The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1879-09-13
A MASQUERADE.

"She is far from fascinating" de-
clared Lucia, as she and her sister dis
cussed the events of the day, a few
weeks after Miss Lovell's appearance at
the Orchard Farm. " An aquiline nose
is q defect in any woman's face; it looks
strong minded."
" And that black silk of hers has been
turned, too | saw the old stitches"
yawned Essie. What do you think of
her singingW
"Guy seems to hang upon her num-
bers."
She's a novelty"
Fascinating or otherwise, the gentle
men at the house seemed to rally about
Miss Lowell, to the no small discomfit-
ure of the Misses Thornton. Her very
Indifference lent a charm; and even the
turned silk failed to disgust them, or the
fact that she was suspected of earning
her own living. There was q picnic to
the recesses of the Pine Woods one day,
when other expedients for killing time
had been nearly exhausted, planned and
and carried out by Miss Lucia and her
sister.
And where is our charming Miss
Lovell?' asked Duchene, an attache of
one of the legations, whom Lucia had
contrived to attach to her party.
i" | don't know" returned Lucia.
is not Miss Lowell here?" demanded
Guy, "and why is she not?"
"Don't annihilate us, Guy! What is
Hecuba to your
81 will return for Miss Lowell" said
Duchene, not comprehending the situa-
ton.
8" will fetch her myself" threatened
Guy, hurrying away. But he did not
return. Miss Lowell had no mind TO &C.
cept at the eleventh hour; she was busy
sketching. Would she not give him a
lesson in the art? And whether or no,
there he stayed beside her till sunset
dyed the sea with the hues of a shell.
No end of banter followed when the
party returned from the woods.
"This is the way Mr.. Thornton does
his picnickingT questioned Duchene.
Don't you know" addressing Miss
Lowell, "that they used to burn women
for witchcraftY'
Neither did the men escape"
"These Th0rntons are proud fam
ily," he pursued. "They think them
selves the cream of society, and the rest
of the world but skim-m milk
g And | represent bony-clabber, per-
haps?"
"They are naughty race; whoever
is not born with silver spoon in his
mouth is beneath notice-except for
amusement"
"You seem to have studied the
Thorntons."
"They interest me with their con-
tempt for work; | wonder nobody asks
if the malt that lay in the house that
Jack built was not furnished by their
grandfather brewery"
You are too bitter, Mr. Duchene-
bitter as beer. And Mr.. Thornton, does
he share their contemptW
81 have not heard; but he is Thorn
ton"
" Miss Lucia thinks your lecture is
long. She is in doubt about the text.
| believe you engaged her for this
waltzT They were having some in
formal dancing in the parlors that night.
One evening in August Miss Lowell,
having spent dull day indoors, threw
open her blinds, and felt it waste of
the season to remain under a roof. The
universe seemed too narrow to hold her,
and throwing on 8 cloak which envel-
oped her, folding a black veil across her
yellow hair, and fastening the hood of
her wrap beneath her chin, she stole
out. Presently, as she sat in the shadow
of q great rock, a boat put in, and
Duchene helped Miss Lucia ashore, and
strolled away, while Guy planted an oar
in the sand and Essie crouched beside
him.
You will take cold," said Guy.
We must go in"
You wouldn't be in such haste if /
were Miss Lowell. 1 don't know where
you get your plebian tastes. Everybody
Is laughing at your devotion"
Let those laugh who win" returned
Guy. 90 lie roi s'dmuse'"
Miss Lowell had left her seat at the
mention of her name, and had loitered
along the beach, STOPPING to gather a
shell or bit of some wreck as she went.
What old witch is that?" asked
Essie as she passed them.
at looks like fsherwoman gathering
drift to boil her pot; but having deceyed
Essie in doors, he flew back to the sand.
The step betrays the goddess" over
taking her.
90 hoped TO pass for isherwoman."
"Youl To complete the disguise, let
me take you in my boat"
With all my heart" LIE RIO
s'amge,'" she reflected; "but he SLOWS
another to share his amusement" And
directly they were floating through a
drift of stars, mingling Jest and senti-
ment; slipping past the lighthouse, be-
yond the splits of sand, with breakers
creaming about them, till the beach
lights were but sparks against the dark
ness, past stretches of meadows, and the
lonesome wharves of the town. Mr..
Thornton" she cried, waking from the
spell, as steeples and chimneys stood re-
vealed, "what is this?"
This is Bsgdsd. Our boat has been
propelled by afrites. / am the NEGRO
mancer who has annihilated time and