The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-05
MISTRESS EUPHEMIA.
Prom THsicg's Nd0aslns.
CHAPTER I.


ton for my actions, and that | am not
aware who appointed him censor of my
behavior"
There nrc some women who have n mar
vellous talent for putting an adversary in
thu vronv. Mt.ticss Euphcma Walwyh
was one of them. As she Walked along
the marrow path Of the shrubbery. her
brooade rustlng, her cheeks orim 'on. and
her eyes a.lshing tire from anger poor
william Tcmpleton. following humbly be-
hind her, felt that he must have b 'hnyed
I'm n most prcsuming and overbeiring
fashion, and that the lady na1 good reason
for her indignation.
"Mistress EuphemIa!" he said implor-
ingly.
Bat Mistress Euphemia would not listen;
she walked on in front with toss oil nor
head, apparently betOkoning intense an
ger, though an observer who saw h ar face
might have noticed IA certain smile OF tri
umph lurking in the corners OF her pout-
Ing lips, and u laughln CLEAN in her eyes,
that betrayed a knowledge OF her power
and a determination to use it.
Adorable Euphemial"
Adorable forsoothl" Do you call 1t
alteration to be as jealous as the Moor in
the play book. and rs )mineerng as-as
don't know what? No. sir; | am not
your slave yet, nor of any nan"
Heaven forbid you should ever be
aught to me, madam, but my queen aud
mistressl'
Having brought her lover down TO the
proper pitch of humility aud nbasement
Mistress Euphema felt she might relent n
little; she turned round with smile;
"a pretty speech, but one somewhat
stale Mr.. Templeton.'
"A true one. nevertheless"
Despite his utter subjngation TO his fair
despot william Templeton looked every
inch brave gentleman IA he spoke. Even
Mistress Walwyn looking AT him, was fain
to confess he was the "properest figure OF
man" she knew of, rs he stood there, his
fair. rather suuhurnt face, Int with Il glow
of eagerness. aud his air OF submission be-
coming him well, perhaps the better be-
cause he was over six feet in height with
shoulders broad in proportion.
"Thcn." said Mistress T. iphemia. with n
delicious smile ." then you will no longer
play the mulcontcnt TO your sovereignr'
Never, if she will but pardon ms this
time"
he kissed n hani. such ~ is seldom secn-
in very truth the hand of n queen-lcug
md white ana shapely, yet with strength
and power Mingled in its lissom grace.
Mistress Euphema Walwyn wa, an
heiress her father had died when she was
child, leaving her to the care and guild
ance Of her mother; Il far, gentle woman,
with little strength or ability to cope with
her daughters imperious nature.
Before she was sixteen Mistress En-
phemia was the toast OF the county; be-
fore she was seventeen she had lovers by
the dozen, admirers by the hundred; in
deed, it was no wonder, for besides her
fortune-which was the largest of any
hdy's in Devon-she had beauty, wit and
withai sweetness enough for twenty
women; size was no sophia Western or
Amelia Booth though; rather "A Charlotte
Grandson, with u temper stronger than
many man ;, ana face Us fair N that of
any woman that ever lived. Many lad es
Jighed over her, aud pitled the man who
should win her; indeed, it seemed as
though no ordinary mortal would be
needed to take the fair, proud, defiant
creature, who dared the world so lightly,
riding Toughshod over ITS prejudiccs III a
manner that caused many Of her female
friends TO stand ughast with horror.
Nevertheless, she had thousand charms
the was &c ucTous and open aud true, with
frank daring aud chivalry resembling
that OF an ardent boy; her laugh alone
su1lced TO make "a man fall in love with
her; IL was the sweetest ever heard, clear
and soft yet with ringing merriment
that made the hearts of those that heard
h. glad as they would have been at the song
ota thrush. Bat II l. useless 10 descrb
her; one moment she was naughty and
rOld, "A quevnly Artemis; the next, gay.
nnrestralned and free, with the bright
gladuess OF a Hebe. But charming rs she
was, 10 confess the truth, the adorable
Euphenia was an arraut tilrt.
she UdS It iirt; IL seemed rs though sh g
could not help herself and that her tiirt
In. was part of herself. Indeed, tor VIVA I
reason had nature given her that cream
satin SKIN; those smiling. poutng lips, red
der than ANY rose; those laughing hazel
eyes, with their long lushrs and clear
arcned brOws, If not to employ them In
tubduing the whole OF the male race, or OF
ns many OF its members as she NIGH
chance to come ia contact within IT she
were to conhne her charms To the con-
quest of one individual, she might rs well
be pam Nell Cover OF Togarth, who, de-
Epite her squint and brown skin, had mar
ried rs comedy ayoung fellow, with good
fortune, as was to be found in the wnOle
Of the West country. No, Mistress Euphe-
mia ltll luhl ncT Dthuly WAS gwen uel
10 use as n weapon against the whole race
Of men, and use II she did most unmerci-
fully; tho only danger was that one day
she might chance TO wound herself
Mr.. Iempleton WAS one OF her humblest
RdOrers, ana, ne consequence, one Of the
most ili-used; yet he Wa "A lover many
girls would have been proud Of haud-
some, young, his OWL master. with a fair
fortune aud sweet temper, the very mir
ror OF honor and truth "A man who might
make any woman happy prov lded that sIIt
loved him.
He had been one of Mistress Walwyn's
tram OF ndoTeIs for the last two years
and yct had never dared TO speak OF MS
love, except in the stock phrases Of gal
ltntry OF mat day, that might mean every
thing or nothing, accol ding TO the Will ol
the person addressed. Mistress Euphemla
chose that they should mean the latter, yet
she did not loosen the hold she had on Mr.
TempletOn, and would have been very
wIaiAiul had he shown any slgu Of break
ing from ms allegiance.
m" quarrel Of to-day was an almost I'M
lr"ccdeuted event. As a rule, William
Iemplcton WAS 50 utterly her slave that
he never dared to murmur AT aught thal
hls mi.tfe,s chose to do; but it happened
that at hall tne night before, Euphelna
al ID t,. mn hglI