Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-01-22

/ crisp, DeaullIul Costume, WITH II
swans head perched on her Golf
fure, was looking out upon the
crowd from two hideous openings
in her white satin mask, the blue,
restless eyes partially yelled by
fills of shining lace. How etfec-
tually these masks cover up pre-
tentions, false or otherwise This
royal looking swan may have been
pug-uosed and freckled, but the
hideous little triangle of lace and
satin told you nothing. Pinkie
knew the face behind to be very
beautiful, only she knew how un-
easily that sometime careless
young heart was beating tonight.
All. Pinkie, you marplot! She
steals up nearer now and the Swan
observing her gives Il very per-
ceptible start.
"Have you seen an Amy Rob-
sart in the crowd? / have two
sisters here and can't fad either.
"Ah y whispered the white
domino TREMENDOUSLY.
There goes Mr. Maxwell there.
Leicester He and Mr.. Elcott
have exchanged costumes.
There is Charles Stuart Mr.. Eli
cott,) Heavens here he comes,he
will be sure to know me: Do your
"Are you Nan Dalrymple ?"
Pinkie caught the Swans hand
in mock acquiescence and fitted
off In a moment she was ia
Charles Stuarts path.
"Sire on your way to White
hall and the scaffold ? You will
find an old friend in the Swans
costume, sThister,' you know,
only don't tell her told YOU"
What rare fun Pinkie was hav-
ing that night! she passed the
royal looking Genoaese lady and
Leicester many times.
Wasn't she paying off old scoresl
You see the monkey had found it
all out, with her quick wit, and
never-to-be baffied curiosity, how
Ellcott was dying for Trudie, how
Trudie afraid TO brave 'Thister's'
displeasure with an avowal of his
intentions, had been endeavoring
to gain courage for an elopement;
how Maxwell, deceived by the
circumspection of the betrothed
pal, was avoiding Ellinor, whose
heart he imagined TO be enlisted
on Ellcot,'s side.
What a polyglot tumble it was !!
There was Ellcott, in the guise of
Lsicester, pouring into 'Thister's'
ears all the guarded secrets of the
months past, and Maxwell in his
blue velvet court-dress, beguiled
by the privacy of the situation,
and most Of all, by his own head
long, desperate passion, was show
ering upon restless, careless ~
Trudie the long pent up flood OF
his devotion to Ellinor. The Ven
titan lady listened long as she dar-
ed to the impassioned pleading Of
the Earl, then Pinkie, standing
nonchalantly near, heard her say,
with all the pearls tremble on
the gorgeous court-dress -
"Mr. Ellcott, you are surely mis-
taken if 1t is Trudie you mean to
mislead in this dastardly fashion"
And the clear scorn of the voice
touched Pinkie where she stood.
miss ELLINoR is it possible!
Pinkie told me it was Trudie 70
"Pinkie u" The mask covered the
provoked smile on Ellinor's face.
"Mislead Miss Lansing, what
do you intend to convey by that
expression ? love your sister de-
votedly, honorably, | Intend"
But the woman's voice, full and
passionate, interrupted him
"You intend beguiling her from
US in this cowardly fashion"
II believe it to be my only
chance of winning her-Miss Lam
sing, is there no redemption for
these sins of ones youth, no puri-
fication fer the past ? lam not the
man for Trudie-for that soilless
innocence my own life is turbid
and muddy, but who knows that
in the future it may not reach to
crystal heights-with her-I love
her, God knows-I will make her
happy despite my-poverty-.
Your poverty! We had no
thoughts of that Mr. Elcott."
"My-Profligacy then
All / don't wonder that you
hesitate to trust your sister with
me, but she loves me, she trusts
me-.
The tones were broken,
The Genoaese lady stood very
quiet for a little while-the mask
covered The expression of that
proud, beautiful face, but the
naughty figure looked cold and
unyielding.
Elcott felt hope die out in his
heart-"these .wOmen-these up
rightly moral women are as indur-
otto al Ynarhia