The Osceola times., 1881-06-11
A SNAKE IN TIE GRASS.


Estherp"
"Nhy not, Mamma says she il
charming / answered, in surprise,
wondering what had brought the troub-
/ led look to my sister Dora's bright face,
/ and the wistfulness into her voice.
II know; but-mamma has no reason
to fear anything by her coming hesitst-
/ ing and flushing redly."
"And what have we ?'' l questioned
putting down my embroidery. and look
I ing at Dora in real innocence.
Nv sister did not vouchsafe me . 6i
rect answer.
"Alice Graham has been here, Esther;
and she was at school with Stella for s
year. She says our charming cousin
has the reputation Of being a great flint.
And then ! knew what troubled Dora
Dear sis" / said assurlngly and
proudly, 'Is it possible you cannot trus;
Geraldr would net be afraid to have
a dozen great firts' come TO spend the
summer with rs, as far as Norman il
concerned Ny faitn in him is also
Lutte"
And well it might be. Norman Elliott
and had been lovers from the time
was 10. and he big boy Of u: and our
three years OF bexotbal were 10 end in
marriage during the coming autumn. A
II my great. strong, grave Norman. who
for fifteen years had not tender word
for other woman than ]. could be won
away from me ~ q perfect stranger
The idea Of being jealous Of StellA vas
too absurd / went and knelt at Dora :
feet, and laughed up in her pretty
face.
And you. dear" / said. do YOU think
Gerald would exchange his bOnny DoTs
for any other sweetheart / give him
credit for better taste"
Dora was eur pet; there were only -four
Of us-mother, Grey, myself and Dora
our darling, our beauty. she had dark,
loosely curling hair, soft, brown eyes
nice features, and bright dashes Of yer
million in her cheeks and lips contrast.
ing with the clear brunette brown OF her
complexion: and these charms, combin-
ed with a fine figure and a pleasant ad.
dress, made her the Acknowledged
handsomest girl of fChesterton; ard Ger
aid Clavering-the chest son Of old Sir
Jasper Clayerine-had fallen in love
with her. A speedy betrothal had fol-
/ lowed. for Dora was not IN the ltas. a
/ fiirt, and finding that her heart vas re-
| sponsive 70 Gerald's love, she had not
interposed any vain obstacles Of affected
coyne.s. assumed jeslously, or coQuetish
indecision to his ardent address They
had been engaged for several months
and were to be married in something
\ Ike year.
She laughed too, and her face bright
ened, as looked adoringly into it.
! ssN1r, q N sr.rst ma ME "a +a+favT#
Esther" she said, "If ! am as attractive
as you are so fsnd of intimating, how i.
/ it that ! never had but one proposal in
my life? Tell me that"
Because you were so young vet, Dora
when Gerald proposed, that other men
had had little chance. And then. dear
YOU are so henest and true that you
could never encourage addresses from
anyone with whom you were not in love
and having fallen in love once, you are
not the kind TO love again or endure
again the offer OF il. But surely you be-
heve in Gerald?"
"Of course do Only. for a moment
while Alice was talking about Stella
and how popular she is with gentlemen
/ feel that |, who have lived such a quiet
humdrum life, might prove less charm
INK ~ A-gl WIN 2Nh HAhN
mamma she l. very attractive. and Ger
aid is the same, you know. But | an
not afraid-oh, no. And no doubt VT
shall like Stella
And so we did instantly when, a bali
heur later, we were called down to meet
her-a slender, pale little creature, al
most as small as myself She was utterly
unlike what we had pictured her. thi,
I - ,w,,L 81 ....'.rfaoa %. u.f
ting off in vivid relief her small rec
mouth and her great rrey-black eyes
with their long dark lashes and fine
black brows; her luxuriant braided red
brown hair, smooth as satin at the front
with its white side-part and few tiny
waves Just curling up rebelliously from
where they had been plainly brushed;
her quick smile displaying two faint but
seductive dimples and white teeth, and
lighting up her thoughtful face like a
burst OF dazzling sunlight.
She was dressed in rigidly-plain
travelling costume, and vet despite its
soberness of detail and color. and her
slight stature, she had about her a strik.
ing stylishness, and her manners were
quite perfect.
> Indeed, by the time we had shown
her to her room, and stayed and chaitee
with her q hslf-hour, while she un'
! packed and prepared for dinner, as sh,
insisted that we should, we entirely
agreed with mamma, that Stella Wa
charming, and We felt as il we haC
known her all our lives instead of 'hav
Ing met her for the first time.
"She isn't the least bit fine ladyish OIL
s;uck-up. is she?" said Dora TO Grey
when dinner was over, and our brother
was ssuntering out into the garden fol
his usual post prandical cigar. "Shs
seems just like one OF the family"
why shouldn't she2" retorted Grey
she is our own cousin. You don't sup
pose she will put on airs, do you? And
I'm thinking she will wake us all up
little this summer. She seems a jolly
sort Of girl"
And 30 she was; and 50 frank, so gay
so high-spirited, and such . leader and
worker in any plan OF amusement OF
games, that it was impossible not to ad
mire her, impossible not to yield her Q
sort Of spontaneous, unconscious hon.
age, impossible that she should not have
become the soul of the society into
which we proudly introduced her; and
yet she never showed the slightest ele.
vation at the general admiration she
won, or, indeed, the slightest conscious.
ness that she did win il I think she
was 90 used 10 breathing the incense Of
universal homage that che would only
hare se4 surprise t:hc laek q Il