Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-03-06

rated around tho bottom with q
black lace founce (relic Of past
GRANDEUR, with an over dress oil
black net. And | fattered myself
the mingled pale blue and black,
with . cardinal rose at my throa,
and 10 my hair, was very becoming
to my clear, brunette style Anics
wore set of pears that were our
mothers.
4 am sure. said che, giving sat.
isfied look over her shoulder as she
went out of the room, mo one would
suspect they were once that dirty
pile Of goods
Later in the evening she came to
me with her face glowing with de.
light Don't you think sbe said
II heard Mrs. Grigsby say to Claud
inc Bray. 4 don't see how the Nil
court girls manage to dress 80 well,
and claudine-spitefui old thing :
said, i should think they would be
ashamed to, everybody knows they
can't afford it, and then that grand
looking Mr.. Auberton came over Ia
them and it wasn't two minutes be-
fore he spied you in that corner, and
L think we were fully revenged
when he asked Miss Bray who the
young lady with the piqnant face
and roses in her hair was when
she told him he asked if you were
one Of the family who owned Nil.
court and said he was very much
interested in the grand old place
Here my voluble sister was check.
ed in her account by the appearance
of our hostess on the arm Of tina Mr.,
Auberton mentioned, whom she pre-.
sented to- US.
Mr.. AubertOn was a grave, hand
some man, of, 1 judged about thirty;
he engaged me in conversation on
general topics and soon brought up
Nilcourt; whereupon with character.
istic recklessncss talked forgetting
every thing but my subject.
told him how Anice and | went
every way not tnpass it: and never
looked toward it unless we were
obliged to because we loved 1T so !;
and we were so glad no one had ta-
ken it, that we were sure we could
not live and know there; and ratified
on in my impulsive way. ill |
thought and g. opped, appalled, at the
way was talking to and things |
was telling that man. l, monopo-
lizing the lion OF the evening! [
went home feeling very ridiculous;
convinced that notwithstanding he
looked very sympathetic, he was
shocked at such q confiding creature,
and sternly checked Anice's re-
marks upon his evident interest.
It's not true l confessed with
shame. i talked so fast the poor
man couldn't get away. I do wish,
Anice Nilcourt. couid refrain from
telling everything I know
why | am sure he seemed very
much interested said my my stified
sister; what did you tell him?' But
| said no more; and laid awake long
after hnice slept the sleep of the
worn out,' giving myself mental
cha stisament.
Some days after, Mr.. Auberton
called with Mrs. Cheriton, and was
so nice, | concluded he could not
have been so very much shocked af-
ter all, and In the weeks following,
he called frequently and we met him
at numbcrless places but though /
tried very hard, it seemed | just
couldn't help telling that man ev-
erything. | caught myself revealing
my thoughts and feelings. and max
ing the most ridiculous remarks !;
and sometimes | found he was laugh
ing. and others he was gravely in
terested.
How L bamoaned the fact that
Anlce had inherited all the dignity /;
'hough the amount she possessed
was not remarkable, still she could
be reserved when she wanted to. AL
together | was ve:y much dissatis-
fed and unsettled in those days; so
much 50, Anice said to me one day,
Glare Nilcourt, | do believe trouble
is turning your brain, or you arc in
love; | never SAW any body act So
and | flaw ut the poor child, in a
way that caused mo the deepest
shame ten minutes after, and then
cried ana begged her pardon, and
Anice, frightened halt out of her
wits, told me she didn't mean it at
all, she knew / was ill, and left me
TO sweet and bitter fancy after
tucking me up on the sofa.
We had hoard that Nilcourt was
sold. Mr.. Auberton told me the
evening before and ever after Anics
and [ were to have no more claim
upon it than outsiders, but my
thoughts had drifted from that to
Nuel Auberton who in the past few
weeks had been moro the subject OF
my thoughts than was exactly pro-
per. He puzzled and inter- sted m Q
in spite of myself, and I lay think
ing over certain words of his spo-
ken the day before, and the look he
gave me when |, possessed by a
spirit of perversity, replied indiffer.
emily. was wondering what it
meant. Just then Anice came in
saying the object of my thoughts
was in the parlor.
Miss Clare, said Nuel AnberLon
after we had chatted few min
utes, Il am going away tomorrow
| made no reply, | didn't consider
it imperatively necessary; ii it had
been, was SO faint | couldn't have
managed it.
But Mr.. Auberton hardly noticed
my silence; he said. Il want to ask
a favor of you, will you grant it?'
Il don't know said l, still feeling
dizzy, What is it?'
will you-don't think me unfeel-
ing or unsympathetic-but won't
you 60 down to Nilconrt with nae?
think it would do you good if you
would overcome your repugnance to
visit it, And /, feeling too weak
to argue or resist anything, con-
sented.
How my heart beat as we walked
up the dear old oak avenue and
went up the broad marble steps in