The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-19


dimpled, almost baby face, with tw
rcd lips parted into smile. and tw
soft brown pleading eyes, with heav
white lids, and long, drooping lashes
Ralph Gainsmere was man or Tn
world, used to seeing beautiful womel
looking their best every day In tn
week; he had passed, perhaps, ioveile
women without even LOOKING
back; but this fresh young face an.
childlike smile. and the pleased readi
ness with which the girl looked up z
the heart he kept 30 carefully bidder
give a wilder throb than 1t had dom
since. years before, when he heard hov
Maud Hamilton had bolted with Yer,
Stacey OF the Guards.
lyon have not met my youngest
daughter before, Mr.. Gainsmere?" Lad,
Mary remarked as he took the vacan
seat. 'She is not out yet-not properly
so, at least; we intend to keep her back
till next year. So kind Of you to tel
her all the points. She wanted to come
80 much her cousin, Harry Waybrook
"Ccnfound her cousinl" thought
Ralph, amused at Lady Mary treating
her daughter as II she were an infant
| when he could remember that the eldest
| Miss Waybrook had been exhibited al
ball, and rout. and fiower-show long be
fore arriving at Gertie's age.
Gertie did not want much telling she
knew the best runs and points OF the
game perfectly.
"Who taught you cricket?" he asked
Harry taught me, but do not know
| much about 1t. I can bowl little.
though; underhand, you know" she
added with an idea OF showing off her
knowledge Of the game; "but don't
do 1t very we'll"
"No, / should think not" he said,
looking down at the little, plump, white
hands, which seemed as II they could
hardly hold ball, much less throw one.
There was nothing very alarming in
this, nothing alarming In what followed.
Words OF wit and wisdom do not fall
from the lips OF sweet seventeen as
pearls fell from those of the girl in the
fairy story. Yet he sat by her during
the rest OF that sunny afternoon. talk
ing to her, pointing out the men who
played best, and the most notable peo-
pie who had come to see them patron
izing her and admiring her; talking @
little grandly. and feeling, he could not
tell why, strangely interested In the
soft-eyed, bright faced girl who listened
to all he said, almost deferentially, and
looked upon him with confidence in the
wisdom Of his remarks, and without one
thought Of coquetry or affectation.
"You must come and see us often, Mr..
Gainsmere; drop In without any oere-
mony; we shall be so glad" Lady
Mary said, remembering that Gains
mere was q useful man, and knowing
that he was perfectly safe one.
II shall be delighted. am sure" he
said politely and sincerely, though two
l. -
inward grimace at the idea Of being
dragged about in the train OF the Way
brook BROOD" as they were called.
He was always at the Waybrooks after
the day he first saw her; always ready
to attend them to ball or party, from
which the sweet face and brown eyes
were excluded; but then the preludes
were so pleasant, for they consisted in
dining with the family, and having af-
forwards little tete-a-tete with Gertie,
while her sisters were arranging their
cloaks or pttting on an extra trinket
for the evening.
That Ralph Gainsmere, the fashion
able man OF the world, found these mo-
for an instant; he was such safe man
and Gertie was only child
Really 1t was quite q blessing drop
ping upon Gainsmere as did, not hav-
Ing any man but your father In the
Lady Mary observed to her
1T is such an undertaking |
TO chaperon three girls about-it will be |
four soon without the sign Of a man
near them"
The summer passed on, the Row was
getting empty, the last night Of the
opera was over, and the list OF fashion
ible departures daily growing longer.
The Waybrook girls had gone through
the fatigues of the season in their usual
and unsuccessful man.
1er, and were about to betake them
selves to their ancestral home, to wait
in the hope Of better luck
lext time.
Lady Mary had invited the Foreign
Office clerk to spend week or ten days
With them In the country when he felt
10 disposed. To her surprise (for he had
pleaded very evident excuses on former
,ccasions) he accepted her invitation,
md he went went to find Gertie in her
,lory in the country, looking lovelier
han ever in her Bingham gown and
traw hat, strolling about the green
anes and pleasant fields alone-for it
epted her position Of "quite child as
'et" SO while the others went out
iding, or driving, or paying formal
isits, Ralph Gainsmere wandered
trough the village, or among the hills
nd dells Of Waybrook, with the childish
ace, which had grown to be dearest in
he world to him, at his side. She was
o perfectly at home, too, in the country;
he delighted In its charms, knew every
over haunted pathway, every patch
I shade, and sunny nook; and she
talked by his side with the sun tan
ing her face and her brown hair hang
ng carelessly over shoulders, telling
i'm the history OF the trees they
assed, and the names Of the jewellers
I the withwashed cottages, and the
etails of the children, and dogs, and
igs. and cocks and hens appertaining
, them, while he listened grandly and
and she looked up at
i'm, and thought what condescension l
was in him to do 80. 1t never &C. 6
lrred to her that he found as much |
appiness in those walks as she herself |
Id. She never once OWNED how he {
lwardlly groaned over his poverty, and