by
half of her sex in the room.
| The next day Howard and Stanhope
| ~ and tba rryOrda Cf fha farrnar
after the salutatiou, were in praise Of
Mis- Ferney's beauty. After dwelling
on her loveliness for some moments,
curing which Stanhope maintained 81
lenoe, or only answered IN moncsylls-
bles, Howard said;
But what was the meaning of your
smile last night, Stanhopes-there, you
smile again in the same manner
II cannot see that It has any mean
! ing. You take me to task unfairly"
mo evasion, Stanhope-I see you
imply something by that smile, and to
be frank with you, / suspect you are
no admirer-from what cause know
not--of Miss Ferney,"
"You do me injustice, Howard, for
Ii have ever thought Miss Ferney one
lof the most beautiful women of u >
acquaintance. But since you seem Z
earnest, will be frank with you, anu
state what it is In Miss Ferney that l
do not admire. In one word, then,
she is coquette.
For q minute Howard looked quiz
zically into his friends face, appearing
t. smotltoT all inclination 10 smile, bu1
at length, as if unable to restrain the
fmpulse, he burst into hearty laugh.
dForgive me, Stanhope," he said at
length, "but 1t Is so inexpressiblY lu-
dicrous. l had thought, after youi
harangue, that you were about to tel
ime something against Miss Fefney'i
sfamlly, OF her education, or heaven;
knows what-but when you made the
being a codhette, the head and front
of her offending" could not restrain
laugh, impertinent as it was. Why,
my dear fellow, half the girls we know
are csauettes Indee,k question
whether q woman Is good for much
unless she Is Bit of hirt. l want one
OF your spicy, handsome girls for 9
wife, and not dowdyish creature, al
soft as cream, and about as thick-head
ed"
II cannot agree with you on thai
\ 8uDlecI aI least, s1lu ileouAopCp aAe
think experience would teach thai
little happiness Is TO be found In ths
, married state with confirmed CO
quette. Nor is every one who is not
dirt, 3 soft, dowdyish cresture, but
on the contrary, they are often the
sweetest as well as the most enchant
ing Of their sex. A woman-believs
me-who can trifie with mans affec
lions by encouraging or even allowing
attentions which she is unwilling K
ratify by marriage is, ct best q heart
less creature incapable of loving as
woman should love, and deserving nj
pity IL her own affections, or rathe
her vanity, should be outraged"
"You are warm, Stanhope, said hi
friend, shut even admitting the trut
which I will not--of all you say, 20
have, as yet. failed to show that Mis-
rerney IL a confirmed couQuette."
',Had you known her as long as
have, you would not have doubted II
In coutd name a dozen Wh0m sha ha