The Red Cloud chief., 1880-12-30

We musf get up o dinnef. Wa Laay
Tumble,owers told me to-day heis mus
s;cai-Adelaide. you haven't practiced
lately"
IT wonder il he will take any interest
IN the schools" remarked Cornelia.
musiugly.
Jack Spicer winked at me-he was
always teasing his sisters, and there was
NO lose Lost Lbstween them. i liked
Jack; when be was at home my life WAS
a shade more cndurable. and the few
treats that had enlivencd my childhood
we're due to him. To him also owed
the first revelation 50 pleasing 70 ev-
erx woman. Returning after n long
ABSENCE ofthree or four years he blurted
out: ..Why. mother, Cindy has grown q
regular beauty-bring her up TO town
next season and she'll make you all the
fashion,"
..Don't FIJI the chiid's head with non.
sense" my stcpmother said. GROSSLY.
II wouldn't have suited her for my head
to be flied with anything but the max
ing and mcnding Of her daughters
clothes; the ordering and arrangement
of the dinners. for which Corneisa and
Adelaide got the credit OF being such
famous housekeepers; and the floral
decorations. which attracted even Lord
| Lavender's fastidioas EYES, and drew
from him the remark that they must be
the work Of perfect artist
"My girls are both thoroughly artist
ic," a ' my stepmother. She hadn't
quite made up her mind which OF them
should go in for the prize. He was
q little too young for either; but, after
All, n few wears more or less don't mat
Ter in the long run. "Adelaide is our
\ musician. She has a wonderful voice
three octaves, and the register
smooth as velvet. She has every adyan-
tage; masters every where. You like
music?'
Doesn't care a rap for the finest
voice in creation cries Jack, who is a
great allv Of the young Lord. ''Laven-
der. don't humbug my mother. lie d
rather have a jolly waltz with a pretty
girl than examine PATHS register. BY
the-bv. where Cindy?"
Gone To bed, | should hope returns
my stepmother. in icy tones.
s.Confounded shame"' mutters Jack
under his mustlche; but this was no
time for making a stand. lie returned
to the charge mex morning.
81 saw, mother. Cindy's coming u
Lavender's ball Of courSe?'
"Cynthia's not out!' cry all three
ladies in a breath.
Then it's a good time to begin
goodness knows she is old enough. Let
me see, she was between six and seven
when you married Sir William that
a dozen years ago-why. mother, Cindy
must be"
What business is it of yours wha,
age she is?" interrupts his mother
quickly. II sha'n't take three girls
out; it's time enough to think about
her when your sisters are married"
Jack gave a long low whistle. 'Poor
Cindyr'
Cornelia and Adelaide. their faces
flushed, their nostrils shifting. spoke
together.
Jack is always rude TO us-he likes
Cindy because she Hatters him."
Il like her because she's Young and
pretty. and l take it that's the reason
you hate her. But you women are all
alike, jealous as the deuce"
jealous! jealous of poor little
Cindy! Well. you really might find Us
something better!!"
"Cindy is as pretty as any OF the
fashionable beauties" returns my
champion. stoutly, land if you only
gave her fair play would beat them all
I bet you five to one Lavender would
be spoons upon her if he saw her. She:
just his styleT'
This injudicious speech sealed my
fate rs regarded the Lavender GAZETTE:
that is, if ever | had a chance. From
thenceforth l was kept more closely t.
nv needle than ever. Indeed, it was
in constant requisition, for the demands
of my amiable sisters were increasing
Never had l known them to be so eN
acting. Everything seemed to be goins
wrong with them From all their gal
cites they returned out of sorts. ano
their illhumor and disapf ointment
were vented upon me 1T was all tn
fault of my bad dressing. my bad taste
nv ill-natured advice.
Meanwhile Lord Lavender convulset
the whole county by issuing invitation
for a series of festivities. Morning par
ties, a ball, tableaus were to succeed
one another. A covey Of relations de
scended in a flight to assist the youn:
Lord in astonishing the provincials. ant
astonish them they did.
A dream of fair women in impossible
toilettes, accompanied BY handsome
Guardsmen, drove and rode about tn
quiet country roads and startled tn
simple village folk. The arrival o
these great people put the finishing
touch to the M-humor OF the SplcerS
Both my stepmother and her daughter
were in a fever of anxiety, hoping 70
some notice. They were forever throw
ing themselves in the way. longing TO
admittance to the inner circle at tn
Hall of which such delightful storie
were told by Jack, who was hand-apd
glove with the whole set. Long an
loud were the disputes between him an
his sisters. and bitter their indignation
at his refusal to get them into the tai
leaus, of which he was the stage-mar
ager.
o..Just like his Immature. Never wer
two poor girls SO little helped. The.
would have got good husbands Ion
ago if they had had a kind brother,
and so on.
On the day of the ball they wer
furious. Their dresses had come dow
from London; they were very hand
some, and, although more suited 70
sixteen than six-and-thirty, had cost
little fortune. The afternoon was spen
in trying them on. 1t was weary wor
ON this fine summer day. pinning thi:
lengthening here. tightening there
hustled by one sister, scolded by tn
other. My head was weary, my leg
were aching; I felt utterly depresse
and humiliated. had for the first tim
asked a favor, and been not only n
fused, but refused with SCOTS and Jeer'
Jack had proposed taking me to see tn
rehearsalof the wonderful tableaus. a.
ranged after Mrs. Freake's style, lba
PRAYED to be let 60; Cornelia had draw
me in front of the long gSs. ard sh
and Adelaide had laughed Rvertne no
ton of my presenting myself IN sucn
garb before the people up = the Castle
"They would take you Q a klIcnen
maid" Adelaide had said' I'LL gig
CLING. no, do Molvns mn,
ting dns;n his w sys,si sss came cam fl from"
.,C;ndv tbaks herself so lovely this