River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-06-03
smiling. holding two pasteboard boxes


ents, but he has f)restalled them for
this evening"
The boxes opened the girls gave a cry
of delight-each contained pear
necklace, with pendant and earrings
TO match. They were speedily
placed, and certainly "the Bendelpool
girls" looked, to use an Oxonian's
words, mo end of stunning"
"Where is Viz"
Here, my dear Nora, quite ready
to admire you," answered Violet, enter
ing, tastefully attired in an amber
gauzg, lacy fabric.
Clare, Sir Archie will feel like"
Don't say q donkey between two
bundles of hay, Vi"
No; like Macbeth, How happy
could / be with either;'" and descend
ing to the carriage, they drove to Sum-
ner abbey.
The ball WAS indeed grand one, and
Sir Archie Stockinman, broad should
cred, fair, brown haired frank, hand
some, bronzed young Englishman, was
the lion Of the evening.
(Which is but fair" whispered vi,
considering the lions had SO much oil
their own way in Africa"
vi quizzsd him nevertheless, dane ed
with him, and seid he was very enter
tanning, and even possibly would inn
prove on acquaintance.
The Bendelpoois and all the other
handsome girls danced with him and
declared he was divine.
Sir Archie seemed to have the same
opinion of his partners. He was gra-
ciousness itself.
Aren't the Bend,lpool girls jolly
handsome, Archit?" whispered George
Sumner.
".Yes-very, indeed"
dwell, now, you have seen the beau.
ty of Shallowtown, how about your Sc.
lection of wife?"
at is made" was the reply.
"Madel"
eyes, if the lady will ony be kind
enol gh to have me. l shall ask her
permission toto improve our acquain-
lance, with the Interior idea of partner
ship tonight"
Never"
True"
"But-but the peculiarity?'
coat of all the crowd here" remark
ed Sir Archie, "only one possesses it.
o. course / am not compelled to marry
that one; but. as circumstances turned
out. think / should like to try"
And with that Sir Archie strolled
away, dance forming. TO find the lady
on whose tablet his name was down.
That lady was Violet.
They had very pleasant and chatty
spin Just twice around the ballroom
vi remarked that dancing, like other
good things, was to be taken in modera-
ton. Then they stood aside, watching
the rest. Nora, leaning ON the shcul-
der of George Sumner, whirled by;
soon after came Clare, with Col. Han
lev.
"a pretty, graceful scene," smiled
Sir Archie, especially 10 one fresh
from the wilds Of Africa, though even
here 1 find resemblances. The gems
and gold of the ornaments in the Ia
dies ears, as they flash by, remind me
of the fire. flies as they darted through
the dark tropical night"
"Do they recall to you nothing else,
Sir Archibald ?" Inquired vi, roguishly.
"How do you mean?"
THAT there's a further resemblance
indeed, that there's not much differ
ence between the African lady who
wears ring through the nose or lip
and a European one who wears one
through her ear. Is it not q remnant
of barbarism%
The baronet gave great start.
Il h oI,YF Il
half aloud. "Miss Fortescue, may
lead you to take an ice?'
Before that ice was consumed Sir
Archie had asked permission, very
humbly, for it was really a case of love
at first sight, to WOO vi, and after a
while had obtained a half consent.
But" said vi, silly, as they returned
slowly to the ballroom, 81 understand
the lady you intend to honor"
"Must have a certain popularity ~
he broke in. "True, Miss Fortescue,
and you have it."
"I?" calculated vi, smiling. Good
Gracious ?"
Eyes, he repeated, smiling. "When
hideOusness of the nose and Gp-ring
WITH Df It's IdCCSs Int l0Cd
to me whether my fair country-women,
considering their superior cultivation,
were any better or less barbarous than
they. And there and then l vowed
never to wed a woman who had not
the courage and sense to resist fashion,
and to preserve the prettiest ornament
nature has given her SEX" and he
looked down at Wis perfect shell-like
ear unmutulated. "Miss Fort.
escue, l have found that lady; my
greatest trouble now is whether l may
ever hope TO win her."
Vidid not give her answer then; but a
year after, certain it is, she became
Lady Stokinham-a reward, she used
laughingly to aver, for her superiority
of civilization over the other fair ladies
of Sla lowtown.