Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-09-11
A MASQUERADE.

"She is far from fascinating" de-
clared Lucia, as she and her sister dis
cussed the events of the day, few
weeks after Miss LovelPs appearance a,
the Orchard Farm. An aquiline nose
is defect in am woman's face; it looks
strong. minded"
"And that black silk of hers has been
turned, too. / saw the old stitches"
yawned Essie. "What do you think OF
her singingT'
"Guy seems to hang upon her mum.
bers"
She's a novelty"
Fascinating or otherwise, the gentle
men at the house seemed to rally about
Miss Lowell, to the no small discomfit-
ure of the Misses Thornton. Her very
indifference lent charm; and even the
turned silk failed to disgust them, or the
fact that she was suspected of earning
her own living. There was picnic to
the recesses of the Pine Woods one day,
when other expedients for killing time
had been nearly exhausted, planned and
and carried out by Miss Lucia and her
sister.
Sand where is our charming Miss
Lovell? asked Duchene, an attache of
one of the legations, whom Lucia had
contrived to attach to her party.
81 don't know" returned Lucia.
ola not Miss Lowell here2" demanded
Guy, land why is she not?'
"Don't annihilate us, Guyl What is
Hecuba to youT"
al will return for Miss Lowell" said
Duchene, not comprehending the situa-
ton.
"I will fetch her myself" threatened
Guy, hurrying away. But he did not
return. Miss Lowell had no mind to &C.
cept at the eleventh hour; she was busy
sketching. Would she not give him a
lesson in the art? And whether or no,
there he stayed beside her till sunset
dyed the sea with the hues of shell.
No end of banter followed when the
party returned from the woods.
"This is the way Mr.. Thornton does
his picnickingY" questioned Duchene.
" Dont you know" addressing Miss
Lowell, "that they used to burn women
for witchcraftF'
"Neither did the men escape"
"These Thorntons are q proud fam
iiy," ne pursued. They think them
selves the cream of society, and the rest
Of the world but skim-milk."
"And l represent bony -clabber, per-
haps?"
"They are a naughty race; whoever
is not born with a silver spoon in his
mouth il beneath notice-excent fer
amusement"
"You seem to have studied the
Thorntons.
t,,tn NIT hA,r
tempt for work; i wonder nobody asks
if the malt that lay in the house that
Jack built WAS not furnished by their
grandfather brewery"
"You are too bitter, Mr.. Duchene-
bitter AS beer And Mr.. Thornton, does
he share their contemptY'
"I have not heard; but he is a Thorn
ton"
"Miss Lucia thinks your lecture is
long. She is in doubt about the text.
1 believe you engaged her for this
.wsl.zT' They were having some in
formal dancing in the parlors that night.
One evening in August Miss Lowell,
having spent dull day indoors threw
open her blinds, and felt it waste of
the season to remain under a roof The
universe seemed too narrow to hold her,
and throwing on cloak which envel-
oped her, folding black veil across her
yellow hair, and fastening the hood of
her wrap beneath her chin, she stole
out. Presently, as she sat in the shadow
of great rock, q boat put in, and
Ducheue helped Miss Lucia ashore, and
stroled away, while Guy planted an osr
in the sand and Essie crouched beside
him
e'Nou viii take cold" said Guy.
eve must go in"