Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-18
MISS MARY DUNLAP.
ny Harriet Prescott Spofford.

There were two things patent concerning Miss
Mary Dunlap-one that she was an exceedingly
pretty girl; the other, that she was as arrant a
eoquette as ever bewitched man. She had
hair whose loose locks gilded white forehead
but whose heavy masses glistened like fawn-
tinted satin; she had great black-lashed blue
eyes, with an enchanting way Of glancing under
their housekeeping fringes; her teeth were as
even as the kernels of milk corn; her features
nne as il chisseed In ivory; her dimples. her
smile, the rose and white of her skin, were
lovely and innOcentas any babys; and the depth
OF her guile there was no fatbOming. Not that
1t was very guilty guile; 1t was but trivial sort
after all. 1t consisted only in making herself
charming; and there were even those who said
>she couldn't help 1t If she would She felt an
interest In everybody; feeling it, she showed it;
and If people chose to think it meant more than
IT did, that was their fault, and not hers. And
there was no earthly reason, they said why Mr.
PopisOn should suppose, when half the lovely
women OF an older generation had refused his
hand, that this spoiled darling meant ANYTHING
but commiseratiOn by her tender looks of sym-
pathy as he told his griefs. alter bringing her
great punches OF red roses at thirty cents
apiece.
The fact was, 1t pleased her that Mr.. Popison.
VINO had once admired her tyrannical younger
aunts, should now admire her. Then
u did no harm to have James Macarthur see
that sac could step into pair of sumptuOus
shoes, and cross the threshold of the splendid
Old Popisen mansion over the river: and time
new but slowly, and the affair amused her. and
u wouldn't hurt poor Mr.. POpisOn, who was
used to that sort of thing.
1t was q gay house. the Dunlap. All the
family elements combined there. There were
two grandmOthers. mother and father. aunts
on Doth sides, two or three cousins, and Mary
Dunlap and her sisters, and friends and lovers
going and coming; and the time was heavy to
no one but Mary, and might not have been to
her had James Macarthur had the wit to see
what some others thought they saw.
But James Macarthur handsome high-step-
ping ieiiow with good business and some am-
Dtion. had his eyes sufficiently wide open Mary
Dunlap had touched his heart as deeply as he
dared to let her, for he hesitated abOnt marry
ing Tor love when he might marry for love and
money too, and Mary would have little money;
and he hesitated too about marrying girl with
whom everybody else was in love. "A CO.
quette, said the young Macarthur "giyes her
husband little peace; and he had different
VISIONS Nevertheless the girl could not brush
MN with her garment without sending thrills
through him. and he had only to look that way
In church and see the rosy edge Of her velvet
cheek beyond the pillar to feel the color surge
all over his own face, and the sudden sound of
her voice would at any time make his heart
cease beating for the fraction of a second. Still
he hestated
Not so Mr.. POpison. He knew what he want
ed, and he meant to have it. 1t is true that he
had thought so IN more than one instance before
out That. he said, was in his green and callOW
days; and If his hand had been refused he was
glad of it. as that left it free to offer Mary DIM
lap. He had known Mary Dunlap since she was
baby; had given her her first gibraltars and her
last butter-seotches; she had spent his pennies
and sat on his knee and combed his hair with
her tiny fingers and kissed his mouth with her
sweet innocent lips; he had been her cOnf1dant.
and had known every thought of her pure heart:
and then she had gone away to school, had spent
awinterin New York society, and had come back
yaV brill 10 hoa.-t b-aa L
himself the victim of passion of which all his
other flames had been mockeries
He, past forty-five, to hope for the love of
girl OF twenty! Yet, hopeless or not he hoy
cred round her like moth. and only found
James Macarthur just enough in his way to him
der urging his point Or was it Mary Dunlap
herself who hindered it-Mary Dunlap. unable
70 decide whether she preferred James Near
thur, with his bold black eyes, his proud comeli-
ness, and splendid youth, or Mr.. Popison, just
beginning to be bald, with his half million of
money Once. when she heard James Macarthur
reproach servant who had DELAYED with a note
OF hers, she thought Mr.. POpison's indulgent
Kindness was something desirably restful On
the other hand, when she looked at James
McArthur's dark dazzle of beauty. the daily
sight Of 50 plain face as Mr. Pop,sOnis
seemed sorry fate-and POp;son was such
dreadful name! But Mary would not have
her thoughts dwell on more than the step
before her. There was something too I'M
maidenly in even acknowledging to herself a
preference for one who did not declare love for
ner Yet she could not help the -plunging in
ner breast when she found James McArthur's
eyes resting on her with a light behind them
that made her feel the next moment wonld
oring the word she awaited: and she could not
help just then being especially kind to Mr. Ponj-
son, partly from pity, partly from mischief.
PATTY. ana ehieny, lest she betrayed herself
Life with James McArthur-time and eternity
with him-that seemed q dream of earthly 70
nance and heavenly bliss. And yet
Mary" said her aunt Sophy, "Youare wrong
70 encourage Mr.. Popison So You certainly
can't mean to marry him."
Il don't know" said Mary al should ALWAYS
IKE to have him around I"
Days and months went by, and still things re-
NAMED as they were James Macarthur went
u M iong business journeys. and in his absence
MI Popison filed the vacant place he return
ed, and there were the moon-lit strolls. the
sails, the rides again, and that Was sIl. In
spite OF the temporary pleasure Of such strolls
sna sans, IN spite OF her gayety and her merry
happy season to Mary Dunlap Her nerves he
gan TO feel strange agitation; Conversation
irritated her: siamming doors made her spring
small excitements set her to quivering; she had
no appetite; she slept little; her color began In
fade One day Mr.. Popison said to her ssMarv.
l nave been observing you, and think perhaps
do you an injury in wishing to make Won INV
vile. shall always care for you. always watch
over you But / withdraw that tacit sfYer of
marriage, which, II have never formally made
you have long been conscious Of"
That capped the whole. She must be growing
right She had lost all her charm Even Mr.
Popson did not want to marry her any more.
Sne turned on him her eyes, like sappEires set
with diamonds, like violets gfittering with dew.
ano burst into tears It made his heart ache
But rom that moment he was a person to her
OF certain moral dignity. a dignity which could
not nefoag TO James Macarthur, who neither de-
eiared himself nor let her alone That month
hessie Iravers came to see them; a pleasant
girt-with q fortune. She was engaged TO Tom
Dunlap: but, through some notion abouf kaen
ing ther happiness to themselves. 1t was at
present q secret-a secret OF which James Nc
Arthur oid not dream. For he began straight
way TO explore Miss Bessc's Character. sound
It's depths and take its heights. and do Ills best
20 interest himself where IL was for his Interest
10 De Interested, as Mary said And Harry Dua
seath-e9ia hand had her heart-stritigs in its lev
grip: She shot herself in her own roo.s,. and
suffered month Of misery--a reor, flied viii,