The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1876-02-10
depending. Her Golden hair was
{ ID IN m.' .dlnous pufb and

dacious, but very picturesque Rubens,
with q long white feather, red rose,
mother-of:pearl buckle, and skele-
tonised kind of aigrette as the artis-
tic ornaments among the black lace
and velvet with which it was trimmed
and her gloves were dark green, sin
gle buttoned.
Maud, in her simple dress of cream
colored "workhouse sheeting" over
her brown silk skirt, and Cora, in
her sailor serge, looked what they
were-ladies whose ladyhood no dress
could have diminished or advanced
while Lois, lovely as a dream, lovely
as RaAaele's fairest Madonna, stood
confessed a pretence-a homely Dork-
ing spangled to represent silver
peasant, fondly thinking herself dis
guised to the life and undistinguisha-
bile from her hosts.
II hope you are not tired, Miss
Lancaster repeated Maud, as a
younger echo of her mother
"No, thank you, Miss Haynes"
said Lois.
Cora asked kindly: care you
coldY' and Lois answered quietly,
"No, thank you, Miss Haynes. I
don't feel the cold, thank you."
"Perhaps you would like to 60 to
your room and dress for dinner. We
dine at eight" tnea said Mrs Haynes,
still with her grand air Of stately
courtesy. "My daughters maid shall
assist you to unpack. You have not
brought a maid with you, I think ~
! "Thank you, Mrs Haynes; but
there's no OCCASION" said Lois. Il
can undo my things very we'll by
myself, thank you"
"You had better let Sherwood as
sist you," said Mrs. Haynes with dig
nifty.
"You are very kind, I'm sure; but
there's no occasion, thank you, Mrs.
Haynes answered Lois, as she had
answered before.
F. She shrank from the idea of grand
creature like lady's-maid handling
her treasures and spying into vacant
spaces and, with the suspicion Of
her class, she dreaded lest picking
fingers should accompany prying eyes.
Mrs. Haynes bent her head stif1y;
and Bernard, who had the lovers
quickness of perception, saw that the
first hitch had come.
Take my mothers advice, Miss
Lancaster. She knows BEST" he said
hastily.
| But Lois answered as before, No,
thank you, Mr.. Bernard, there's no
occasion. I can do for myself, and I
don't require help
| Aud again the critical eyes looked
at each other, and said mutely,
"What a Goth y
| Even Bernard was conscious Of
certain want. He would have been
hard put to it to define it but he
knew that something was anliss.
| Nevertheless, when Lois left the room
he cried enthusiastically, lis she not,
lovely, mother?'
/ Mrs. Haynes answered quietly
"Yes, exceedingly beautiful
! Il was sure you would think so,'
said Bernard.
"But though she is so beautiful,
she shows too much Of her upper
gums when she smiles, and her hands
are underbred," said Mrs. Haynes in
lust the same voice and manner as
! that in which she had assented to the
proposition Of her exceeding beauty.
"No-capable" cried Bernard, 10y
' al to his ldyll.
Mrs. Haynes smiled.
Capable, if you like that word
best, my DEAR" she said. cat all
events, the capability which makes
the palms thick and the tips of the
fingers coarse. Very honorable, 1
allow, for her si;!lion, but not hands
generally seen at the table Of one Of
u.s.
, "Innocence and love and modesty
, are more important things than the
useless white hands Of ladies' said
Bernard, Ainging back his hair.
I "Just SO, my boy. I agree with
you entirely" returned his mother
"All the same, have prejudice in,
favor of ladies, as 1 told you before,
I think; and I deny that innocence,
love, and modesty are confined to
peasants. My dears," to her daugh-
tiers, "the dressing-bell has rung. Are
you not going?"
"You will be- kind to poor Lois,
mother! !" cried Bernard pleadingly.
III shall treat her as I would treat
, any other lady," his mother answer
ed, holding her head high. "You
desire no other mode, do you, Ber-
nard?'
"No, dear mother. You are aw-
fully good, as it is, know" he said /;
",ut," boyish'y, "be kind to her,
900: aarling!'
What child you are!" said Mrs.
4 Haynes. scorn mingled with her af-
fectiou, as she swept from the room !;
leaving her son a vague crowd OF
sl,adowy yet all the same uncomfort'
, able thoughts, for his share OF the