The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-09-04

pSuClA
The door opens, and in comes Bee.
Her face is like a rose, her eyes like
stars; her dark blue suit has bits Of
snow all over it, and so has her trim lit
tie hat and feathers. She mods to Lepel,
shakes herself iauntily, and then taking
off her hat, fans it gently before the fire
to recurl the feathers.
''Better put on your slippers, Bee. 1
can't have you take cold now, with these
three pictures on hand"
(which do sit for this morning ?"
"Ophelia. / have been painting the
face from mademoiselle's photo; you
will dress and pose for the character.
''I don't feel like the loVe-lorn damsel
this morning. Bah The idea of any
woman dying for love, and the snow,
and the sunshine, and the joys of music,
and reading, and eating, and walking to
live for I suppose she was insane-of
course she was"
She was unbuttoning her boots during
this TRADE, and when she had slipped
her feet into the bronze slippers and
waltzed twice round the room, lodging
Apollo and Hercules very cleverly, she
announced herself ready to begin. In a
few minutes the secret of her high
spirits was evident. Lepel read to her
few lines, and her face and hair and
figure instantly translated them; the
very droop of her arms was revelation
of physical sympathy.
Two or three times while occupied
with minor details he let her rest, and
she trailed the long robes of the Danish
maiden up and down the room, chatting
all the time in the merriest everyday
manner. "Had Lepel heard that Oif-
ford's picture was sold ? Did he know
that Harry Martin and Palozzi had quar-
relledP Was he going to the Lotos, and
il so, would he tell her how Miss ks
dress was trimmed?" Then she told
him of o new song she was learning, and
obligingly hummed over part of the
melody. And 80 back again to the
heroine of q thousand years ago.
At last Lepel says, "That will do TO-
day, Bee. Will you go and have an
oyster pate with me, or is Clifford wait
ing for you ?"
"I don't like oyster pateS. If you
give me q quail will CO."
every well, Miss Extravaganza, you
have done admirably to-day, and you
shall have quail. Then are you going
to Clifford's2"
"Why do you tease me about Cliff
ford'sP 1 am not going to Clifford's
any more"
"But why not ?"
ga woman's reason-because / am
not"
The next morning, Lepel met her
very stiffly. "Before you robe, Bee, I
want to speak to you. Sit down and
warm your feet"
She put the pretty slippered feet on
the fender, and looked curiously up at
him. "Well ?"
"Chfford was here last night, and 1
know why you would not go there yes
terday. Think again, Bee. You might
do much worse. 1 have tried to be your
friend, and must say this much.
"Oh, You advise me to marry Clif-
ford" For O moment her face was
ablaze with scorn, but the next her eyes
sought Lepel's-just for moment ). he
Resitated, and the chance was forever
lost to him. Nothing could be more
cold and sarcastic than her next atti-
tude.
"Oliford has genius, Bee, and in.
dustry he is struggling bravely for
position"
"I hate poor struggling men. I saw
plenty of them in my childhood. Sue
cess is the one thing forever good. The
successful man is the handsomest man
and the wise man he alone is worthy
of woman's love-"
She spoke extravagantly, as was her
habit under excitement, but Lepel was
annoyed at it.
I do not like your advice, " she con-
tinued, angrily. You favored Mon
tana because he could cultivate my
voice, and I might thus have career
with him and now you advise that l
become wife to the poor struggling
Clifford, in order to save him the ex-
pense of model, 1 suppose"
"Don't be unjust, Bee. 1 only wish
ed to see you cared for. :"
"Thank you; but I have my own
ideas as to what being cared for means. "
"Do you mind enlightening me?'
"Not at all. 1t means a luxurious
home, servants and carriages, foreign
travel, home entertainments, and hus-
band whose greatest Joy is to crafty
my wishes"
Lepel hardly knew whether she was
in Jest or earnest, for she stood up to
make her explanation, and ended it with
a pirouette that brought her suddenly
face to face with a gentleman whose
amused expression showed that he had
been listener to her avowed matri-
monial position.
Then Lepel turned with bow to his
visitor, and Bee vanished behind an old
oaken screen-a convenient place for an
observation, and Bee was not above
peeping at the intruder. He was a man
of about fifty years of age, with a fine
presence, and that indefnable auric at
mosphere around him which envelops
the confidently rich man. Bee liked
his appearance, and was rather pleased
to observe that he glanced around the
room before leaving it she was sure