The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-08-05

"what was the charm of that Miss Wolf
He said it was simply the je ne sails quot
which always attracts men, but that wo'
men invariably fail to perceive"
II always knew" pondered the devout
heart OF Mamma Wolf, who, with her
beast of prey cognomen, reflected upon
the vexed question of "whats IN name
the most lambert possible light-"I al
WAYS knew that our Irene had the dispo-
sition of an angel; but never realized
before that my child was the raving BEAU
ty find she is"
AS the season advanced, the triumph OF
the made belle lost none of their brlllian-
cy. Her success began to reflect credit
upon her makers. Every day she seemed
more lovely, every day more worthy OF
preference. For is there cosmetic like
praise? Is there tonic like smiles2
Is il worth while to woman to have
credulous heart, if only for the oeauti-
flying effect of tlattery upon her grace and
complexion.
Irene Wolf, in her midsummer expert
ence, thought that watering-place life
was TN episode of paradise But the ser
pent always crawls into Eden. And IN
lrene's paradise the intruder had as in
Raphaels picture a womans face.
Miss Hammond thought it her duty to
conGde TO Miss Wolf secret that had
been intrusted by Dick Wilhurst as some
thing which he considered "too good to
keep" Imagine the delicacy of the self
imposed act; for the secret was no other
than the fact that the belle of the season
was the creature Of joke, the envied
idol of the summer, literally nothing
more than "bleck of wood or stone," at
whose efficacy the priests of its worship
Knocked.
Miss Hammond performed her self-im.
posed duty without trepidation. If in
the rivalry of the season she had allowed
herself to feel bitterness, and if malice
Law in her motive, she WAS not rewarded
by the effect upon her victim OF her as
tonishing revelation. In listening to the
humiliatins tale, gwen in strict conf
dence and without suppression of any
strnging detail, Irene remained calm,
offering no interruption of exclamation.
Her heart indeed, beat violently. her col
or " emit and came. When the whole
story was ended she pondered q minute,
and said:
ado you believe this Miss Hammond?
l hardly can. l think these gentlemen
these friends of yours-are too well
bred to have placed girl, and nnotfend-
ing stranger, in such an ignomlnlous
position. No! DO not trouble yourself
about this story. L feel sure these young
men have better hearts,
But, oh, the storm that swept over
that barred bit Of palpitsting mechanism,
the woman's heart III the darkness of the
night! The pain, the tantslizins tor
ment, the bowildcring doubt. Could it
be true? Let the careful memory, the
calm judgment, take up the facts. Alas
the story was not without its corroborat-
ing proofs!
The first night of anguish that sweeps
across the pillow of q young girl robs 1t
forever of all the white roses of which
girls pillows are made. Thencetorth the
sottest is but rutiled linen on which the
head rests.
In the morning Irene awoke-ior at
dawn she caught one miserable half
hours sleep-awoke, Tor the first morn
ing of her life, upon flat, stale, un.
profitable world.
What pleasure was there to made
belle in fixing her blonde hair mt tho
glass?
The first thought of the child had been
this: "Oh, how wish | could tell moth
err' but she reasoned with herself, "No,
it is better | should bear it myself. And
father, dear father, how he would resent
this cruelty how much he loves his poor
little grill He must never, never, never,
! know"
The evening after Miss Hammonds
dutilul act Irene was beautitul-really
beautiful for the first and, perhaps, the
| last time in her life. She came down
into the drawing-room arrayed in an eX-
cellent Paris dress; for her mother, whose
maternal instinct had been aroused to the
perception that lrene's costumes were not
in the style Of those worn by her COM
panions, had purchased Tor her darling at
| an immoderate cost from one OF those
fashionable modistcs who follow in the
| wake of the summer faring gay world the
very last importation of draperied grace.
Irene came down into the drawing
room attired like little princess; but it
WAS not that which made every eye dis
cover she was a beauty at last. IL was
the hectic rose leaf on her cheek, the scar
let of her lips, the violet shadow about
her eyes, the mystical shadow upon young
| oyelids that grief has ut last kissed; 1t
was the kindlcd excitement of conflicting
pride and pain the quick flame that made
her gentle iawn colored eyes shine steel
and gold gold and steel, and that i!lu.
mined int positive, potent brilliancy her
modest, softly tinted, pleasantly featured,
but never before startling face.
She was really beautiful, and every
one said so that night. The belle, with
out possibility of mistake.
Blu; to those who knew her and who
were with her frequently, or watched her
closely from that time forth, there was
something missing from Irene that hith-
erto had part in hcrself-thc joyous con-
fdence, the innocent abandon, the quiet
but genuine under tone Of real happiness,
had aed. With all her pride, she was
too ingenious to conceal from those who
cared for her that her perfect peace was
lost.
Our friendly young men held consul
taiion upon this point.
"Mark me-" said Sam Dent, I'll know
something OF girls, and that girl has fall
len in love. Mark me, in love with one
of u.s. only hope since I'm an engaged
man, that it's not me-"
Du Bots looked infinitely self con.
scious, bu. did not speak.
Don't trouble yourself, SAM" said
Dick Wilhurst, with insinuating sell AS
sertion. 81 happened TO know she hasn't
been such fool Ms that"
"WGvc played to deep" said Gros-
vcuor., Upon my word, it hasn't been
right. We've had our fun, but by Jore,
II has been hard upon the girl"
Well said graceless Dick, it isn't
wrong that can't be made right. 1t is
Inc she is in love with-and-but-well
~ 4 IT 40