Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-11-18
An Old Fashioned Girl.

q
of you, and, i declare, half regretful tha,
I did not capture you myself"
SO spoke pretty little Mrs. Sheldon, os
Ocean House, looking up smilingly into the
with such rare, debonair graco.
He laughed aloud at her nook petulant
speech.
"You should not blumo mo then" he
re;ortod, "for what you must hold yourself
accountable. You see, ever since Dick out
me out with you, I have been wandering
around disoonsolate. trying to find second
edition to yourself"
"No, no! That won't do. All the admi-
ration was on my aide. Still, 1 must con-
fess that dear old Dick answers my pur..
pose very well--so we'll that only one thing
is wanting to insure NY happiness, aud
that is to have you take possession next
winter, of charming house next ours in
town aud let me claim your wife as my
dearest friend"
GAS you have beon to mo all these long
years, Ella, the dearest woman friend I
ever had; but Dick has no canse for jeal-
ousy, for all that. Shall then, tell you
why have never married, though my
thirty fifth birthday is looming up start
lingly near7 am in confidential mood
this afternoon, and you shall hear. 1t is
not because do not want to marry. Some.
times the picture of my own homo aud
hearthstone shapes itself before mo until
lifo seems hardly worth the living without
il; but it is an idoal picture my fanoy
paints. 1t is not house but homo. It
is not the rustic Of silken trains through
its halls. It is not the sunshine Of u wo-
mans smile. 1t is not the Threshold of
society, but society is left on its threshold.
It boasts no richer, sweoter music than the
happy voices and laughter of little children
which God may send to fiji it! You know
why I have never married, although the
world calls me rich man, and am free;
but, Ella, girls nowadays are not fitted for
suoh homes. They are society dolls. l
want an old fashioned girl, aud, as they
are out of fashion-unless 1 go regularly
in search of one in somo curiosity shop,
where che is labelled and laid away on o
shelf-I shan't find her; aud even if made
the rash attempt, shouldn't like to have
had to order my wife like bale of goods"
"You're oil wrong, Claud," answered his
friend. "Girl's hearts nowadays are just ss
warm aud true as they were century ago;
but
"Oh, Ella" interrupted fresh girlish
voioo, as young lady stepped through one
of the long dressing room windows on to
the piazza, faint rose flush tinging on her
check as she saw too lato that she had come
upon tete.a.tete.
She was beautiful girl, dressed in the
very height nnd extreme Of fashion, from
the tip Of the little boot to the crown of the
flower wreathed hat.
'sNly friend, Mr.. Arnold, Maud. Miss
Kingsland, Mr.. Arnold"
So this Was Caud Arnold, whom che
had heard of all her life. She was not
sorry for the interruption after oil; still,
stealing only glanoo at the dark, hand
some face, over which all women ravcd,
and delivering the message which had
brought her, she disappeared as she had
come.
"Who is she7" queried tho gentleman.
"Ralph Kingsland's daughter, and an
weeks as her mother is 90 invalid. Not
at all the sort of girl you arc in search
Of. So now see to it that you do not tres
pass upon my manor in search of amuse-
ment."
Notwithstanding which kindly warning,
it was straight to Miss Kingslands side
that Ulaud weuded his way, when about
pine O'Clock that evening she entered the
ball room.
He had watched her as sho crossed tho
hall on Mr.. Sholdon's arm, and was fain to
acknowledge hor tho most beautiful girl
whom Newport ever boosted.
She was exquisitely dressed, too, in
some soft, fimsy fabric of white, grace :
fully draped over snowy satin, her neck and
arms bare, and avoid of ornament except
two g'istening jewels in the pink, shell.
like cars.
"Not at all the woman for wife," he
mentally soliloquized; "but as partner for
dance, enough to make one the envy of
oil the fellows in the room."
"N1ay have the pleasure of the next
waltz, Miss Kinglandr' he said, bowing
low before her.
''Thanks," she answered in low musical
tones, "but have not an empty spaoc to-
night. I am passionately fond Of dancing
aud my friends are kind enough to SEQ thai
have no lack Of partners"
"Of course, on entirely unsolfish action
on their part" was his reply, with just q
suspicion Of pique in his tone.
Heretofore, with Clnud Arnold, tho de-
siro was simply father to its attainment
and now he must wait twenty four hours
ere he could clasp this girls waist, ant
feel her hand in his as they foated ttrougl
the room to some of Strauss dreamy music
"Well, then," he continued, "sholl it b,
to morrow night, and will you put me dowr
twioe2"