The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-01-25
ERLA And FLORIAK.

hIlhh HND ILVlLAN,
Erla Vincent made a graceful cour-
tosy wheR Mrs Mar,ien presented FlOrian
King, and thought, with little unusual
sparkle in her blue ewes. that If tins WIS
the wonderful Mr. King she had heard
81 much about, and who had been in
vitei 70 Airs. Marien's for her express
benerit-vhy. that lie might have been
spared his trouble-tal, ugly and dark rs
he WAS. and shs hated dark men So.
Mr. Fior,Gn raised his lat with the
gacc Of = courGer, and took a swift IN
veatory II Miss Erla's charms. and re-
cor,lei the vow .thaI if this independent
Young lazy with the yellow hair and
h@ht ewes WAS the " wonderful Miss Vim
cent he had been advised 10 WIN, that
he might rs we'll have STAYED where he
WIS.
How DO you Ike her, King? Beau
tfol g.rl. isn't she ! tell Won. If Won
succeed IN making love to Miss Vincent.
v1u'u 10 what no other fellow ever did, -
Sul Frank.
4" Beautiful Miss Vincent beautiful ?
l. AAkNA A4tf+ AFANt.A Aef +-t Al4AA. AtA--
icy. isn't she 2 said Florian.
Dantonvile gave a little groan OF hor-
or
&" Floriau, Miss Vincent IS perfec-
ton And 10 be described As only fair.
tall and lev, this magnificent Venus
among women.
Kings bps parted in an amused smile
Really, old fellow, If | didn't know
vou were a married man and above re-
proach I'd be suspicious, Honor bright.
Is Miss Vincent 50 enchanting I'm glad
10 heSr il, although l do not usually
care for blonde women. Take a sail,
Dante"
Isn't he splendid, isn't he elegant
On. ETla. if Mr. King only should fall
in love with You ?"
Almost q siiver Of disgust ran over
the girls slender, graceful figure.
Don't mention II, Mrs. Marieu. |
never was so disappointed in all my Life
as when I saw him. Why, hate such
saturnine yisaged creatures, and he is nc
tually gray, too.
She tore a little cluster OF daises in
pieces, II help her endure her disappoint-
meut and clagrin the better. for III truth
she had thought and dreamed OF the
coming Of tins Prince Charming until
she had made q god OF him.
Mrs. MardeD gave little indignant
exclamation
"Oh, you wicked girl. Mr.. King is
one Of the most refined and cultured
gentlemen you ever met or ever viii
meet. Erla. l m ashamed ui YOU ~
And in the soft summer silence Of that
evening. later. while Miss Vincent was
waltzinC. Mrs. MaTleu and Frank Dan
tonville compared notes with amused
as constituent.
we have made grand mistake, Mrs.
Na-ien. and we must reCtlfy II at once.
We have been too profEse in our honest
expressions Of favor, one to the other.
We must stop chanting the eternal
praises Of one 10 the other. as Erla wOUld
say, and Try the opposite rule OF con
tT-rios. You must pick all the flaws ven
can, and criticlse him 10 Erla-ani !
VIII take the same course with him.
Wen arouse their pique, and convince
them that they are entirely unfit for
each other; and if it doesn't result in Gu
engagement, You may take my head for
4 football :,
After that Mrs. Marden and Erin were
off verv often, and when they were AT
home il seemed odd how sure il would
happen that Mr. King and the Danton-
v.lles were all ont Yachting for the day,
and one afternoon Florian spoke Of the
coincidence to Dantonville.
We don't see very much Of that
young lady friend OF yours. Frank, over
whom you are 50 gushingly sentimental
We don't see much Of her, that's GER
tain, mores the pity But If she takes a
prejudice, there Is no reasoning her out
OF it. Confidentially, Florian, she doesn't
like you; she thinks you are a perfect
bear, and, being very fastidious in her
tastes, you couldn't expect her 10 sacri-
flee her feelings to the dictates Of society
usages. Curious girl, Erla, until YOU
know her
" Mr.. Kings face flushed warmly-hc
not suited to the ''fastidiousness" Of Miss
Erla Vincent" he notably n ladies
man, and the petted darling in whatever
society he chose to adorn-he perfect
bearl"
50 i wouldn' care if ! we're you, Florian,
what she said or what she thinks. for
after all, she's only fighty girl Shall
we take tickets for the picnic tomorrow
Nellie told me to mention it to you
they're all going"
And he would go to convince Miss Erla
Vincent he was not the bear" she
imagined him, and that if he took the
pains to lay siege to her heart-even if
he only did it for pastime-she would
have to capitulate.
sSaucy. conceited little creature p he
decided, as he dressed for the picnic next
morning I'm make her change her
mind about me, and then -
He smiled under his mustache, a very
meaning smile, that if Miss Vincent, in
her room at the other end of the corridor,
had seen, would perhaps not have ap-
preciated
As it was she was very deeply engrossed
in settling the bows of her sash, while
Mrs Marden and Mrs. Dantonville, in
full picnic attire, were watching her.
A mans footstep passed the door.
"That's King, after all was afraid
he wouldn't go; indeed he said almost as
much to Frank yesterday.
Mr.. King must be very hard to suit
if all the entertainments we have had
lately fail to amuse him"
Mrs Dantonville drew on her gloves
leisurely.
"Oh, it isn't the entertainments Flo
rian objects to, but the society. He told
Frank there was not young lady stop
ping here capable of entertaining him.
Erla's face crimsoned.
"The rude, unmanly fellow The
idea, and | am in the same house with
him Not capable of entertaining
him !"