The Van Buren press., 1877-05-29

| luG lDlcl-WUdi ~ MI pay w uCi Sue
added, dcspondently. ...a.
&c You must not give up all hope so
readily I" said Mrs. HARDWOOD seeing her
to the door. Blanche's suggestion is
very sensible. Bring Miss Horton to tea
this evening we will talk the matter over
again, and see what can be done can
but renew the offer Of my assistance as
far as my power goes.
"And you may rely on me, too, dear
madam" Blanche added, hypocritically
Do not forget our invitation. and please
tell Miss Horton that | wish she would
put me already on her list of friends u
And she looked after Mrs Horizons car
riagc with smile of disdain.
CHAPTER 1.-THE cuAnrcATuRE.
A few words of exclamation may be
necessary at this point. ....
Blanche knew that she possessed no
beauty to attract admirers or to conquer
| q husband but this knowledge was not
sufficient to conquer her ambition. Her
utter LONELINESS was continuous source
of bitterness to her The looking glass,
like a perfidious adviser, exercised the
worst influence upon her character. Be-
ing the Commodore's daughter almost
all the officers under her fathers com
mand paid court to her. She felt moth
ing but contempt for them, as she knew
the ways Of the world sufficiently to
guess the real motives of their attention ,
yet she looked pleased, and treated them
as friends. Woe to those who neglected
paying her homage! They we're noted
as rebels, and dealt with as such
Foremost among her acquaintances
was Lieutenant WasAburn, a young man
of whom superiors and comrades were
equally proud. Blanche displeased him
at first sight. Frank and open. hearted
as he was, he could not disguise his feel
ings under any consideration, and accord
ingly in his intercourse with her, he kept
himself within the boundaries of con-
ventional civlity. Blanche was the more
indignant at this GOODNESS, because of all
the young men who visited her she liked
him best She could not help admiring
the independence of his character; but
by her efforts to win his attention she
succeed emily in repelling him. One day,
improving an opportunity afforded him
by the conversation he passed the remark,
while he looked steaatastly at her, that
under no circumstances did il become a
woman TO court a man Her pride was
deeply wounded from that moment, and
she took ali the care in the world to hide
hee feelings. Her love indeed, turned
TO hatred She missed no opportunity
e. show disdan for him But the more
she ilicd to sting wiki her sarcasm, the
less attention he paid to her, Things
' ~.N..' w. tri,d-easre. At'.A 'n'
ways ready to give 10 anybody--one OF
his sketches Thereupon she declared
to him that she would have a score for
the one he had refused her. In fact, by
asking all the officers for a sketch Of LIT
Washburn $, she was soon in possession
of numerous collection. Among those
sketches was rather comic portrait OF
Capt. Powers, a masterpiece of satirical
drawing When Washburn called she
told him boldly Of the collection she had
made, aud from that evening the Lieut..
was seen at Mrs. Harwood's only when
tie Commodore gave his official recep-
tons
Blanche jealousy was intensely arous.
ed by Mrs Horizons narrative. AS soon
as the lady had gone she shut herself up
in her room to think. "Perhaps he likes
her! T. she muttered between her teeth
land now they will eventually NEE,
again" Visions of her rivals happiness
seemed to rise before her She was furi
Gus Mo- she exclaimed, pacing the
floor. angrily, 81 will not have il They
shall not meet" A bitter smile came
over her lips as she added. mockingly
Oh! Captain Powers will arrange tina
without doubt! know the man.
To take the Captains portrait from hel
portfolio; to put Washburn name to i
in printed letters; to place it in an envel
ope, aud address it to the Captain, in al
tered handwriting-all this was but the
work Of minute Then, with the sam,
rapidly, having put on her shawl ant
hat, off she went to drop her packet into
the post-ofllce She felt now as il sh.
could wait patiently for the result.
In the evening Mrs. Horton and he
uduSultl diIl'cu nv SiShb VI ieoof
Blanche felt AS if knife had entered he
heart She saw before her young cir
as beautiful as she herself had ever wish
ed to be. With hatred in her heart, sh
greeted the young girl with her kindes
smile, and the latter was completely de
ceived by this show of friendship. Ii
fact, Rose was too sincere herself to sus
pect malignity in any one, and was onl.
too glad to find in this stranger friend
a sister A few minutes sufliced to es
tablish close intimacy between them
Rose was girl whose faith could not b
shaken by every blow of wind; consc
quently, alth ugh disappointed at no
finding her unknown in the album, sh
persisted in believing that be was, in
deed, naval officer, Plans were lai'
for the future campaign. They woul,
search every where, hotel receptions, etc.
etc Roses hopes grew from minute tC
minute.
In the meantime had Edgar WashburI
ever thought of the fair Young girl whom
chance had thrown in his path As h
was by 40 means man % publish tn,
secrets If MS heart, we are unable 10 an
swer this question Still, on the yer,
morning Of Roses arrival IN Norfolk, b.
handed Capt. Powers a petition for tw
weeks leave. on the plea OF an engage
mont In Nav York Assured nv III