The Portland daily press., 1877-03-03
"Belle's Beau"

"
ginia creeper and scarlet woodbine, and the
gay glimpses of garden on the right. The
haze and color of superb September after
noon were over everything. Two gi Is, evil
IDENTIFY just from school, stood at the gate, one
within, the other leaning on the fence to
gossip.
"What is she going to wear?" the latter
was asking with deep interest.
"White silk and pink trimmings"
won't she look lovely! What shall you
wear yourself?"
81? Belle says I shan't come in the room
at all. She says Pm only child. always
have to stay off in the nursery with David
evenings when there's company. did think
1 might come into her birthday party,
though" and the speakers lip quivered, and
tears stood in her eyes.
"Aud she won't let you! what shame !!
Why, you're sixteen years old, though you
don't look it. If was you Pd-Oh, see,
Christym she finished in hurried whisper,
as horseman gailoped out Of the sunlit Wis
tss of the road, and passed them, "there's
Charlton Ross, your sisters beauw
Christy looked up in time TO catch the mo-
mentary glance of pair of dark eyes.
"Wby don't you bow?'
Christy did not answer for moment. She
was watching the gray horse, and noting the
careless grace of the rider as he wheeled and
dashed through the stone gateway OF the
Ross mansion.
''Don't you know him?"
"Only just by sight. WGen he comes to
our house never see him. But sometimes l
see him in his grounds. They join ours, you
know"
Her companions eyes followed hers to
where, at little distance, a cluster of gray
stone chimneYs rose high under ancient
elms,
SIS your sister going to marry him?'
81 don't know. don't suppose he's ever
asked her. Why?"
.'Oh, should think she would if he did,
that's all. He's ever so handsome-and rich,
heard Honoria say.''
81 must go, Kate; there's Belle calling me
now," and with hurried goodbye Christy
IAN up the walk, rushed into the hall and
tossed her books on the table. A voice from
the top of the stairs, rather incisive than
sweet, stayed her progress.
''Bring those books straight up to the nur-
sery. And attend to me, Christy. You're to
show the ladies their dressing-room tonight
Maria'll be busy in the kitchen and there'll
be no one but you to do it. You can just
stand here at the head of the stairs and show
them which way to go, you know. Your
white muslin dress will do to wear, and man.
ma says it's all ready; and afterward-"
"Oh, Belle, mayn't come down stairs and
see the dancing afterward?"
The pretty blonde at the head of the stairs
tossed back her halfbraided hair with ges-
ture of vexation.
"You are the greatest baby"
"But it's your party, Belle, right in the
house, and do so love dancing, if it's only
TO look on. And I'm sixteen years old, and
Kate Clapham-"
sob, don't quote Kate Chaplain, and don't
bother me-. Wait till it's time for you to 60
to parties :,
chambers, good-humoredly, s'do let the child
come down. She won't be in the way, and
her dress looks very well. Maria can curl
her hair.'
"As if she could, help being in the way"
muttered Belle, turning away with shrug OF
the shoulders as she noted Christy's radiant
face. "School girls are always awkward and
stupid in company"
"Oh, Belle"
"Come, come" said the good-natured voice
again, as portly matron appeared at one of
the doors. "don't stay there talking. Come
back, Belle, and let me finish your hair"
Gam I to come DOWN." queried Christy,
breathlessly.
There was a hearty "Yes" from her moth
er, and sulky one from Belle. Christy wait
ed for no more. Dropping her books on the
stair landing, she ran down and out the rear
door into the sunshine, tossing up her fiat
hat exultingly.
ooh, my! almost feel as if / was young
ladyv'
She did not look much like one, as she
raced down to the river, intent on rowing of
little of her excitement. She looked very
young indeed, with her slight figure, short
dress, and careless curls tied down under the
fiat hat, as she loosed her boat and pushed
out into the stream. And she felt just like a
child as she rowed off in the perfect air and
sunshine of the autumn day. The ripeness
and mist of September were on the russell
fields and painted woods. Warm scents came
from sedge blooms and gardens along the
banks, and here and there the dark water
caught scarlet reflection from vivid cardi-
nal flower or Redeemed bough. Christy,
rowing lazily down with the current rounded
a shady bend in the stream, and came upon a
little cove, where an adventurous wild grape
had climbed over low trees and hung its rare
purpling clusters from pendant boughs. Now
Christy had an especial liking for wild grapes.
She no sooner saw them than, with deft
movement of the oars, the boat was pushed
into the cove, and the rover, standing on one
of the lettering seats, was trying in vain to
reach the lowest tempting cluster. 1t was
out of reach. In vain she jumped for it, at
the imminent risk OF drowning herself; in
vain, forgetting her aspirations after young
ladyhood, she wished herself a boy, that she
might climb the willow from which it hung.
She did not know what pretty picture she
made as she stood there in the rich purple
shadows, the richer purple Of fruit above her,
the gold of stray sun rays tiltering down
through the million leaves above. Her dark
curling hair was pushed back, her cheeks
were flushed, and the sleeves had fallen away
from her appraised rounded arms as she stood
on tiptoes below the provoking cluster. A
voice startled her, and brought her eyes back
to the shining levels of the river.
''Will you allow me to get you the grapes ~
If Christy had been a young lady, she
would not have turned scarlet and uttered an
exclamation of surprise. Being schoolgirl,
she did both; for there, beside the boat, was
a slender scarlet wherry, the oars lying
lengthwise, and the occupant standing within
it, cap in hand. Christy did not need to
glance twice at the close.cut jetty hair, the
bearded lips, the face oliVe-tinted by the sun,
for surely the dark eyes looking down at her
could belong to no other than the hero of her
girlish dreams-Belle's beau. Nor could the
later into the life of most girls, have come in
more attractive guise than in the person of
the young aristocrat who stood awaiting
Christy's reply, and regarding her with
mingled amusement and admiration.
"Excuse me for startling you. 1 am GER
tain you cannot get the grapes, and, being a
head and shoulder taller than you, am
equally certain that I cam" he said, with
smile.
ooh, thank you, II do want them. 1
like grapes"
"Most people do,' was the laughing re-
spouse, as he reached high over Chrsty's
head and plucked two or three punches. He
dropped these in her lap, and reached for
more, while she sat, in schoolgirl fashion.
holding the gatherings and stealthily watch
ing the gatherer from under her wide hat
brim. When he at last looked down at her.
having filled the bottom of the boat with
grapes, to ask if those were enough, she was
betrayed into laugh.
"Oh, great many more than enough for
me. But you like grapes yourself, don't
you"
"Indeed do. But pray don't do that"
for Christy was eagerly piling fruit clusters
into the wherry. "There isn't room for
them and for me too. If you will let me-
he added, with glance at Christy's still
flushing face, 81 will eat one bunch here
IN the shadow before rowing down the
river"
There followed time-Christy never knew
how long-of positive enchantment. How it
was that she forgot her awe of the elegant
Mr.. Ross, and began to talk to her COMPANION
of her dOings and FEELINGS "a sha did will