The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-05-25
Hoping to hear from you soon, remain


cation, truly" said l, returning the note
10 my sister; "and 80 this wonderful
country cousin has at length decided
upon coming up to town and showing
herself, has shep Well, you had better
return her reply by post, and let us
have look at her by all means"
Eyes, Ernest" said my mother. 81
i intend to do so, for / have a great wis h
that Minnie should see the young per-
son whom your cousin mentions in her
letter. l understand she is very accom-
plIshed, though very poor"
"None the less worthy on that's
count, mother," said 1; "but one thing
| is quite certain, lsnall not
MARRY Cousin 'Annle," Interrupted
Minnie, laughing.
i mo, Miss Matchmaker, l will not do
that, although nad no intention of say
ing So" replied, rather sharply.
| "Well, Ernest, l do not think you will
| be asked TO perpetrate sucn an act; but
l trust you Will behave yourself like a
| gentleman and Christ tian while she re-
mains with US" said my mother, with a
quiet smile.
| 'Do not be alarmed on that score, my
| dear MOTHER" l replied; and, seeing
they were both bent upon dis tu Ding my
equanlmity, finished my breakfast in
silence, and drove into the city.
Weli, In less than week after the
| above conversation took place, my
cousin Annie, accompanied by her COM
panlon, arrived at our house, They
must have come early in the afternoon;
| tor, when l returned from town about
my usual time, Minnie was preparing
tea In our little sltting-room, and The
| Two strangers (to me at least) were
very snugly disposed upon the hearth.
nav aAt ia
unknown TO me. l had never seen her
before, although l had heard a great
deal about her from my mother anu
Minnie. who had each praised
our Yorkshire relative in the
highest terms. l was therefore
considerably prepossessed in her favor
beforehand; but, alas a most complete
ana crushing change came over the
spirit OF my uream, just exactly as l
thought IL would. And that others may
De able TO sympathize with me in SO
cruel disappointment, i will trouble
| them with brief oGlllne ofthe inulVid-
ual who caused it.
Imagine, then, prim spinster, rapidly
approaching forty, atJlred after the
lashlon oil middle-aged ladies' in genera !,
hdgely, critical, and peevish, without d
single particle Of feminine beauty or
1 ouIl3 VII -lOOhluR DGTBOn-
age, devoid OF everything save English
grammar and regular habits, and you
VIII nave an idea Of the charming belle
ofa cousin, whom was expected to al =
mlre! Nay, 1t cost me no sma effort to
keep my couLtenance during our formal
| Introduction, lor glance was quite
sum ;lent to enable me 10 read the main
sections Of her cnarac. er. Instead,
therefore, of admiring, l despised hei
manners, and pitled the poor vain crea-
ture nerselt An eXecrable pianiste, an
lnsu1eraole singer, perpetual taIkeI,
ana as iS lorant as a HoJtenCot of hou e.
nolu Philosophy, what could sensible
bachelor do but be barely civil to such a
social fright? Nay, l believe the very
name OF Annie would have become dis
| agreeable ~ my ears, had IL not been
borne by tar more interesting person.
my Cousins companion. Yes, she, too,
was called Annie; and, il L had moi
known better, should nave taken her
az once Tor Miss linton, and that wealty
oame lor her poor companion. APP
| parently about tye-auu-twenty, tall.
graceful and retiring, with a VOICE far
sWeeler Than the linklii G OF silver bells,
| or the strains OF an II ,lIan harp, she
seemed formed TO 90 Lnrougn like the
| embodied Ideal of some enanored poet
ln short, was puZzled with what |
| nearu and saw.
| My rich, proud cousin treated her de-
pendant SO tamiliarly, made SO free with
| ner ON all occasions, that it would have
been impossible tor any one to have
noticed The least distinction between
them. She played and sang like a pro-
| lessor; danced with equal Skill and
grace; spoke French anu Italian fluent.
ly; and appeared 50 thoroughly at home,
That even L, who am no ii tlttterer, pro
nounced her clever, and thought her
| something more. But when, one uulet
evening, she produced few skeLcnes 8
for our inspection, | felt totally at a
loss 10 account ior her present position
ON any other hypothesis than that some
| great misfortune had befallen her family,
Being, however, altoge ether ignorant Of
| her hIstory,l doubted the genulneness OF
her pictures at first; but she promptly
| convinced me, during the execution OF q
mastery little piece Of work, that she
was, in truth, very respectable artistic.
| Why Was she, then, the attendant .!
my Yorkshire cousin? Why not a
governess in some great house? La vain
l put these queries to myself. Surely
her story must be strange one,
thoughti and with growing interest
| hOG lc5OIfGu, III pObSlDlC,
to know some OF her past ire. But the
time ior my Cousins departure was
drawing very near. What could do to
prolong her stay?
These thoughts were still uppermosl
in my mind, and no opportunity had YET
presented itself for the desired inter
view, when my sister Minnie came IN
and lold me that "Annie" had expresse
her wish TO return home, although she
mad certainly enjoyed her visit exceeu
Iingly.
"But what do you say, Ernestw con
tinued Minnie; "snoulI we not press
her TO remain a few days longerYp
Determined to be on my guard, 1 mere
ly replied:
:. "Weil, Minnie, it is matter in whicl
l can nave little interest; but if you anU
mother like the lady's society, ask hel
to remain by all MEANS"
This was done, and l did not ALLOW
many days to pass wiLnout oDtainin,
the longed-fOr tete-a-tete with the bril-
liant Mss Watson. 1t was during on,
, of her evening ramDles in the gardel
, that resolved 10 satisfy a feeling whici
it would not be fair to call idle curios ty
= She was reserved at first but prese
: Vereu, Still. She annEp ralucIantIv ON