South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1881-09-30
OLD PETERS STORY.
DIT BELLE BLOSSOM.

mousse on The hill, tor so Chalmers
Hall was known for miles around. /
had not served the family, boy and
man, for thirty years, without sharing
it to certain degree not incompatible
with my buffers dignity, and all evil
dence of which l strove sedulously to
conceal.
1t was occasioned by no less an @.
vent than the return of the young lady
OF the house-the only daughter and
sole heiress of all these broad acres
from the finishing school in Paris to
make her formal debut in society.
The suite of rooms assigned to her
had boon thoroughly renovated and re-
furnished in manner widely different
from the solid English comfort which
prevailed elsewhere throughout the
house, but to look through them was
like sudden glimpse into the nest of
some humming bird, which had i'm
parted all its brilliancy to its surround
ings.
Only few days before the expec.
ted arrival had come 81 letter, begging
permission to bring with her her dear
est friend-a young lady whose faith
or was an East Indian officer, and
whose return had unexpectedly been
postponed a couple of months.
Ofcourse the petted daughters wish
was law; and though the fond father,
reading aloud the letter preferring
this request ut the breakfast table, en-
changed glance of disappointment
with his wife that so soon the privacy
of their little circle must be disturbed,
Il formal invitation to Miss Alne Re-
we're to the Inequalities of Chalmers
Hall was dispatched that very day.
shall never forget the evening OF
Miss Charlmers' return. Her CHEEKY
IIow do you do, Peter?' thrilled my
old bones, IA did the touch of the lit
lie hand she kindly offered me, IN me-
mory perhaps Of my long service aud
the many rides up and down the broad
halls she had had on my shoulder,
screaming the while with glee.
She fitted about all the evening,
like bee from flower to flower, and
it was as though a burst of sudden
sunshine had illuminated the old
honse. She was fair. sweet English
girl; but IA all were seated about the
dinner table | could not but aclnowI
edge that the palm OF beauty must be
awarded her friend. l had never
seen more exquisite face. II fairly
haunted me; ii held in it the fire Of
the tropics, the ice of the Arctic. the
light OF the heavens, the shadow of the
nlght-each expression in contradict
ton to the other, each tending to pro
duce harmonious warfare.
did not think this all out myself,
but some one long after, in describing
Miss Revere's face, thus worded land
| knew then t:.ey had made clear the
enigma my old brain had so long tried
to solve. l would even then have
been envious for Miss Chalmers sake.
but that she seemed SO fond, so devo-
ted to her friend, that her very glad
ness was an unconscious rebuke to me.
1t was not long before the house
was filled with gnests-ladies and la.
dies maids, gentlemen aud their VAL
cts, coming and going, filling the
place with gayety and excitement.
Then came the announcement of q
grand ball, with invitations to all the
county. Glad enough was | when
the evening on which it was to take
place actually arrived, ard Icould feel
that tie hustle of anticipation was at
an end.
On her way down to the drawing
room Miss Flo peeped in to see the ia
bles, and thought TOR once we might
compare her to Miss Alne. She was
dressed in white, her arms and neck
bare, but glittering with precious
stones. Some ofthe family jewels her
father had had reset, and presented to
her that very morning at the breakfast
table. was not very likely to forget
the circumstance, for the old feeling Of
, half dislike, with which had FIRST re.
garded Miss Aline, swept over me rs
fancied an envious glitter sparkled in
the black eyes as they rested ON the
white, gitteriug gems.
will ] do, PeterY asked my mis-.
| tFeSS, sweeping me mock courtesy,
rs If she had been a tiny girl; and |
half behave, instead of answering her
] brushed away a tear.
The ball y..s grand success and
the sun had risen ere re sound of the
wheels OF the last carriage hlled with
departing guests had died away.
There bad been many made wei
come that night, but none, well
knew, received a warmer one than
Young Mr.. Earle, who had returned
home from years absence in the for.
eign countries only twenty.four hours
/ before.
! caught a glimpse Of him once as
he was dancing with Miss Flo. Even
in that fleeing moment / saw how
tenderly bis strong arm clasped her;
how proudly bis handsome eyes look