Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1877-05-05
The False Friend.

and he'll never forgive me if that
weekly letter does not come"
"Dear Helen, would be asking
too much if I were to beg you to
write few lines to my dictation?"
Helen Forester laid down her
book.
81 will do it for with pleasure,
Myra," said she.
And she opened little rosewood
desk, clasped with silver and lined
with cherry velvet, that was usually
placed on the marqueterie stand be-
tween the two windows.
Helen Forester was an heiress-a
tall, dark-eyed girl, not exactly beau
tiful, but possessing, nevertheless, a
face of rare interest.
Myra Gordon was her school friend,
the eldest of nine penniless girls,
who hailed an invitation to spend the
winter in the city with Miss Forres-
ter with the greatest delight.
"One has no opportunities in a
horrid little country hole like this"
said Myra, "and although I am not
vain, I know very we'll that oppor-
tunity is all lack to make a good
match"
And really the self-satisfed little
speech was not objectionable, when
one looked at the reflection of Myra
Gordon s rose-leaf cheeks, her wealth
of golden hair, and eyes of larkspur
blue, in the opposite mirror.
So Myra came to the city, and Miss
Forester, in the sisterly generosity
of her heart, brought dresses, Jewels
and pretty trinkets innumsrable for
her young beauty, who only had one
merino, q dyed blue silk, and a set OF
old-fashioned garnets, that had been
her grandmothsr's.
because" said Helen, 81 want
her to look as lovely as she can."
Miss Forrester's boudoir was very
bright and cheerful in tho golden
March sunshine that morning, with
its draperies of rose satin, its carpet
of pearl-gray velvet, and its low,
easy chairs of pearl velvet, pulled
and tasseled with pink silk. Myra
in her morning wrapper Of white
cashmere with only = blue ribbon
fillet in her curls, looked peerlessly
pretty as she knelt beside the arm of
Helen's chair.
"And how shall I begin this letter
to your lover, MyraY said Helen,
laughing. Writing love-letters is q
new occupation for me"
"'My own darling,' of course, :"
dictated Myra, with an arch toss of
the golden curls. eel need not tell
you how dearly and truly I love you
still, even though you reproach me
for my long silence. But Oh,
mercy, what's that! A ring at the
door? Give me the paper quickp
And Myra sw opt tho incipent love-
letter into her pocket, as the page in
buttons announced
"Mrs. Hamilton Todd, and the
Misses Hamilton Todd"
And when the family OF Hamilton
Todd had taken their tardy leave,
Myra declared they would finish the
letter some other time.
"For see, DEAR" she said, {" I have
to arrange my dress with Csline for
this evenings ball. One naturally
likes to look as we'll as one can, don't
one?"
"And, of course, you will be a
little particular about your own dress,
since Rupert Clayton is to be there. u
And she darted little mischievous
optical arrow from her blue eyes to
Helen's conscious face.
For Myra Gordon, who had that
instructive quickness of apprehension
which we are apt to credit the lower
animals with possessing, had not beer
slow to perceive that Mr.. Ruper
Clayton admired the heiress, and thai
Miss Forester always blushed anc
became little confused when Mr.
Clayton entered her presence.
Exactly" said Miss Myra to her
self. "But because Helen Forreste,
has heretofore fallen heir to oil tn,
good things of the world, it does no
follow that she always will. Ruper
Clayton is rich and handsome. HI
suits me; and as for that brsad-and
buttery love affair with Philip How
ard, why, let it slip down the wind
It was all very we'll by way of anus
ing ones self, but of course it's moth
ing serious"
So Myra Gordon went to the bal
that night in floating white tulle an
glistening, pale blue silk, and secretl
3 congratulated herself on lookin
t twenty times as handsome as th
r heir ess.
+, Helen has nice eyes, and a swe.
1 smile enough" thought she, {" b,
0 when her countenance is not amin,
y ted she looks cold and statue-lik
Men admire life, color and vivacity