The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-01-28
BELLA DuDLEY'S HEART.


ture, ana an ardent, impulsiye, warm
heart go"
Sidney Escourt stood strOking hi Is
mustache LhUugntiully, and talking to
his very best friend aud companion, and
looking across the magnificent room to
where the daughter Of his host was
Standing, in easy, dispassionate, lam
guldl! graceful conversation with two
or three patlently-admlring gentlemen.
She was truly splendid woman, stat
uesque III repose. eXquIsIIely grace ful in
mOlIOn-a medium tail glrl, perhaps
twenty or twenty-five, with a slender
figure as perfect as a Ilebe-a ace pure
aud fair as class C features--ct eaIny,
cnlorless compleXton; great, thoughtIul,
dark-Viulet eyes; heavy, straight brOWs,
and faulllessly lovely mouth aud chlu
could make 1t; girl who carried her
self as a duchess OF the realm, from the
cOrOnet OF golden hair on her pretty
Attle head to the pOise OF the plume Dor
dered tan in her nand, or the position of
he dainty-booted ieeU peeping from her
sllken skirts.
She was dressed well Tonight. IL was
black velvet, cutsQuaI i'll the neck, and
ioamy. rare old lace filing in the space
IA dress which fitted her supple, willnwy
Iorm to perfection, revealing Its eXquls-
Ite CurVes--With short sleeves, eugtu
with creamy lace fills, which just COy-
cred her dtmpLed elbows.
She Wore magnificent diamonds on her
pulsing bos m, around her wrists, III
her bright, golden hair, at her small,
pink eai 3, on her dainty, taper fingers
| jewels worth tortune-jewels sue pas
sIonately loved tor their beauty's sake.
| And OF her-ih!s tair, naughty, grace.
iul woman, Bella Duuiey-Mr. Sidney
! Escourt was speaking, with all admiring
ct critical look in his fine dark ewes !;
for it had been sorrowto MIN more
! han once that Miss Dudley, SO far,
lovely, SO cul ured, lacked ali that eet,
inpulsiVr, ardent warmth which woulu
| nave made MIN worship her.
lie had known her quite we'll for sew
pral months. He was fairly frequent
guest, and he had always found Bella
ne same-cold, pleasant, Well-bred,
beautiful, graceful, but SO utterly, wholly
| passionless, that he compared her to her
rare, brilliant but stony diamonds-so
entirely ummpressiUnable that he hau
lever dared nope she would yieid TO
loves earnest pleadings.
Mr. Julius R0thsav, senior Of tho greal
firm of Rothsay e. FRANKIE, sat in his
liltle room, his keen black eyes gloating
over the portion Of the immense shop he
wus able 10 see, and his high, narrow
forehead drawn into confusion OF
cross, malicious wrin kles, as he saw one
of his young ladies-a slight, paie-taced,
! weary-eyed creature-sink Tor a momen /
On a Woouen-bo toned stool; only u
moment, to relieve The deadly faintnes IS
which mad come surging over her.
Mr. Rothsay rang little bell which
stock on the desk We, ide nina quick,
well-known peal, which brought the
.oreman Of the ribbon and sash depart
ment to him-a thin, cadaVerous-looE-
ny woman, cruel, nervous, pitiless III
ace anu eyes as her employer.
sYou see that new hand yonder-
Number Forty? Fine her sixpence for
sitting in business hours; ana tell her
4 she doesn't throw Il little more alima-
| ION and Il considerably less ind ference
n her manner, she " i'll be dismiss d
when the weeks up"
Ten minutes after, Nellie Newell
stood, flushed, and nervous, aud halfte :
r,tied, listening to the reproacLes of the
| fore woman.
! "Dun'u let a4e know Of your daring to
! openly break the rules OF the establish
menJ agatn, Miss Newell! 'TireP Is 10
excuse. You have no business to BE-
ired. And MI. Rothsay told me to tel
YOU to get rid OF that halt-dylng, wholly
sanctimoniUus expression you're SO fond
OF wearing before CUSTOMERS, as if you
were martyr. Brighten up, and act as
If YOU MAJ grain OF common sense il
YOU, or il Will be The worse for you. AZ
IT. Is, YOU are fined for already trans.
| yressIug rules. Tnere-gO along, and at
lend TO the young lady who has takeL
her seat at your department, and MINI
what I've SAID"
i And, trembling with nervousness anG
ho0iIy fatigue, Nellie FASTENED to hel
rus1omer-a sty llsh, elegantly.dresset
yirl, in black silk and Velvel; Bella Du /
lev. who brought the same grace auL
c1Iuness aud courtesy to The couuter 0
Rothsay's fancy department as trough il
were her fathers house.
HLet me see your pale pink ribbons
please-an inch and a-quarter wide.'
Her low, sweet voice sounded unusu,
ally kind TO Nellie, fresh from the ear
sliuging toues of the Vinegar-vOiced fore
woman; yel, although "a laint flush o
appreciatiVe admiration was on he
+ wnlte cheeks as she turned to reacl
down the box OF pink ribbons, it Wa
with fatigue and almost pain OF weari
? ness that aId not escape either MIR. RJsh
, says ferret gaze, OF the iorew oman
sarcastic, indignant glance, OF Bell
, Dudley's bright, pleasant eyes.
= Almost insuncuyely Nellie locke
across the room to see II she wer
watched by her tormentors, ana as sh
met their angry gaze us she lurne
, around towards MISS Dudley, with lii
DoX oi ribbons balanced on her slim, al
unused hands, she trembled, ana tn
neaYy box leil with crash on the cove
, OF tue glass SHOW. case, smashing it in
I thousand pllnlers, and breaking severe
S delicate little NrtfCles OleXpensIYe Valu
that lay within.
Nellie gave Il gasp Of horror, and st0o
+ louhIng at The result Of her nervousness
. Sir. Rotnsay came tearing down benin
The counter. The fOreWOman stood sttl
a lieudlsh smile on her cruel lace. Tu
- oUner girls stared, antcipat.va Of I'll
q outburst that was sure 70 follow. Is III
, Dudley only looked pit!iui and kina.
'DUn't look SO terrified, child. 1t wa
e an accident that might have nappene
d TO any one."
VI "Dut-bul they will be so angry-an
J. | can't atfO!d to-pay Tor it!'
r You have been guilty ot the most VI
, warranted cdrelessness, Miss Newell
u Ol course you will nave to make I'll
= damage good. | beg your pardon, ma
70 anl"-to Miss Dudley-"buGy you see no
InycgssRrY 1t is TO enforce our rule
is Miss Newell, it Will cost you just 81
d pounds to replace what you have br