The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-01-28

worked upon it. Is What a massive
,silver-framed old glass it was that
stood upon it t!-an unbecoming old
glass, too, I remember, for all its
grandeur glass that made me look
green when I stood before it, and that
threw my nose into a. queer line that
feature never had from nature. . -
For I had to rouse myself from my
deep, dreamy fancies, and stand to be
dressed before that old glass at last.
Percival came back, and I gathered
my disordered mind together under
her auspices, and sgt myself down be.
fore my stately toilet altar to be
dressed for my,frst Christmas evening
in a country house.
I felt very much depressed when,
the foundation Of fine starched skirts
and silk slips laid, Percival, the ter.
rible only old maid I had ever had to
wait upon me, brought out my prize
dress,-a Aeecy- thing, all cloudy
white tulle and pu&aness, that Helen
had taken special pains with. This
had been designed as a sort of crown
ing glory,-a thing in which to ap-
pear at. some great county ball, "a
robe in which to be seen by the
"Prince Charming" who was to be
seen and conquered by me during my
visit. And now Percival took it out
for: me to go down to dinner in. I
spoke at last, suggesting mildly that
"there was no company, was there p
!: "Only the. company staying ip the
house, about twenty" Percival re-
piled, standing before me like re-
spectacle Fate, with the tulle dress
gathered up over her arm.
''Then I will wear black silk" 1
contrived to say, firmly. So at last
I got dressed in that, with a great
white gauze cloud over me called a
scarf: And then my hour was come,
and 1 went down as we'll as I could
to the Pomfrets' drawing-room.
I shall never 70 forget the desire I had
to say, "Please, don't!' when the be-
aforementioned gorgeous Swiss threw
open the drawing-room door, and an
nounced "Miss Dunbar" A shiver
possessed me from head to foot, and
something went wrong with vein in
the back Of my. head,-and the walls
wriggled,-and the floor surged,-
and the ceiling came swooping down
and 1 found myself erect after it
all, and shaking hands with an old
gentleman, who was: thin and gray,
and had a very hooked nose.
He was MY great-uncle, Sir Guy
Pomret. He did not say much to
me, but what he did SAY was kindly
meant andtso kindly expressed.
found myself ii sitting down after a
minute, looking up at him as he stood
before me, questioning me as to my
journey; and then found myself an
swering him coherently enough
though a shy glance which I had Civ
en- to the left nearly made my brair
reel again.
There were several people in the
room, but it was large, and they stooc
in detached groups, and so did moi
strike the eye at once. At first wher
l came in [ was only conscious O:
light and size. But by the time
had sat down and answered Sir Guy.
questions I was capable Of distinguish
ing forms. The little deformed lady
was doing the honors vivaciously ]
gathered, and then to my left were {
couple that started forward to lool
more fully at,-the Fairy Queen ano
my handsome fellow-trayeller!
What a fairy queen she looked
now, to be sure She absolutely gilt
tered in her fair beauty and he1
crystalline white silk. She was play
ing with big, white-feathered fan
and bouquet of Christmas roses, anc
a scent-bottle, and a glove that was
half on and half off, as Hooked at her
And he stood opposite to her, glanc
ing admiiringly at all her coquettisl
efforts, smiling half cynically tn
while,-a perfect: type of the tawny
bearded, blue-eyed, well-grown young
Eng1ishman, looking in his severe
black and narrow, tape-like tie not .
bit like a mute or a waiter (vide tn,
comic writers), but thoroughbredas b
was, the result of race and good SO
ciety.
He was brought up to me soon
and introduced by the sprightly de
formed lady (who was, I found, tn
same Rachael Pomfret who had writ
ten to me) as "your cousin Georgie
III shall drop the Miss Dunbar
Guy Pomfret.'
Then, as I half rose not quit
knowing what to do, fearing nervous
ly that should commit some solecisn
in manners whatever I >did), and re
turned his bow, Miss Pomfret ad
ded,-
"And now come, across, and ge
known to another cousin, my dear,
and before knew what was happen
ing, I was face to face with the Fair
Queen, who held out a slender, white
ljewelled hand to me, and laughed an
flashed out smiles, and made me fee
very material indeed as she mad
herself momentarily more fascinating