The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-11-23
MY LADYs CHAMBER.
ny FRANK ROWLAND.

gave him sort OF electric shock, though
he realized coniusedly, that it was plaiI
denial OF the old adage that listeners neye
hear any good OF themselves. Not that III
meant TO listen. He had chosen Quie
seat behind pillar for moment, 10 watcl
Juliet Dalton dance. He was not seen b,
either o. the old ladies, one Of whom HI
knew to be Miss Dalton's stepmother.
He only hoped now to escape withou
arousing their suspicious that he had over
heard their remarks. In doing SO h,
brushed against young lady's drapery
set his foot upon something white ant
frail, there was sound OF ripping stitches
and tearing meshcs, and the young cir
turned with an involuntary cry, and grasp
cd with her little, white.gloyed hand thu
frightfully torn robe.
"Your partIon-oh, 1 beg your par
don" Frank cried.
Millicent Dale did not seem to hear ShI
only lifted the brcadths OF snowy crep'
and looked at them in unmistakable dis
may, while her companion, a sharp-visag
cd, elderly lady, flashed an indignant
glance atour hero, and muttered under heI
breath:
awkward bear"
Certainly, very awkward" exclaimed
Frank, fearlessly. "But it was m acct
dent for which / am hardly to blame, and
l hope the young lady will forgive me-"
Headdressed the younger lady directly
who, in spite OF her warlike glance, color
cd slightly under Franks candor and pc
likeness, and showed signs OF confusion
and at last looked up.
Certainly" she said, certainly; you
Iare not to blame. But in lower tone
81 must go home, aunt"
They turned away and Frank stooC
flushed, vcxed and hesitating. Then he
plunged after the rctreating ladies.
"Can I-can be OF any service to you
Shall I call maid? know Our hostes!
very WE'LL" he said to the young girl
"Perhaps your dress can be-well; b.
sewed up somehow, SO that-you can stay.
She shook her head slightly.
"Thank you-no The skirt Is torn y
two, IL do not mind" smiling cheerful
~, and evidently pitying Franks discom
future.
"Well declare, NTilly, YOU are the bes
natured creature" murmured the obscrv
ant aunt.
"Then since you mustgo, cannot be o.
service? Have you a carriage?
no."
"Takc mine, then--pray do! 1 will g
look for it at once"
Bowling low, he hurried awayto find hi
coaclman, whom, after some trouble, hi
found outside.
"Bring the carriage around directly, ant
take two ladies' home" he said, to tn,
man, and then hurried TO conduct the two
ladies down stairs, and, bareheaded, hand
ed them into the vehicle. "Then, at last
the resentment OF the elder lady was over
come.
"Pray excuse mem leaning forward from
the velvet seat. ~ was vexed. though
my niece wasgoing to have such pleasan
evening, and Just ut the start"
"You see, it is my only party dress!'
cried the girl, with an irresistibly musica
laugh, SO that the other smiled at last.
"Where shall my man take you TO-
madam ?" inquired Frank.
mo. 209 North - street, replied the
elder lady. :.
The carriage wheel ground the curb ii
turning as Frank made his adieux.
"What next, ] wonder?" he murmured
going back to Mrs. Lavington's brilliantly
lighted rooms. "Young, handsome, intel
| ligent, and 'an awkward bear; one gradu
ally gathers the truth concerning himself
That was nice girl, though not u bit pref
| ty. A good disposition. l wonder wha
Juliet Dalton would have said il I'd aoun
dered upon her dress, and sent her hom'
from the party? And to think they should
be living there, ofall places in the world
| must ask Aunt Sarah who they are il
the morning."
For, oddly enough, No. o09 North -
street, and the house the next door boil
belonged to Miss Weldon, his aunt, and
were part OF the property that Franz
would one day inherit. At No. 200, in
deed, he was a constant visitor, for It wa!
there that Mr.. Dalton and his Charmin.
daughter dwelt. A welcome guest, too
for It was well known than he was hi
aunt's heir.
He was two-and.twenty, modest, gener
ally sensible. Generally, ! say, because
he was at this time deeply fascinated witt
Juliet Dalton. But for all that he was M
uncommon young fellow, practical, capa
Bile, and without a vice.
His aunt Sarah, who had brought hin
up, was m old-fashioned woman. She had
trained him to self.rcliance; and, young
MS he was, he was her business man. She
had ever found him faithful and efficient
Frank knew that he would succeed hi
aunt, OF course, but so great was his atiec'
ton for her that, far from congratulatinG
himself on her advanced age, he woulC
have regarded the prospect OF her dealt
with the greatest alarm and grief.
Therefore, the gossips' remarks had beer
hardly listened to with pleasure. As fol
their other personal compliments, being
modest, he had his doubt, and was not in
the least elatcd.
"Aunt," he said, the next morning, at
breakfast, "has the house in North -
street been let?"
,"Certainly. What is the Use OF keeping
It empty2 tits let to n family named DALI
-old gentleman and lady, and their neice
By.the.by," she continued, "what very
fast girl Juliet Dalton islp
"Do you think so? asked Frank, rcd
dening. -,
ayes. They say she wore crimson sill
at some party the other night. That
enough euOUlu tEluh. III my parry NaS Q
Young girls always wore white ut parties
and very pretty and suitable 1t was
"Oh, times have changed, aunt Sarah
Nobody wears the traditional white muslin
and blue ribbons nowadays" said Frank
with q slight uneasincss.
"So, they don't. And the girls, insteat
OF being modest, well.trained and sensible
are bold shallow and snowy. They ar
regular iortune.hunters, Frank-remembe
aAunt Sarah, Juliet Dalton isn't an!
more OF fortlne-hunter than butter
"aUmph! Much you know!" and Mis-
Weldon turned Contemptuously away.
Now having always had tho greatest re
spect for his aunts opinion, Frank wa
not always happy. He had promised t
ioin picnic that day at which Juliet wa
to be present.
He was forced to refrain from mentioning
II, after the conversations and this wa
not pleasant, as his good aunt Sarah hal
invariably had his confidence.
But he went TO the picnic, and III