Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1880-12-15

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counting old times, and mamma was
telling of tho fright ahe had whsa The
soldier was aourlshing her cap on
bayonet, and tho gratitude she ielt to
her dellyerep who. she always did
feel, came straight from heanen to
help her, and for all she knew, went
straight back again, ! happened TO be
looking at Romaine Ia the glass,
whoreupon she turned rs red as u red
rose, then all at once grew white M q
white rose, was iaint, aud had to got
out Of tho room, made up my mind
about RomNine.
l was sorry, too for some OF Pauls
people who used to come incoming
round her were mighty nice. There
was Colonel Reel didn't know
what he was colonel Of, some fancy
fair or sidewalk regimtnt-Fm sure
he'd never smelled powder except
when shooting pigeons but he had
the litllest foot and hand, and oceans
of money, and drag. And he did
send Romano such flowers J and "
she had but thrown her handkerchief,
there was nothing hc wouldn't have
uisen her-cashmele shawls to walk
on, and diamonds bright enough to-
read by. Aud there was an English
earl's son, Just back from buffalo
hunting, who would have made n
countess OF her, only give him time
enough and goodness knows how
many more of Paul's chams, aud Sen
a,or Catchpcnuy, and the regulation
swells, aud Cousin Nicholas.
And Romaiue declioed them all
every one of Paul's chums, Of course,
aud Cousin Nicholas on account OF
the old family feud that had always
kept us apart; he was hundred
thousandlh cousin or so. And when
the Englshmau vas around, she JUS.
oul-Americaned the Americans and
nothing but the dread OF n scene with
mamma could get her behind Colonel
Rice's horses, although I should have
been glad OF tho chance; and that is
the way it had heen with one or an
other tor nine or ten years, mamma
said and Romaine was undoubtedly
fixture.
i don't know about your having
the right to hold yourself so inacces-
siblc,' said mammal to her one day, as
tho winding up Of a talking-t' that
sent Romaine out of the room crying.
what is there about you not man
in America, or Europe either, that J
can see, is fit to marry you, should
like 10 know And Romaine came
IN where I was pegging away at my
French.
Il wish | was Catholic, she cried,
'and then could 60 into a convent,
and be rid of it all
well, you're not, you know ]
said. YOU'RE beauty, and because
you're beauty you're expected to
marry and mamma'Il never give you
any peace, and you'd better do it,
WHAT IS the reason, Romano 7 l
added, directly. why don't you
like any of them? There's a half
dozen of them could learn to like if
they'd only propose to me-. ANA
then Romaine laughed and looked
OBJ, so lovely lin all her glittering
tears and rosy color You'd never
dream Romaine was twcnty-seven-
she's just too sweet for anything =
whats the matter with them, now
Col Rice, for instance 2 I asked.
Colonel Rice, with bis lady-like
manners !
well, the earl's son, then9 2
sAnd be looked down on by his
family forever!'
Cousin Nicholas 2
"A great broad.shouldered giant
who might carry the world, and who
spends his life playing polo and drlv'
ing an imitation mail-coach-or does
he blow the horn! I don't want any
of them. don't intend to marry at
all. I-J-'aud then there came an
other burst of tears, and she went
away to her own room.
She was dancing that night with
Cousin Nicholas at Mrs. Chances ball.
The delicious waltz music made my
feet just tingle. Mamma let me go
to ball now and then, to show peo-
ple what she had in reserve, Romaine
said. But there was Romaine. so
listless, so lovely, so Indifferent and
Nicholas looking down at her so eag-
er, so intent, and then leading her out
into moonlight, as if he would tase