Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-01-22
Taking Her Down.

| u l.. Nls
i Taking Her Down.
4 Two girls, both young, and one very
beautiful, sat conversing in comfort
able sitting-room in a mansion at tn
West End. The handsomer of the two
Maude Pierson, wore travelling dres
of brown merino, and was evidentl!
resting after journey.
/ In spite of certain languOr born o
fatigue, and her unbecoming dress, tn,
girl was undeniably a beauty, of gor
geous brunette type. Her companion
passing pretty, was of the same darf
tint, but smaller in figure, and far from
possessing Maude's great beauty.
''Tell me about everybody" Maudt
said. II am fairly hungry for gossip,
after vegetating nearly two years in thai
abominable place with my aunt She
has left me an ample fortune, however
so the time was not altogether thrown
away.
H"Dead?" cried her companion. You
are not in mourning, and-why, Maude
you said you were going to Lady Rails
toms this evening""
$50 I am Aunt Maria has been dead
six months, and requested Inc not to
wear black and to return to town in No
vember. But, Cora, tell me the news.
Who has been the belle of our set since
I left ?" '
"You conceited grill" laughed her
friend.
"Bah! What is the use of duplicity +?
| For, between ourselves, should be an
idiot If L did not know was handsome
How is Lord Frederick Seymoure'
Zone question at q time, though can
answer these two together The belle
has been the object of Lord Frederick
Seymour's special attention since she
made her debut last month. Mrs. Hur-
sey Introduced her. She is a niece, 1
believe, of old Mrs. Mortimer, who died
three years ago and left her all her
money"
"Aut who is shes'
"Her name Is Worthlngton-Esthe
Worthington."
Esther Worthington, cried Maude,
sharply. what is she like ?"
Tall, slender, very fair, with delicate
features, and Enthusiastically beauty,
who sings exquisitely and having been
on the continent with Mrs. Mortimer,
speaks two or three modern LANGUAGES
W1Cn uueDcy."
"How older
Astoat @ zoat age, ] 11udge-twenty'four
Maude broke into a harsh laugh.
Mrs. Mortimer's niece!" she cried.
"Well. that is rich! And so young
Lord Frederick Seymour is in love with
her?"
"He is certainly very devoted. Every
one thinks there will be match"
"a match ~ cried Maude, in aaother
burst of mockinG 7Asrriment. Lord
Frederick Seymour and Esther Worth
ington! Well well! I tell you" she
said with touch of sarcasm in her
tones. cit will not be match!" I will
take her down!n
"Wbat do you mean?'
'Will this belle he at Lady kalston's
this evening q, "
fProbahly. But do tell me, Maude,
what do you know about her?
II 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 in our set !"
"Well, as to that,n Cora replied. "be-.
ing handsome, accomplished, refined,
and heiress to double your fortune,
Maude, 7 oaEA1t sea where Che audacity
eolnss IN, especially as Mrs. HurseJ has
her for a guest, and we all know how
particular she Is. The Seymours them
selves are not prouder than the Hur-
seys;"
"You wait until the evening. sup
pose the girl thinks nobody here knows
her. Ill humble her! Ska won't attend
any more fashionable parties after I've
told my STORY" "
"But what is your story ?"
"You'll hear to night'
"Tell me now" said Cora coaxipgly.
mo. Let me liza dawn awhile aud
tsst, Of I shall look like ghost this
evening"
A very brilliant ghost it would have
been to resemble Maude Pierson, as she
entered Lady Ralston's saloon few
hours later. An evening dress of gagnes
velvet, cut to display taa beautifully
rounded shoNll,ers ana arms, and trim
med with rich black lace, ornaments of
diamonds, and cluster of white flowers
In the jetty braids of hair, all heightened
her queenly beauty,
Looking aa3nss the crowded rooms,
shs recognized her rival in tall, slen-
der girl, who wore white lace over peach
colOred satin. and ornaments of fretted
gold. Lord Frederick Seymour was al
faHdy ~ attendance, apparently, for he
was leading this lady to the head of a
quadrille just forming, when Maude en-.
tered. The sight stimulated anew all
the hatred of Esther Worthington that
had been aroused by Cora's description.
A eold-hearted, calculating woman,
devoted to dress, wealth and luxury
selfish to the hearts core, carrying the
smiling face Of belle over bitter envy
of all more fortunate than herself
Maude Pierson had never felt the touch
of wOmanhood until heart opened to
Lord Frederick Seymour.
An orphan, dependent upon an aunt
devoted to the frivolities of fashion,
Maude's education had bean superficial,
and an undue value had been given In
her thonghts to the advantages of birth,
position and fortune.
Miss PiersOn was very proud of the
blue blood in her own veins; and
Maude's success as belle was as much
a triumph to her aunt as to herself.
When the long illness set in that drove
Miss PiersOn to the seclusion end quiet
of country home, her niece had begun
to hope that the attentions of "Lord
Fred" were more than those called for
oy 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 hep childhood
had passed. under her aunt's care But
she was far too polite to murmur loudly,
and when her relative died it was with
the firm conviction that all Maude's ten
der care and attention were dictated by
warmest affection. It was singularly
characteristic of Miss Pierson that in her
will she stipulated that Maude should
return 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. It might ruin your pros
poets of good match"
And Maude. secretly exultant, wept
copiously as she assured her dear aunt
that society would have no charms fol-
her were she to be deprived of her life
long companion"
Yet the six months dragged wearily
when she thought of Lord Frederick
Seymour. Would he love her better fol