American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-04-19


They live embodied evermore,
And wait for us to come.
Phoebe Cary.
DEMETER'S DAUGHTER.
Mrs. De Lettante had invited GRO wd
of people to hear a white-haired man of
lofty artistic pedigree read. She was
fond of patronizing talent. When Mr..
Kemble had given his Str anthony 40
sols1te and Sir Peter Teazle, Mrs. De Let
tante went about among her guests and
explained that she had still another
pleasure in store for them: Miss Hilda
Wiese would now recite. Miss Wiese
was de6utante. but they would see she
had great possibilities. Mr.. Kemble had
spoken to her of the young lady, who
intended to become professional read
er; he was enthusiastic in her praise.
So, after brief interval, a young
girl was led forward, who reoited por-
tions of E1asne's beautiful and touching
story with native ease and grace. She
stood in the third of the suite of rooms
that opened one into another. Behind
her wss . background of while flowers
arranged on graduated steps, a mass of
hyacinths chiefly and daffodils Gt was
spring.. Somehow during the proceed
ing reading these flowers had seemed
mere accessories of the drawiug-room
furniture. They now became part of
the belongings of the young girl for
whom they constituted background.
She was flower of spring herself, with
the ineffable glory and charm of youth
about her; serene wide brow, from
which heavy dark hair was swept to
one side; the outlines of her face pure
and harmonious, and strong rather than
delicate; In her cheeks the fresh, steady
color that rarely outlasts girlhood. She
wore quantity simple black silk gown,
the sleeves cut to the elbows, aud feeci-
ly ruf1ied with white; the same white
effect at her throat. Her voice was rich
and soft and full. Her recitation charm
ed !; there was murmur of pleased sur
prise. When she had done, she simply
fell back a step or two against the tiers
Of flowers. She helped herself to a DAT
fodil, and stood carelessly swinging it,
listening to something kind which the
clocutionist said to her.
Presently Mrs. De Lettante came up
with a tall, fair young man of studious
aspect, whom she made known to Miss
Wiese as DR.. Douglass. As this young
man bowed in acknowledgment of the
introduction, he said to himself, "De-
meters daughter, fair and free,' out of
q sweet rhyme-book of his sisters.
"You gave me q great deal of pleas
ure," he said, with touch of the self
confidence of youth in the worth of its
own praise.
''Did 1? am very glad"
90 As for Mrs. De Lettante, she is fair
ly rufIled with complacency at having
sponsored you"
''Mrs. De Lsttante has been very good
to me-"
"You have repaid her. She is the
woman in search of a mission. Look at
her now, magnetizing that little dark
man with those restless hazel eyes of
hers"
"She is very gracious and hand
some"
Extremely so in her sweeping satin
robes-Nile green you ladies call that
color, do you not?-stately, dark-haired,
fair-skinned. wonder who the ugly
little man isa"
"Mr. Kemble told me. He is a
Frenchman, q duke. His father was
made o duke by the Emperor at Solfe-
rino. He inherits the title.'
"Pasteboard nobility"
"There has to be q beginning to every
thing. Bravery is its pedigree. Did
you ever hear what Nadir replied when
'Delhi's throne inquired the ancestry
of his sonp
" My child is noble. for, though lowly born
He is the son and grandson of the sword. I"
Her simple enthusiasm was contagi-
GUS.
"No doubt you and Nadir-is that his
namea-are right. Here comes Mrs.
De Lettante with her duke. He is like
Jacob-he halts on his thigh"
The Due de Bonnie Fortune was pre-
sented in his turn. He was not an at
tractive parsonage, upon the whole: as
you have gathered, little, and dark, and
very lame. He was a man who had
lived in the world and for the world,
and his life had left no impress of any
lofty impulse upon his face; on the con-
trary, there were lines of craft and guile
around his mouth and eyes. He was no
longer young, but he looked older than
his actual age. Still he showed traces
of the old world civilization he had
sprung from: there was a gay sparkle
and vivacity about his conversation
which disposed Hilda in his favor. All
women like to be amused. Besides, in
her upright vigor she felt a "divine
compassion'' for his infrmity.
DIR. Douglas drifted away with Mrs.
De Lettante, who said, going: "Do
you know Mrs. Wiese9 There she is,