River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-09-25


songs in tender, manly voice, read alou'
when it was too hot for exercise, an'
made himself a most attractive com
panion. From the first he seemed Il
positively dislike plain Miss Carew. II
our games he avoided her noticeably
never willingly looking at or speaking e
her. Did she propose an excursion, M
declined to participate; did she sins
sweet, Dld-fashioned songs we liked Sc
much, Inc left the room. One evening
she had crimson rosebuds in her hair, anC
he said crimson rosebuds were his specia
aversion. Once IN stepping from the
boat. coming from a sail, he offered his
hand to assist her, and almost flung hel
ashore. He seemed to have taken an un-
accountable antipathy to her
One morning / was braiding my haiI
when there came a rap on my door, and
Miss Carew askee to come in. She was
dressed in blue flannel boating suit,
and white sundoYn was pulled down
over her face. Knots of scarlet ribbon
were on her sleeves and down the front Of
her dress. noticed an unusual color IN
the brown cheeks, and her brown eyes
we're mOlst-loOking.
"You have been crying, Miss Carew,'
/ said fare you unhappy"
Not exactly unhappy, Miss Arden, y
she answered, in her slow, sweet, Iegato
goice. "Qnly troubled, and rather vexed.''
"Can l help you2"
mo, thank you. You are very kind
! It it Is mott ing, after all. l came to
| k if you will be good enough to let me
AXE your umbrella / am going to the
asst shore and have been stupid enough
/ let Miss Derry take mine.'
Certainly" | said; and if you"
A loud, boyish laugh interrupted me.
| Now, let me in, quick I've something
to tell YOU, Miss Ardent" and May Derry
burst INTO the room. I've found out all
about Miss Carew,' she said, breathlessly,
and wins Mr. SkIdmore hates her and
all. / have just Oh, Miss Carewn' she
cried, Il didn't see you. | beg your
pardon. Dear, met am sure, If had
known
IL beg YOU won't feel distressed. If
you have found out all about me, per
haps you. Will have the charity TO en-
Tighten Miss Ardenl'
Its nothing at all, she blurted out :;
"onlv Miss Payne came oyer, and said
you belonged to the Carews of New Jer-
sey, and they were bad lot-fast men
and vulgar women-and | told her I
didnt believe it. And then she asked
Mr. Skidmore, and he said he detested a
vulgar woman, and could tell in a mo-
mcnt if they had good birth and breed
ing. and-oh Miss Carew, haven't made
you angry, have II OF course, / didn't
eally believe her."
at is all true" said Annie Carew, qui-
ety. | didn't consider it necessary to
tell my affairs to every one. And now, if
on will get the umbrella, Miss Arden,
will go"
When we were alone, said: "Now,
May, tell me why Mr.. Skidmore dislikes
Miss Carew.'
an tell you all he said, Miss Arden.
Miss Payne said there was a mystery
about Miss Carew, and limited at some
thing rather rejecting on her character;
and Mr.. Skidmore said it was her family
that was running her Miss Carew, so
he said, had entrapped his brother into
an engagement. This was two years ago.
and it is all broken off now. Mr.. Skid
more would not hear of it, and wrote to
Miss Carew, telling her his brother would
be an outcast from his family If he mar
RED her, and asked him to set him free.
1t seems that she did not really care for
him, but he was wild about her, and
'nev drifted into an engagement. The
whole family thoroughly disliked her,
and Miss Payne said no respectable peo-
pie visited mem. They live in fast
set, and Miss Carew goes all about with
no chaperone and, believe, gets dread
fully mixed up with gossip Mr.. skls-
more would be glad never to see her
again
She stopped tOr sneer lack of breath,
and | said, feeling sort of scOrn for a
man who could so speak of a woman:
Miss Carew may be all you say, but un-
til { know more about 1t | shall treat her
as | always have. And as for Miss Payne,
she is low, gossipins woman b repeat
such a t,le."
She stared at me in amazement.
II had no idea you were so fond of her, y
she said. ADO you know they say she Is
called fascinating2 l have rather pitled
her because she was so plain"
"What became of Mr.. Skidmore's
brother?"
"Oh, believe he married somebody
else But must 90 now. You are not
offended, Miss Ardent"
No" | said, laughing; mot with such
giddy tomboy as you are
| was greatly surprised by what May
had told me. For the first time | sus-
pected there was another nature in Annie
Carew than the INDECENT careless one we
saw There might dangerous fires sleep
under those soft, brown eyes. There
might be hidden depths under that cold
exterior. And now | thought of it, she
wasn't so very plain. She had beautiful
eyes, brown and clear-looking; delicate
eyebrows, full. red lips, and masses of
soft, dusky hair. If her face was dark
and Tim, it was also full of character.
Certainly she was not to be pitied.
| was rather fearful as to how she
would treat May, but at teatime she
came in smiling, and apologizlng for be
ing 50 late. There was not trace of I'M
pleasantness in the smooth face. She
laughed a great deal and, showed me
a sketch she had made; a ridiculOusly
long necked bird was perched on the UNI
brella, and in bis mouth bit of scarlet
ribbon, over which it seemed puzzled.
There was real expression IN the small,
unc my eyes, and / laughed heartily
"How well you sketch, Miss Carew."-
said May, who was looking over my shout
der.
eyes; that is one of my Bohemian pro-
clivitics. One learns many things like
that travelling over the world without
clHper0ae."
There was no malice in the tone. 1t
was merely an explanation. Mr.. Skid
more looked up quickly, and then went
out of the room, abruptly. Miss Carew
laughed.
"Have shocked anybody" she asked
lightly.
Come out on the beach," l whispered.
And when we are alone, said, Tell me
about it. Miss Carew.n
1t was in substance what | had heard
once before that afternoon. She cared
nothing for the hoyish lover, and was
glad to have Che engagement broken, bu
the insolent, unjust words of Mr.. Skid
more had hurt her cruelty.
"Why," she said ~ suppose he hates
me as he hates no one else in the world"
And do you dislike him -
'Mlss Arden, despise him."
81 am very glad to hear it, believe me, >
and a tall figure strobe past US down the
beach Miss Carew burst into laugh.
II have added the last straw now, she
said.