The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-09-11
A Noble Girl.

Nc. my dears," remarked Mrs. Bendcl-
pool, seated in her dressing room whith one
finger pressed critically to her lip, as she
inspected two ball dresses of blue and
Tauvc, 81 really think you must have new
ones for such an occasion. A girls whole
fortune Is often ruined through an unbe-
coming toilet, or a faded Or al ill-assorted
ribbon. This blue looks anything but fresh
IN the trimmings; and, Nora, my love,
though the mauve was your choice, | never
did think the color became YOU"
Nora and Clare Bcndelpool were by no
means loath to agree with their parent
new ball-drcsses being in perspective.
Only Clare, bending forward, her chin in
her hand, wlstrully suggested
''But what will papa say to the expense.
mammal"
"Leave that to me, dear. TO use his
own words, he'll never spoil tho ship for
ha'porth of tar On such all occasion he
would not have you appear worse than
your neighbors. You, Nora, are 2l you,
Glare, are 20. 1t is high time you should
be established in life; and why should not
one of you be Lady Stockinham as any
body else2"
''Thcy say" remarked Clare, thought
Every: and SO manly. None of your
insipid drawing. room dand:cs," " said Mrs.
Bcndclpool, contcmptuously, OF that class
among which, for the last two years, she
had been angling to land s'suitable esab-
lishments' for her daughters. "IIe has
travelled until they say lie is as brown as q
bum"
"Bronzed, fancy they said, mamma 2"
"Wcll, bronzed as a bun. lie has been
all over Africa, shot gorillas in the Noun
tains Of the Moon, hppopotami on the
Nile, and, Gear man, been nearly twice
eaten alive by lions. Now he comes home
to find wife"
''The unhcard-of dangers he has passed
through having given him sufficient cour-
age to undertake SO pcrilous III enterprise"
broke in merry voice. ''Pray, aunt, was
it the lions claws that suggested to him
matrimony?"
The speaker was young lady, who had
entered unhcard and now stood, tho skirts
of her riding habit in one hand, while with
the other she famed herself with her
Gainsborough hat.
"Vl, how iucorrigible you arc!" cx-
claimed Mrs. Bcndclpool, looking round.
GAS to ever finding you husband, de-
spair; you frightcn every suitor away by
your OutSpOkcnncSS.
"Because, aunt l never have come
across one l cared to keep" laughed the
girl, dropping into a chair. ''Pray take
no trouble about nc; am "a, so have set
myself down already rs an old maid
'Ilk II lassio has q ladd.e,
No cr ano ha' ;"
she began singing; then, concluding with
IN ''et cat'ra, ct amfcra," she added
1,fy tall ~, |, A
de Gaul, or of gorillas and hippopotami.
I confess am curious TO learn OF one whom
all Shallowtown'is talking. Remem Der, |
am almost stranger here myself"
cit is simply this, vi: Sir Archibald
Stockinham, OH inhcriting the Hall at his
fathers demise, becoming his own master,
aroused by the explorations of Livingstone,
determined TO do Africa. lie has done
Africa, and is now returning to settle down
at Shallowtown."
"And find a wife, broke in vi, laugh-
ing. 81 wish him every SUCCESS"
''And Vi smiled Nora, ''may probably
carry off the baronct herself"
''Who! II" was the reply. "No, in.
deed; give me real-born Engllshman,
not a half-bakcd African. Nora or Clare
must win him, and III dance at the
bridal"
81 would" remarked Mrs. Bendelpool,
with a sigh, ''thc thing were probable;
but there's mystery about the baronct's
selection of a wife"
''A mysteryl" and the three young
faces were turned quickly towards the
speaker.
''No lcss," proceeded the elder lady.
"You know he cones back with young
George Sumner, of the abbey, and that
It's the Summers who give this ball rs a
welcome home to him."
Eyes, yes-cXactly. Go On.'
"Wcll, this morning. when Mrs Sum.
ner was telling me all about it, she read
me her sons letter, and in it he writes IN
his lively way, you know, that the baronet
ID coming to seek q wife, but that the
girl he selects must possess one pcculiarlty.
rarely to be found in fashionable Young
ladies. If she fail in this be she rs lovely
as possible, Oh"
"'I'e she farer than the day,
Or tho tlow'ry meads III May
chimed in Violet
"Just so, he has vowed never to wed
her"
"But what Is this peculiarily?' de-
manded two voices.
'Ih0t he keeps profound secret.
Even George Summer is not taken into his
confidence, further than he knows this
Whim. or what you will, was formed while
in Africa"
Bah remarked vi, rising and tossing
back her brown hair. "rhe poor man has
had sunstiokc, or his brain is added by
the heat Of the tropics, which matches
ostriches' eggs. In my idea the man Is
contemplate who shows his cOnceit by I'M