The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-02-27

delicacy of her allusion to Vincent
Merlr'
"And what shall l do with this de.
testable kitten?" said Mrs. Orville, pit.
eously. II hardly dare to have il
drowned, servants tongues are SC
treacherous.
cit was scarcely like yourself, Aunt
Emma" said Clara, Ito be off your
guard when you made your visite de
ceren,onie." Mrs. Orville quailed
slightly, but a glance at her niece reas-
sured her.
II had to admire something, you
know" she said, apologetically, land
l CHANGED upon the kittens because they
were evidently the lares and penates.
Now what shall I do with this wretched
animal? The idea of taking me at my
word"
"Credulity is so vulgar!" said Miss
Clara, with one of those peculiar into
nations that always grated upon the
nerves of the elder lady. "But, then, :"
she added, sympathetically, "what
could you expect otherwise of such peo-
ple?"
"Now let us hasten," said the aunt,
" and have our walk while the rain is
stayed" And the two ladies departed
to their dressing-rooms to cloak them
selves.
Meanwhile Miss Gibbs had reached
her own home, and was describing her
visit.
"Do you know, dear mamma, it was
rather an effort to me to call. But l
knew I ought to 60, and now I am glad
that have been. They are heightened,
people. Mrs. Orville is so
refined. Their house is like picture,
and Miss Clara is just the being one
would imagine in such house; she is
dainty, like wax-work, and her cos
did not like to examine it too
closely, but l know it was exquisite.
They are people quite learned, too, and
crit ical, l imagine. / felt like nobody
some of the time. But little pussy rose
to her occasion. wish you could have
seen her simple, straightforward ways
in the face of those supercilious lap
dogs"
A year of married life had passed,
when one winter evening, in the warm /.
ly-lighted and luxurious library Of his
home, Mark Congreve was
seated at his writing-desk, arranged
with open books and scrolls apparent
ly for some task of accommodating,
but with its pivoted armchair 80
turned that the occupant faced, not the
pen and papers, but his young wife,
whose hand he was fondly holding.
d" Tonight is set apart for business,
he said, "and these papers l must look
over;' but he raised her nand lovingly
to his lips, and added, with Ugh,
when shall ever, ever have enough
of you, Flora?''
dear Mark? Quite sure that you do?"
Better every day, my darling wife. !"
"And you think that l am lmprov-
ing q little?''
"Improving? In what way?"
lin my manners.
Mark stared incredulouslv. "My
dear child" he said, IL did not know
that you had any manners" He was
smiling, but Flora looked very grave.
"Oh, don't say that, Mark. know
I had none at tirst-none for a long
time, perhaps; but haven't you noticed
a dawn of manners in me lately?'
II have noticed certainly a clear,
bright, delightful dawn of something;
but do not call it manners; call it the
of married felicity"
" Yes, l am wonderfully happy.
ASA mt HnnvHy fvxyo %1ot g,
human being could be so happy as
am now. Happy in your love, dear
Mark! But l am disappointed that you
have not observed change, for I've
been studying very hard for three
months, and all on one subiect-man-
ners. Your mother has given me a
great many hints; and them have a
model"
"And who is your model in this
profound study, Flossie?'
"Why, Lady Alice, of course"
Lady Alice was q young English
woman, heightened and polished, q
friend of the elder Mrs. Congreve, who,
during winter 8 residence in an Italian
city, had become devotedly attached to
this scion of nobility-an orphan, moi
rich, but amiable and elegant in the
extreme, and with cast of intellectual
grace that rendered her thoroughly
charming. "An ideal daughter-in.
law" thought Mrs. Congreve; and
bitter indeed was her disappointment
when, having persuaded Lady Alice to
accompany her across the ocean for a
twelve-months' visit to America, she
learned upon her arrival that her son
had entered into a matrimonial engage
ment with parsonage of completely
opposite endowments. IA warm.
hearted. affectionate, simple-souled
creature" said Mrs. Congreve, lenient
ly; adding silently, with many sigh
But she constantly jars ON my taste. y
The first winter after Marks mar.
rage Mrs. Congreve spent with Lady
Alice in New York and in Washington
For the summer they came to NJ,
to the old Congreve place, some dis.
lance from Marks new mansion, where
he dwelt with his bride. But not q
summers day passed without an inter
change of visits. Flora had ample
opportunity to study Lady Alice, par
ticularly as there were series of fetes
in her honor at all the neighborine
country places, for she was accepted al
once as the idol of all who composed
what Mrs. Orvillei had called "oul
circle at NJ"
Lady Alice, of course" said Fora
"How absurd p Mark explained, al
playtulness vanishing from his face
and leaving it expressive of mingled
annoyance and disdain-" how Der
fectly absurd! Relinquish that attemp
at once the task is impossible. 70,
might rs well try to make q whit,
grape of strawberry. or an orchid o
q white rose. Give up the ambition a
once. Do you remember the poem
repeated to you the other day, and vo,
liked it so wellP Keep true to its aid
ing, those wise words of Plato:
".Be thyself. Court NO greater gift"
He raised the little hand once NOR
to his lips, and turned abruptly to hi
papers. Flora stood musing for q mo
ment; then she wentto the bow. window
pushed aside its dropped curtain. an
looked out. Some underlined impuls
had seized her to contrast the white
scene, cold and Indictment and bleak