Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1881-08-19
OLD PETERS STORY

known Tor miles AROUND. 1du IDl
served the family, boy and man, for
thirty years, without sharing it TO a
certain degree not Incompatible with
nv buffers dignity, and Ill evidence 81
which siroyc sedulously TO conceal.
ri was occasioned by no less IN event
than tie return IF Tie young lady Of
the house-the only daughter and sole
heiress Of All these broad from
the finishing school in Paris, to make
her formal debut in society.
The suit Of rooms assigned 10 her
had been thoroughly renovated and re-
furnished III i manner widely different
from the solid English comfort which
prevailed elsewhere throughout the
house, Int IL look through them was
like i sudden glimpse into the nest Of
some hummng which had i'm
parted AL lis own hrilliancy to its be.
longIngs.
Only II few days before the expected
arrival came Il letter, begging permission
t. bring with her her dearest friend
il young Lady whose father was IN East
Indian officer, and whose return mad
been unexpectedly postponed ! couple
III months.
OF course the pctted daughters wish
was law and though the fond father,
reading aloud the letter prcferring this
request 1T the brcakf,lst-table, ex-
changed Il glance of disappointment
with his wife that SO soon the privacy
of their little circle must be disturbed,
i formal invitation To Miss Aline Re
we're To tie inequalities Of Chambers
Hall was dispatched THAT very day.
| shall never forget the evening Of
Miss Chalmers return. Her CHEEKY.
How 10 yen do, Pctcr?" thrilled my
Old bones, is did the touch Of the little
hand she kindly offered me, IN memory
perhaps Of my long service aud the
many rides up and down the broad
halls size had had on my shoulder.
screaming the while with glce
She lifted about I'LL tile evening, like
i hrc. from flower to Hover, and il was
as though 4 burst of sudden sunshine
had illumined tile old house. She was
i fair, swcft English girl; hut, Is all
were seated around the dinner-tahle,
! could not bnt acknowledge the palm
of beauty must he awarded To her
friend ! had never seen n more ex-
,pllsite face Il lairly haunted me; il
held IL il tie lire Of the tropics, the ice
If the Attic, the light Of tile heavens,
Tie shadoN Ut lhr hight each express
sion III contradiction of tie other, each
tending q produce harmonious war
fare
did mol think tins all ont myself,
hut some one, long after, in describing
Miss lsrveres face thus wordcd il, and
knew then they had made clear the
enigma my old brain had 80 long tried
70 solve would even then have been
cnviuns, for Miss Chalmers sake. but
that sire seemed ~ fond, 50 devoted IL
hor friend, that her very glalness was
Hill unconscious rehuke to me.
II WIS not long before Tile house vas
filled with guests ladies and ladies'
MAIDS, gentlemen and their Wallets. com
my and going, filling the place with gai-
ETY. and excitement. Then came the an
nonncemeni Of q grand ball, with invi-
tatlons q al tlc county. Glad enough
WAS when tie evening il was To take
place actually arrived, and | could feel
that tie hnstleof anticipation was IL
an end
Oh her WY down "a the drawing
ronm, Hiss Flo pecpcd iii 10 see the
tables, and thought for that once we
might compare her to Miss Aline. She
was dressed IN white, her arms and
neck bare. hut slittcring with precious
stones Some Of the family Jewels her
father had reset, and presented To
her that very morning az the breakfast
table. vas not likely u forget the
circumstance for thc Old feeling &c half
dislike. With which had 1T first regard
W Miss Nine. swept over me rs fan
eled M envlans glitter sparkled in the
great black eyes, rs they rested ON the
white. clittering gems.
VIII do Peter asked nv Young
mistress, sweeping me a mock court
csy, Is she had done when i tiny girl /;
and | half believe instead of answering
her ! brushed away i tear
Tie hal Was !, grand success. and
the sun lad risen cre the sound III the
wheels at the Inst carriage filled with
departing guests had died away.
There had been many made welcome
that night. but none, | well knew re-
celved warmer one than young Mr..
Earle, who had returned home from n
years absence IN foreign countries only
twenty four hours before.
! caught i glimpse Of him once. as
he was dancing with Miss Flo. Even
Ia that Heetlng moment. saw how
tenderly his strong arm casped her
EI~ proudly his handsome eyes looked
y VII upon her how flushed with hap
piness MAS her own fair face. half hid
den ON his broad shoulder; and nv
heart gave 4 glad exultant leap that So
Joyous future WAS assured her.
! We'll knew what was the unexpress-
81 iamly wish, lor Young MIR. Earle'S
estates adlemed our own They we're
untettrred. unencumhcrcd, and IN
every wan Splendid patrimony.
had turned AWAY from this dieting
glimpse among the great folks. nv old
braun filled with is idle dreams Of the
future, when my eyes CHANGED 10 fall
upon one who, like myself, was en-
crossed III the animated scene beyond
us. Il vas Miss Flo's friend, but. oh.
how changed
Tie ma>k had fallen from her Ii ~
hful face. The great black ewes fairly
scntila,ing with suppressed feeling.
We're fixed upon the two who moved in
such perfect harmony with the music.
\ drop 81 blood was on her scarlet lip.
where her little white teeth had rested
One small hand was involuntarilv
clenched. Her mouth moved. but no
sound issued Fl m it.
staod tranStiNed, cold shiver run
ming through me. TWAS this fury whom
Miss Flo, gentle and unconscious. re-
gard.d Is her dearest friend.
OF what stuff might lie made her
dearest fnes ! remembered then the
look ! had seen these same ewes fix m
on the jewels. Was she envious of NV
young lady's fortune? What danger
might not threaten her through this
beautiful nanthereSS? And vet. how
dared | an humble servant, utter a word
of warming?
Ever with these thoughts passing in
quick succession through my mind,
there was 50 sudden and instantaneous
4 change swept over Miss Reyere's ex-
preston that | could scarce recall the
other, except as the result of some
hideous conluring of my own fancy.
Miss Flo was coming toward her,
leaning on Mr.. Earle's arm.
| returned to my duties with heavy
heart. felt a shadow of i'll was pend,
ing over us, yet almost forgot it next