The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-12-06
s,TolI slender. very fair, with dell

having been on the continent with
Mrs. Mortimer, speaks two or three
modern languages with fluency.
How old2'
about your age, jubge-twety-
four or five.
Maude broke into a harsh laugh.
Mrs. Mortimer S niece!' she cried.
.sWen, that is rich! And so young
Lord Frederick Seymour is in low e
with her y
HE is certainly very devoted
Everybody thinks it will be a
match
"A match.' cried Maude, in anoth-
er burst of hooking merrlment.
Lord Frederick Seymour ana Esther
Worthington! Well. well! 1 tell
vou.' she said, with "a touch OF saf-
casm irI her tones, lit will not be
match! | will take her down.
"What do you mean.
"Will this belle be at Lady Ralston' 5
this EVENING"
.Probably. But do tell me. Maude,
what YOU know about her!
E know enough to cool Lord Fred
erick Seymour S ardor, said Maude:
..and he shall learn the truth. TO
think of that girls daring to move III
our set.
well. as to that Cora replied,
..beinp handsome. accomplished, rein
ed. and heiress to double your fortune,
Maude. cannot see where the audac-
itv comes in, especially as Mrs. Hur-
sew has her for guest, and we all
know how particular she is. Inc
Seymours themselves are not prouder
than the Hurseys.
.sYou wait until the evening! L
suppose the girl thinks nobody mere
knows her. I'll humble her! She
won't attend any more fashionable
parties after I've told my story!
"But what is your story
you'll hear tonight.
Tell me now. Cora sad coaxlng-
..No. Let me lie down awhile and
rest. or | shall look like ghost this
evening"
A very brilliant ghost it would have
been to resemble Maude Plerson rs
she entered Lady Ralston's saloon a
few hours later. An evening dress OF
garnet velvet, cut to display the beau
tifullv rounded shoulders and arms,
and trimmed with rich black lace, or
naments of diamonds, and cluster OF
white flowers in the jetty bralds OF
hair: All heightened her queenly
beauty.
Looking across the crowded room,
she recognized her rival IN tali
slender girl, who wore white lace over
peach.colored satin, and ornaments OF
fretted gold. Lord Frederick Sey-
mo,lr was already in attendance, APP
parentlv, for he was leading this lazy
to the head of Il quadrille just forming
when Maude entered. The sight
stimulated anew all the hatred OF
Esther Worthington that had been
reused by Cora's description.
\ cold.hearted calculating woman
devoted to dress, wealth and luxury
selfish to her heart $ core. carrying ne
smiling face of belle over plttel
envy Of all more fortunate than her
self-Maude Pierson had never felt
the touch of womanhood untii hel
heart opened to Lord freder icl
Seymour.
An orphan. depende tupon an aunt
devoted to frivolities of fashion
Maude' education had been superb
cial. and an undue value had been xiv
ell in her thoughts to the advantage
of birth. position and fortune.
Miss Pierson was very proud of tn
blue blood in her own veins: an,
: Maude's success as belle was samuel
a triumph to her aunt as to herself.
When the long illness set in tina
) drove Miss Pierson to the seclusio
+ and quiet of country home her nice
= had begun to hope that the attention
{ of Lord Fred were more tha
those called for by the ordinary re
quirements Of society.
= 1t had been great blow to her t
be suddenly whirled ont of the vorte
'. of London gaiety. to be buried aliv
/ in the little town where much of he
+ childhood had passed, under he
Z aunt's care. But she was far to-
:. polite to murmur loudly, and whe
! her relative died. it was with the fri
conviction that all Maude's tende
{ care and devotion were dictated b
L the warmest affection. 1t was singl
II larlv characteristic of Miss Pierso
= that in her will she stipulated ths
= Maude should return to London 81
! months after her death. and wear n
mourning. In one of their last int
= views she said to her: You will 500
= be twenty-five. Maude. and you sha
- not bury Yourself here next wlnte
- 1t might ruin Your prospects of goo
match.
- And Maude, secretly eNultant. wei
10 copiouslv as she assured her AM
-, that ">ocietv would have no charm
= for her were she deprived of her If
long companion.
Yet the six months dragged wear
a " when she thought of Lord Frede
20 Seymour. Would he love her bett,
4. for her golden charms or did he kno
= her fortune. after all it was small. cor
fprred with his own princely incom
! Had fairer face eclipsed her memor
le Carefully during the long SUNNI
rd did the beautiful brunette cherish b.
IN own charms, and gloriously did tn,
h. repay her care when she burst I'D.
is her old friends. more superbly han
Y