The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-02-07
BELNA DUDlEY'S HEART.

DAAAAs0<A ~ - AkAn1s
eyes, beautiful, grant you-beauti.
ful as dream, sparkling as the valua-
BILE diamond she had on her fair arms
and neck-but as cold and lifeless as
they, so far as a tender, womanly ma.
ture, aud an ardent, impulsive, warm
heart 60"
Sidney Escourt stood stroking his
moustache thoughifully, and talking to
his very best friend and companion,
and looking across the magnificent room
to where the daughter of his host was
standing, in easy, dispassionate, Ian
guidly graceful conversation with two or
three patiently .admirlng gentleman.
She was truely . splendid woman,
statuesque in repose, exquis,tely grace
tul in motion-a medium tall girl, per-
hsps twenty or twenty with Q elem
der figure as perfect IS q Hebe-a face
pure and fair 40 classic features-creamy,
colorless complexion great thoughtful,
dark-violct eyes; heavy, straight brows,
and faultlessly lovely mouth and chin
could make It; girl who carried her
self as duchess of the realm, from the
coronet Of golden hair on her pretty
little head to the poise of the position Of
the dainty.booted feet peeplng from her
silken skirts.
She was dressed we'll tonight. twas
black velvet, cut square in the neck, and
foamy; rare old lace filing in the space
"a dress which fitted her supple, will.
lowy form to perfection, revealing its
exquisite curves-with short sleeves,
edged with creamy lace frills, which just
covered her dimpIed elbows.
She wore magnificent diamonds on her
pulsing bosom, around her wrists, in
her bright, golden hair, at her small,
pink ears, on her dainty, Taper fingers
Jewels worth q fortune-jewels she
psssionately loved tor their beauty's
sake.
And of her-this fair, naughty, grace
full woman, Bella Dudley-Mr. Sidney
Escourt was speaking. with an admiring
Yet critical look in his fine dark eyes;
for it bad been o sorrow to him more
than once that Miss buddy, so fair, so
lovely, 80 cultured, lacked all that sweet,
impulsive, ardent warmth which would
have made him worship her.
He had known her quite we'll for sew
eral months. He was a fairly frequent
guest, and he had always found Bella
tho 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 unimpressionab that he had
never dared hope she would yield to
loves earnest pleadings.
Mr.. Julius Rothsay, senior of the great
firm OF Rothsay 4 Franks, sat in his lit
tie room, his keen, black eyes gloating
over the portion Of the immense shop he
was able to sec, and his high, narrow
forehead drawn into q confusion Of
cross, malicious wrinkles, az he saw one
OF his young ladies-a slight, pale-faced,
weary-eyed creature-sink for moment
on wooden. bottomed stool; only q
moment, to relieve tho deadly faintness
which had como surging over her.
Mr.. Rothsay rang little bell which
stood on the desk beside him-a quick,
well-known peal, which brought the
forewoman of the ribbon and sash de-
partment to him-a thin, cadaverous.
looking woman, cruel, nervous, pitiless
in face and eyes as her employer.
.You see that new hand yondcr-
Number Forty! Fine her sixpence for
sitting in business hours and tell her If
she d0escn't throw little moro ANNA.
ton and considerable less indifference
In her manner, she will be dismissed
when the week is up"
Ten minutes after, Nellie Newell
stood, flushed, and nervous, and half ter
rified, listening to tho reproaches of the
forewomam.
"Dvn't let me know of your daring to
openly break the rules of the establish
ment again, Miss Newell! Tired is no
excuse. You have no business to be
tired. And Mr.. Rothsay told me to tell
you to get rid Of that half-dying, wholly
sanc,imonious expression you're so fond
Of wearing before customers, as if you
were o martyr. Brighten up, and act as
If You had grain OF common sense in
you, or it will be the worst tor you. As
it is, you are fired for already trans.
crossing rules. There-go along, and
attend to the young lady who has taken
her seat at your department, and mind
what I've said.'
And trembling with nervousness and
bodily fatigue, Nellie fastened to her
stylish, elegantly dressed
girl, in black silk and velvet; Bella Dud-
ley, who brough. the same grace and
GOODNESS and courtesy to the counter Of
Bothsay's fancy department as though it
we're her fathers house.
Let me see your pale, pink ribbons,
please-an inch and quarter WIDE,
Her low, sweet voice sounded unusu-
ally kind to Nellie, fresh from the ear
tones Of the vinegar-voiced fore |
woman, yet, although a faint flush Of
admiration was on her
white checks rs she turned To reach /
down the box Of pink ribbons, j. was
with q fatigue and almost pain Of weari:
ness that did not escape either Mr.. Roth.
,ay's ferret gaze, or tho forewoman's
sarcastic, indignan: glance, or Bella
Dudley's bright, pleasant eyes.
III l. l.