The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-05-01
DEMETER'S DAUGHTER.

of people to hear 4 white-haircd MAJ
Of lofty artistic pedigree read. She wa!
fond of patronizing talent. When Mr.
kcmble had given his Sir Anthony Ab
solutc and Sir Peter Tcazle, Mrs. De
| Lettante went about among her guests
and explained that she had still another
pleasure in store for them: Miss 1Iilda
| Wiese would now recitc. Miss Wiest
was 4 dcbuteaatc, but they would see
she had great possibilities. Mr.. KEN.
BILE had spoken to her of the young
lady, who intended to become 4 pro,
| fessional reader; he was enthusiastic in
her praise.
So, after 4 brief interval, young
girl was led forward, who rccited por-
tims of Elaine's beautiful and touching
story with native case and grace. She
stood in the third of the suite of rooms
that opened one into another. Behind
her was background of white flowers
arranged on graduated steps, 4 mass OF
hyacinths chiefly and daflodils Git was
spring.. She was flower of spring
herself, with the incifable glory and
charm of youth about her: serene, wide
brow, from which heavy dark hair was
swept to one side: the outlines of her
fa e pure and harmonious, and strong
rather than delicate; in her cheeks the
fresh, steady color that rarely outlasts
girlhood. She wore Il quantity simple
black silk gown. the sleeves cut to the
elbows and fleecily ruiiled with white
the same white effect at her throat.
Her voice was rich and soft and full.
Her recitation charmed; there was Il
murmur of pleased surprise. When she
had done she simply fell back Il step or
two against the tiers of flowers. She
helped herself to daifodil, and stood
carelessly swinging it, listening TO some
thing kind which the elocutionist said
to her.
Presently Mrs. De Lettante came up
with Il tall, fair young man of a studi-
Gus aspect, whom she made known 20
Miss Wiese rs DR.. Douglass. AS this
young man bowed in acknowledgment
of the introduction, he said to himself
Demeter's daughter, fair and free" !"
out of sweet rhyme-book of his sisters.
"You gave me Il great deal of pleas
urc,n he said, with 4 touch of the self
confidence of youth in the worth Of its
own praise.
Ibid -. I am very glad"
LAS for Mrs. DE Lettante, she is
fairly ruflled with complac"ncy at hav-
ing sponsored YOU"
Mrs. De Lettante has been very good
to me-"
"You have repaid her. She is the
woman in. search Of a mission. Look
ut her now, magnetizing that little dark
man with those restless hazel eyes of
hers"
"Shc is very gracious and handsome. !"
Extremely so in her sweeping satin
robcs-Nile green you ladies call that
color, do you not?-stately, dark haired,
fairsskinned. 1 wonder who the ugly
little man iS?"
"NIr. Kemble told me. He is a
Frenclman, 4 duke. His father was
made duke by the emperor at Sol
ferino. lie inherits the title"
"Pastcboard nobility
"There has to be beginning to every
thing. Bravery is its own pedigree.
Did YOU ever hear what Nadir replied
when 'Dclhi's throne inquired the an
ccstry' Of his son?
az My child is noble, for, though lowly born,
He is the son and grandson OF the sworl.'"
Her simple enthusiasm was contagious.
"No doubt you and Nadir-is that
his name?-arc right,aNflere comes Mrs.
De Iettantc with herduke. He is like
Jacob-he halts on his thigh"
The Due de Bonne Fortune was pre-
sented in his turn. He was not an at
tractive parsonage, upon the whole; rs
you have gathered, little and dark, and
very lame. He was 4 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 contrary,
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-woifd civilization he had sprung
from; there was q gay sparkle and
vivacity about his conversation which
disposed Hilda in his favor. All women
like to be amused. Besides, in her up
right vigor she felt a divinpeompaS-
sion" for his ir trinity
DIR. Douglass driftcd away with Mrs.
De Lcttante, who said, going: "Do you
know Mrs. Wiese? There she is, ali by
herself in that corner. OF course she is
almost stranger here. asked her for
the daughters sake. l wish you would
talk to her"
Douglass agreed readily. Douglass
was not singular in his alacrity to be
civil to the mother of 4 beautiful daugh-
ter. And Mrs. Wiese proved to he
charming, with the unhackncycd and
fresh cheerfulness of u child. She had a
"primroSc facc"-a phrase | like to bor-
| |, 20 Il In,
certain type of face that never entirely
loses its youth-with ready smiles, and
changing color, and clear eyes, add, in
her case, sunny chestnut hair (the color
ing should be brighD. An electric
spark was struck between Douglass AID
herself. She liked young men in Il de-
lightful, mothcrly way, that always
bore in mind her own half-grown boys
And young men invariably liked her
She talked frankly to Douglass; among
other things, about her husbands deli.
cate health and failing sight. Douglass
had made speciality of diseases OF the
eve, and lent an intelligent interest. liz
said he should be honored if Mrs. Wiest
would permit him to call upon hersel
and her husband; he did not add, "ant
your daughter" although at that vcr!
moment his gaze was resting on tht
calm young PcrseShonc in the mex
room, who, still idly twirling her snow.
daffodil, was talking to the pasteboar'
duke.
Later in the evening Douglass fell il
again with Mrs. DE Lcttantc. 1.-The
toll me- he said, indicating IIilda
"that that beautiful child is destined 70
thr STAGE. l confess | am sorry to hca
it.n
"She has gift. To my thinking,
belongs to the world"
And so she will dim her lovelines
| l,oI;nd tbe footlirhts and lose thn h1oOr