River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-09-04
A MASQUERADE.

A MASQUERADE
''She Is far from fascinating" declared |
Lucia, as she and her sisters discussed the
events Of the day, a few weeks after Miss
Lovells appearance at the Orchard Farm.
IAN aquiline nose is defect in any
woman face; ii loo.s strong minded.
aAnd that black silk of hers has been
turned, teo. / saw the old stitches,
yawned Essie "What do you think of
her singingq'
SGuy seems to hang upon her num-
Lers."
"She's novelty"
Fascinating or otherwise, the gentlemen
at the house seemed TO rally around Miss
Lowell, to the no small discontinue of
the Misses Thornton. Her very indlffer-
ence lent charm; and even the turned
silk failed to disgust them, or the fac
that she was suspected of earning her
own living. There was picnic to the
recesses of the pine woods one day, when
other expedienfss for killing time had
been nearly exhausted, planned and ear
RED out by Miss Lucia and her sister
"And where is our charming Miss Low
ella asked Duchene, an attache OF one OF
the legations, whom Lucia had contrlved
to attach to her party.
g, don't now, returned Lucia.
SIS not Miss Lowell here" demanded
Guy; ''and Ahy IS she not9n
s'Don't annihilate us, Guy What Is
Hecuba to your
II will return for Miss Lowell said
Duchene, rot comprehending the sltua-
| tion.
II will fetch her myself" threatened
Guy, hurrying away. But he did not re-
turn. Miss Lowell had no mind TO accept
| an invitation at the eleventh hour; she
as busy sketching. Would she not give
him a lesson in the artg And whether or
no, thera no stai5 hosiae how tili tho cum
set dyed the sea with the hues of a she'll.
No end of banter followed when the par
" returned from the woods
This is the way Mr.. Thornton does
his picnicking? questioned Duchene.
Don't you know" ADDRESSING Miss Love |,
that they used to burn women for Mitch
crattl"
"Neither did the men escape"
"These Thorntons are proud family,
he pursued. They think themselves the
cream OF society, and the rest Of the world
| but sklm-mllk."
"And l represent bonny. clabber per
haps9'
They are a naughty race whoever is not
| born with silver spoon in his mouth Is
| beneath noticc-except for amusement
"You seem to have studied the Thorn
tons"
"They interest me with their contempt
for work; wonder nobody asks if the
malt that lay in the house that Jack
built vas not furnished by their GRANDPA
theirs brewery
| you are toe bitter, Mr.. Duchene--bit-
ter as beer. And Mr.. Thornton, does he
share their contempt
| Il have never 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 waltz2 Tney
were having some informal dancing in
| the parlors that night.
! One evening in August, Miss Lowell,
having spent dull day in doors, threw
open her blinds, ana felt it a aste of the
season to remain nnder roof. The I'M
| iverse seemed too narrow to hold her and
throwing ON a cloak which enyelopod her,
folding a black veil across her yellow
hair, and fastening the hood of her wrap
| beneath her chin, she stole out. Present
| ly, as she sat in the shadow of a great
| rock, u boat put in, and Duchene helped
| Miss Lucia ashore, and strolled away,
Ahile Guy planted an oar in he sand
and Essie crouched beside him.
You will take cold" said Guy. "We
must go i'm
''You wouldn't be in such haste if
were Miss Lowell. / don't know where
you get your plebian ta-tes. Everybody
is laughing at your devotion"
''Let those laugh who wln,' returned
| Guy. 'Le rOi amaSe.
Miss Lowell had left her seat at the
mention of her name, and loitered along
| the beach, STOPPING TO gather a shell or
| bit of some wreck as s e went.
"What old witch is that" asked Essie,
IS she passed them.
1T looks like tisher-woman gather
ing drift 10 boil her pot" but having de
coyed Essie in doors, he flew back to the
sand.
"The step betrays the goddess" over
taking her.
II hoped to pass for fisher woman y
"You, To complete disguise, let
| me take you out in my boat"
"With all my heart" ''Le Tot s'0nause, .
she reflected; but he allows another, to
share his amusement" and directly they
were floating through drift of stars,
mingling Jest and sentiment; slipping
past the lighthouse, beyond the splits Of
sand, with breakers Dreaming about them,
till the beach lights were but sparks
against the darkness, past stretches Of
meadows, and the lonesome wharves of
the town. ''Mr. Thornton, she cried
waking from the spell, IS chimneys and
steeples stood revealed, what is this:'
"This is Bagdad Our boat has been
propelled by Afntes. am the NEGRO
mancer who has annihilated time and
space. Shall we keep on up the river,
and Join the caravans for Aleppo and
Damascus!"
"Do let us return; 1t must be late.
There are no lights in your Bagdad."
''The CaIiph prohibits them after 8 p.
NJ. Besides gas and kerosene havnt come
to light yet. My dear Miss Lowell, the
tide is against and the wind is not with
US. Even nccromancer may err. You
have made it dangerously pleasant. did
not dream of the hour. Halleo. there !"
he shouted, under the bow of brig. II
will give any man his price who will
help me row back TO the beach, And
presently to stout sailors swung them
selves into the boat. When Miss Lowell
and Mr.. Thornton walked up to the Or
chard Farm, the sun was rising.
ooh, Guy" cried Essie, coming tor
ward, ''we have been so much alarmed
The servant said your room had not been
occupied, and
''You were beginning to wonder if black
would become you, eh!"
''Le mi nmuSs, she said, significantly.
Guys brow darkened.
you are mistaken" he returned.
Miss Lowell had a nervous headache,
and did not appear again till twilight.
at has been the longes- day in the
wear" he said '.iu spif5 of the cal