The Sentinel. [volume] (Trenton, N.J.) 1880-1882, 1881-04-09
AN APRIL FOOL.

concentrating tuat. II naughty, nigh
spirited beauty, almost dark enough for
an Asian; but SO perfectly made, with
such glow on the olive oval, such O
ruddy ripeness on the full lip, such q
luster in the great dark eye. And, like
most beauties, she felt as if the world
was made for Caesar
OF course, none of us in the little vii
lage group ever thought of denying her
supremacy. In fact, we all admired her
too much for that, although T doubt if
any OF us loved her. But we all took a
certain pleasure in seeing her arrayed
to suit her beauty; and many was the
scarf and ribbon and rose given her,
like timid offerings at shrine, from
Clara and me, and, for the matter of
that, from Maria and Emily, and all the
rest of our girls except perhaps Jane,
who had not so much to give and
who never INDUCED herself in fneries -
little Quaker-like body in her gray
gown, with her light hair put back
smoothly from her white forehead /; not
pretty in most eyes at all, but always SO
fair and pure to me. Helen, however,
looked at Jane with q lofty disdain !;
which Jane appeared to think all right
aud natural, for little Jane shared our
popular feeling that Helen's movements
had something to do with keeping the
earth in equipoise. And, in fact, I have
often noticed since that anybody with
'ome one trait of pronounced mental or
physical superiority, well sustained by
bad temper behind it, can rule all the
world within reach, just as Helen did.
We were, the most of us, better off,
rs the phrase goes, than Helen, so far
| as money was concerned for she was
only Mrs. Knowles companion, and,
except little Jane, who was an orphan,
and had just enough income to dress
herself meagerly and pay her board at
Aunt Elroy's, we all had our happy
homes. Jane had set out to fit herself
for teaching. She played rather won
derfully, and she could have spoken to
you in one or two different languages, if
she had not been always so shamefaced.
AS for Clara and me, we were the hoi-
dens of the village. Maria was the firt
and Emily was the religieuse. She and
Mrs. Knowles used to have the most
marvellous mornings together, talking OF
Abs and chasubles and altar pieces and
| candlesticks, which somehow made
Emily rather interesting to the rest of
us, although Cousin Stanhope laughed
at us about it, if he didn't laugh at her.
Cousin Stanhope, be it understood,
was the light of our eyes in that noun
| tain hamlet, SO far IS connection with
the outside world went. He was, in one
degree or another, the cousin of almost
all of us, for we were all more or less
distantly related. He had position IN
the state department at Washington
that allowed him some leisure and, as
we were not great way from his head
quarters, he often ran up for Sunday
and brought us news of that great world,
and occasionally brought some one OF
the people figuring on its scenes-now
and then an alta The of one OF the lega-
tons once in while q travelling for
elgner; once, indeed, q South Sea island
chief, who boldly asked Helen to go
back with him to Otaheite. A primitive
savage Stanhope called him; but, Ii
that were true, the primitive savage was
very calm and noble gentleman.
"I don't know how you can say so, .
Helen remarked, as we were talking him
over on Aunt Elroy's piazza, our usual
place of congregation, one bright spring
morning, April Fools day, as we had
learned, to our cost, in series OF Stan
hopes tests through the mail "a great,
swarthy barbarian suppose it is be-
cause am so dark myself; but l have
no affinity with your dusky-skinned
people"
saw DR.. Malatestata lower his book
from his own dusky face and look at
her curiously moment.
"Being blackamoor myself" contln'
ued Helen, "what I admire is my
antipodes.' -,
"Little Jane, for instance" said l.
"No, indeed. That colorless NOR
sci! A yellow-haired Morse, some de.
scendant of one of the old Clmbrl, a
blue-eyed and red-haired Spanish
grandee. He would like me, too, ssaid
Helen, laughing and putting up great
/ dropping curl, "on the same principle
I expect to fall in with him yet"
"Or fall out with him." said I.
"Nothing less than Spanish hidai
40, with string OF titles as long as MS
Yent-roll."
"Then I suppose poor, swarthy
Roman doctor need never hope to hnc
favor with those of your way OF think