The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1877-10-23
About your age, ! judge-twenty

y
body thinks it will be a.match."
"A match!' cried Maude, in anothe
burst OF hooking mc;riment. Lor,
Frederick Seymour and Esther Worth
ington! Well, well! l Tell you sal,
she, with touch Of saicasm in her tone
:. it will not be match | will take he
! down"
"What do you mean"
"Will this belle be atLady Rushton's
this evening p
Z" Probably. But do tell me, Maude
what you know about he ?"
q know enough to ctoi rolrt Fret'ur
ick Seymour's ar1lor," sid Maude; "an,
he shall learn the truth. 70 think of tina
girls daring to move in our set T.
"We.l, as to that" Cara replied, " be
ing handsome, accomplished and refine d
Maude. and with doubleyour fortune,
cannot see where audaciy comes in, es
pecially as Mrs. Hursey has her for I
guest, and we all know how particula
che is. The Seymours, themselves, ar
not prouder than the Hrseys,'
You wait until the cening! l sup
pose the girl thinks nobody here know,
her. III humble her! She won't attene
any more fashionable Parties, after I've
told my story
But what is your story p
"You'll hear, to-night''
"Tell me, now" said fora, coaxinglv
mo! Let me lie bwn awhile ant
rest, or shall look like ghost, this eve
ming"
A very brilliant ghos' it would have
been to resemble MauaeP ierson, as she
entered Lady Rushton' saloon few
hours later. An eveningaress of garnet
velvet. cut to display the beautifully
rounded shoulders and lrms, and trim
med with rich black lac, ornaments OF
diamonds, and cluster white flowers
in the jetty braids of h@, al heightcn
ed her queenly beauty.
Looking across the crowded room, she
recognized her rival in all, slender girl
who wore white lace owe peach colored
satin. and ornaments of retled gold
Lord Frederick Seymar was already
in attendance, apparentlyfor he was lead
ing this lady to the head Of a quadrlle
Just forming, when Maue entered The
sight stimulated anew al the hatred oil
Esther Worthington thahad been reused
by Cora's description.
A cold-hearted, calculating woman,
devoted TO dress, wealt and luxury
selfish to her hearts coz, carrying the
smiling face of belle per bitter envy
of all more fortunate shan herself
Maud Person lad h srer FELT tbentu It,
lord Frederick Seymour.
An orphan, dependent upon an aunt
devoted to the frivolities Of fashion
Maudc's education had been superficial,
and an undue value had been given in her
thoughts to the advantages OF birth, po-
sition and fortune.
Miss Person was very proud OF the
blue blood in her veins; and Maude's
success as belle, was as much triumph
to her aunt as to herself.
When the long illnees set in that drove
Miss Pierson to the seclusion and quiet
of country home, her neice had begun
to hope that the attentions of /" Lord
Fred" were more than those called for
by the ordinary requirements of society.
1t had been great blow to her to be
suddenly whirled out of the vortex of
London gaiety, to be buried alive in the
little town where much Of her childhood
had passed, under her aunt's care. But
she was far too polite to murmur loudly,
and when her relative diel, it was with
the firm conviction that all Maude's ten
der care and devotion were dictated by
warmest affection 1t was singulsrly
of Miss Pierson that in her
will she stipulated that Mande should re.
turn to London, six months after her
death, and wear no mourning In one
Of their last interviews, she said to her
" You will soon be twenty five, Maude,
and you shall not bury yourself, here,
next winter. 1t might ruin your pros
poets of good MATCH
And Maude, secretly exultant, wept
coplously, as she assured her dear aunt
that Z" Society would have no charms for
her, were she to be deprived of her life
long companion"
Yet the six months dragged YEARLY,
when she thought Of Lord Frederick Sey-
morr. Would he love her better for her
golden charms, or did he know her for.
tune, after all was small. compared with
his own princely incomeS Had fairer
face eclipsed her memory
Carefully, during the long summer, did
the beautiful brunette cherish her own
charms, and gloriously did they repay
her care, when she burst upon her old
friends, more superbly handsome than
ever, at Lady Ralston's reception.
Esther W arlington, looking at her, as
she entered the room, turned to her com.
pinion, saying, in low tone els not
that Miss Person p
YES. Is she not handsome?"
Magnificently so! | can scarcely
imagine a more queenly beauty She
was not n very pretty child, dark and
thin. VIII she recognize Inc as easily as
| do her"
"You were children, when you last
met Z"
About twelve years old but we liv-
ed near each other for six years before
that. viii she look down upon me now.
as scornrully as she did then
Hush, you pain me ~ was the teply.
q Try to forget the dark days"
"Nay, fer they make happy ones all
The brighter" was the reply.
Bow to your partner" And the mu.
sic of the quadrille sounded through the
long room. and attention was required to
the intricacies through Miss orthington