Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1878-10-05
The Belle.

the dinner hour.
"Let US make BELLE" suggested
Arthur Lindsey. Let us take some
moderate girl and idolize her, one and
all Of us. Net ridiculously, but Just
enough to turn her head and have
all the other dear creatures dying of
jealousy"
Two days later party arrived at
the hotel who were registered as "Mr.
Wolf, Miss Wolf, c., and on the same
afternoon Lindsey announced tri-
umphantly: "Ive found the girl.
No; don't ask me what she's like.
Nothing startling, I promise you.
Just passing sort of lady-like no
body. The raw material, that's all !;
and that's what we want. A mighty
pretty little foot she has, though peep
ing from under her waterproof cloak.
But plain, Enthusiastically plain and un-
pretending, l assure you. Just the
nondescript sort of thing we re-
quire fol our made belle"
In the inviting drawingroom Miss
Irene Wolf made her debut, clinging
rather closely to the side of her
mother until the music struck up.
The young and shy stranger found
herself introduced to a number Of
agreeable young men. Everything
she said, everything she did, proved
to be just the happy word of the mo-
ment or the happy act, at has been
such a delightful. evening"" she said
to her mother, when after midnight,
she still fingered to talk over the nov
el event. Il was silly girl to dread
the beginning SO much. How kind
every one is !"
As the season advanced, the tri-
umphs Of the made belle lost none Of
their brilliancy. Her success began
to reflect credit upon her makers.
Every day she seemed more lovely,
every day more worthy Of preference.
For is there a cosmetic like praise ?
Is there tonic like praise? ls there
tonic like smiles?
Irene Wolf, in her midsummer ex-
perience, thought that watering place
life was an episode of paradise. But
the serpent always crawls into Eden.
And in Irenes paradise the intruder
had, as in Raphaels picture, wo-
mans face.
Miss Hammond thought it her duty
to contide Miss Wolf a secret that had
been intrusted by Dick Wilhurst as
something which he considered "too
good to keep"
Miss Hammond perform I'd her self
imposed duty without trepidation. If
in the rivalry of the season she had
allowed herself to feel bitterness, and
if malice lay in her motive, she was
not rewarded by the effect upon her
victim of her astounding revelation
In listening to the humiIiating tale
given in strict confidence and without
suppression of any stinging detail
Irene remained calm, offering no in.
terruption or exclamation. Hel
heart, indeed, beat violently, her col.
or went and came. When the whole
story was ended she pondered min
ute and said:
"Do you believe this, Miss Ham
mond? l hardly can. think thes'
gentlemen-these friends of yours
are too we'll bred to have placed girl
an unoffending stranger, in such al
ignominious position. Mol Do no
trouble yourself about this story. :"
feel sure these young men have bette
hearts.
But, oh, the storm that swept owe
that barred bit Of palpitating mechan
ism, the woman's heart in the dark
ness of the night! The pain, the tan
talizing torment, the bewildering
doubt. Could it be true? Let tn
careful memory, the calm judgment
take up the facts. Alas, the story wa
not without its corroborating proofs
The first night Of anguish tina
sweeps across the pillow Of youn,
girl robs it forever Of all the whit
roses of which girls pillows are made
Thenceforth the softest is but rutilec
linen on which the head rests.
In the morning Irene awoke; for a
dawn she caught one miserable hal
hours sleep; awoke for the first morn
ing of her life, upon a fiat stale III
profitable world.
What plsasure was there to mad
belle in fixing her blonde hair at th
: glass