The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-04-17
HALLiE,s JOKE.

HALLiE's JOKE.
HALLE Hunter was pretty-a belle, atid
Just eighteen years old. She was IOnefof
those young ladies, SD often sect, who
are ofn0 Practical use to any one, but
seem created to tease. torment, be ad-
mired and adorn the parlor. =
Halle was engaged in the somewhat
novel employment to her of thinking.
She was very comfortably. seated in Q
rocking chair, with loose wrapper and
hair in crimping pin, her usual morning
attire. Inher lap. and. scattered aroundi
the floor in proilsion were many period
icats and illustrated romances OF the.
!, Inc fact was she had been reading
ssleap-y ear stortes,o and che was deeply
engaged now in hatching up q plan by
winch she could perpetrate q, leap year
joke. which Would be more brilliant, and
startling than any she had read about.
SomeWay Hallie's thoughts were SLOW
in maturing, and she rejected each plan
that presented itself as inipracticable
she was just, wishing that she was a
preston, or fall in trance and dream it
out, when the door opehed and b lady
walked in. ,4..t.,.. 4
a fresh, fair face, no, ,1oneer young, but
indescribablys loyely-the face was ,some-s
thing Like Halle's, but more marked and
decided, with an in ward grace, o LOOK Of
truth. which Hallie's never would wear;
this. was Miss Harriet Hunter, Hallies )
aunt, the one from whom She took her
name, but not, liking the, old-fashioned
name ofl Harriet, she had rechristehed
Harriet Hunter had never Deen mar
|ried, but at the age or thirty she was
lovely11aa Specimen ot perfect woman, !;
even her most intimate friends did not
know. AQ't definite Information That
could be gained was that, asa girl she
had been gay and devoted to society, but
that, after a few years passed abroad /,
she had returned home changed from u
gay and careless girl into q quiet, sub
dued woman, living with and caring for
her aged mother, receiving no visits ex-
cepti from relatives. ,o.l aAr E..j
She mad the respect Of all who knew
her, save her misehleyous niece Halle,
VINO looked ON her only fas an old maid
aunt, anda capital subject for playing
of her jokes on. G5 ps ai
When her aunt came in, fresh from the
morning air, the picture of neatness and
good taste, Halle, instead Of being
| ashamed of her own negligence, seemed
over1fowing with mirth, and, during her
aunt's short stay, smile after smile
chased each other over her Adimpled
cheeks. .'S
Poor Harriet Hunter felt little unoom-
Portable over this apparently ylunproyoked
gayety OF her niece, and even after she
mad passed Into the street, she carefully
examined her clothing to see il Halle had
not fastened something to her, or played
oh Tro MI tn iYa ri i.
but every rytning seemed all right, and she
walked on with little sign, thinking OF
the time when she was as young and gay
as HALLE. 'hf HAri fI slel1d e.' u
she turned the corner of the street
| which led 70 her home suddenly, and
came in direct collision with
a gentlemen coming from an op.
posite direction. A moment of embar-
rassment, In which both endeavor to
recover themselves, then the gentleman
gracefully lifts. his nat and saysi 81 beg
your pardon, madameV ti4
1t was familiar voice, and all the
color in her peach-like face fed, leaving
even her lips whitened and strained. y
A curious look of mingled regret and
pain comes into his sapphire eyes, as ne
looks at her standing thus. Both seem
about 10 speak, they turn slowly away.
| Harriet Hunter feels a binding, dizzy
pain at her heart as she almost staggers
homeWard. 'f.5'e -''1s y t,' 8'tg"
Ten years ago this man, Gerald Ais.
| ton, whom she had just met by chance,
was her affianced husband. Under the
sunny skies OF Italy they had plighted
their VOWS, and he had given her ring,
| a hoop OF gold surmounted by a tiny for
get-me-not OF diamonds and sapphires-
Ihe latter shelaughingly told him was
| Just the color OF his eyes. - p y
| In her box Of treasures, now carefully
locked from prying eyes, the ring she had
worn SO long ago reposed oneits velvet
bed, When she had decided to cast his
love from out her; heart, she had put
\ away all that would remind her OF him.
| Miss Hunter had many admirers
| while in Rome beside Aiston. A promi-
nent one was Count M alio, who seemed
| greatly enamored with this American
| girl. She refused him, but still he
followed in her train.
4 One day he asked her carelessly why
/ she permitted 30 much attention from
l Alston. l9F'ue st tu
She proudly replied; "Why noti he is
my fancep i 4.
| ssBecause,n he answered, in the show
/ way which he articulaged English, she
already have one wife, a seereI one, In O
Il
pretty blaok-eyed lady. show You ne,
sometimes" s+i & tyf
OF course Harriet Indignantly refused
to believe this Infamous story. Yet the
Counts narration was plausible one
and he added much to it, adducing q
chain of circumstances which seemed to
show thai he told the truth. .
For several days she did not see Ais.
ton, and she spoke Of his absence to the
Count.
He replied: 'sThe lady is sick; will
you take a walk?V F3 aii.
Heart-sick herself, Harriet gladly &C.
cepted the invitation. 1t was towards
nightfall of lovely day-such day az
only an Italian climate can produce
The soft, balmy air was redolent witt
the perfume OF flowers, and the streets
were thronged with people, 'Aets
From some whim Harriet had oomt
out closely yelled, and no entreaties o
the Count could persuade her to remove
the covering. t st, ii
| 1t was some fete day, and as they
walked slowly along carriage after car
riage rolled by with their loads of gay
occupants. "A little behind the resi-
comes a coupe. Harriet instincliyelJ