The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-02-28

"Anu perhaps she wouldn't he smlllnS
on that grinning idiot, Dan Van Rens-
selaer-they say she's going to marry
/ him. his fortune cqualins her own, and
his great-great- at-great-great- grandfather
having been one of the very first Dutch
men that landed Oh these shores-and
turning away from tAc fellow she has
known from her infancy. and who has
Whoa, Ned keep still Why the deuce
don't she and her train make their ap-
pearance
They don't make their appearance,
and Cora begins to talk again.
"Harold, you wrong Alberta ; indeed
YOU do. It is you that are foolishly
proud, not she. When she went abroad,
She left us rich when she came back,
she found us poor and yet she had only
been home two days when she sought us
out. And how did you receive her? In
the coolest manner and then raved and
swore when she was gone--you needn't
contradict me; l distinctly remember
two very wicked words you said-because
she didn't rush into your arms and kiss
you ut meeting, as she did at parting,
three years before. Can't you under
stand, you horrid, splendid old boy, that
what is just allowable in a girl of fifteen
would be highly improper i'll young
lady ot eighteen? And you've only
called upon her once since her RETURN
once in six long months ; and pray what
did your Ior,lship do on that occasion
Scowled and growlcd and snapped at
Louis Vance in such ferocions manner
that he told my Frel-pcor Fred what
a pity they're taking count of stock to-
night he actually thought" with a
little chuckle, lyon We're losing your
senses. And what's more, Mr.. Harold
Brown and the dimpled chin is thrust
forward detiantly-"I | think, and so does
Fred, that it's your duty to apologize for
the way you behaved that evening. And
l don't believe she's engaged to Dan Van
Rensselaer, at all. That was only a rumor
that foated over here from Paris, and l
see no reason why you should accept it for
the blessed truth any more than you do
the thousand and one idle reports that
are always floating about. And Harold,
if you really love her, why don't you tell
her so? Fred told me the moment he
found out. But there sha mt talk any
more it's no use"
. 1t is not" declares Harold, with EN-
phasis :" for unless, by some unforeseen
turn in the wheel of fortune, she becomes
as poor as myself, and l don't believe the
wheel contemplates any such turn. shall
never speak of love to Miss Alberta Lee. !"
"Rude, obstinate, wretched boy ~
scolds the little sister; ~ wash my
hands of you. If You insist upon being
unhappy, be SO. Not another word do you
hear from me tonight, for my breath is
all frozen on my veil, making it stiff and
uncomfortable, and I've reason to think,
notwithstanding my promise to the con-
tr;sry, my big brother, I'm going to
Sneeze.
I, "My darling" cries the big brother,
fumbhng i'll his great coat pocket, " I've
another sky, or moon, or cloud, or what
ever you call Thought it as | came
along for fear -
"Har," interrupts Cora, solemnly,
"if YOU wrap another thing about me,
wen if II be the finest gossamer, shall
cease to breathe;" and she twines the
veil she had unfolled about the lower
part of her face again, and relapses into
silence.
"Here she is-and time, I think, I"
says Harold, his plue eyes flashing with
no pleasant light, as a laughing party
run down the steps of the Lee mansion
and crowded into the empty sleigh.
land, thunder and Mars that internal
Dan Van Rensselaer, is at her side.
G'lang, Ned !" savagely. And away
they all start, laughing, singing and
shouting as only young people sleigh
riding on fine moonlight night can
laugh and sing and shout.
An hours ride, and then stop of an
hour or two at an old fashioned hotel for
a dance (the sole music for WHICH was
furnished by very old violin) and
supper.
At the supper an enormous turkey
presided, fanked by crisp salads, broiled
quails, and the various pies of the coun-
try; but he, the turkey, didn't preside
long, for he was soon reduced to much
less than skeleton; and then the sleighs
were brought from the stable, and the
heads of the horses turned homeward;
and the good natured landlady and the
red haired chambermaid, and Dan Van
Rensselaer, and his chums had all they
could do in the way of searching for ar
ticles of wearing apparel, and helping on
jackets, and holding shawls and cloaks,
and tying wells, for at least fifteen min
utes.
Hurry up" at length shouts some
one from outside, eff you want to get to
the city before the moon turns her back
OH us" and down stairs they go pell
nell, helter-skelter, and jump and tum-
bic, and are lifted into the sleighs again.
Harold Brown grasps his own particu
lar charge from the group as they reach
the roadside, and carefully seating her
in his sleigh, heaps the heavy robes
around her and springs in himself.
Hundreds of silvery bells jingle to-
gether in pleasant discord, and away
they speed for home once more.
"How lovely she looked tonight"
begins Harold, after five minutes 81
lence. "You needn't speak, toad. After
that warm room and the dance and the
supper, it is more necessary than ever
that you should be careful. All I ask of
you is to listen. As listener you can't
be surpassed, although as talker, like
most women, you are apt to get things
a little confused. But don't 60 to sleep,
for that is an insult can't and won't
stand. Did you ever see such hair p
spun gold! And how charmingly she
wears it. part in wreath about her
pretty head, and part floating free over
her pretty shoulders. Blondes There's
only one blonde in tho world, and that's
Alberta Lee. Her skin is like the snow
with the moonlight on it; and being
beautiful because she is SO fair, I sup
pose it wouldn't be fair in me to even
dream of her turning Brown. Hi, Ned !!
Good heavens the intelligent brute
heard that dreadful attempt at joke,
and tried to run away. 5000, old fell
low! I won't do it again. And she
never spoke to me, Cora. And yet
when we were boy an@girl together I've
stolen many kiss from that sweet red
I