Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-02-20


deep blue eyes, and the sweetest
smile, and the most brilliant teeth,
and when she spoke or smiled, (and
she seldom did one without the 9th
er, there was charm about her
whole face, which made you forget
hair, and nose, and eyes, and freck-
les, and you only looked upon it as a
face to love.
True, she had what Julia called a
Yankee twang," and she was not
dressed in the height of the latest
fashion, but in spite of those draw
backs you loved her still at least,
some people did. There was a great
deal more about cousin Lucy, too, to
call for respect and admiration; but
this will come out in time.
- As she was, she had come, and
now must appear at the party, and be
introduced as the cousin of the Miss
es Acton. 1t was mortifying-it was
distressing-but there was no help
for it now.
The evening of the party proved
clear and bright, and as it was well
known that the entertainment at the
Actions would be the most brilliant
of the season, none of the invited,
who could get there, remained absent.
By ten o'clock the brilliantly lighted
rooms were well filled. Cousin Lucy,
simply attired in white cambria, (for
she had rejected the ornaments and
embellishments with which her cou-
sins, for their own sakes, would have
adorned her) sat alone in one corner
of the sofa. She was introduced to
very few; she did not look in the
least neglected, however, but sat in
unaffected enjoyment of the new and
brilliant scene.
An hour after all the other guests
were assembled, sauntered in leisure
ly, as if for a call, with his hat under
his arm, and his slight little cane in
his hand, an exquisite of the first wa
ter, rejoicing in the euphonious name
of Mr.. Meredith Fitz-Henry. This
was one of those brilliant youths,
whose whole time during his day,
which begins perhaps at twelve
o'clock, is spent lounging in saloons,
studying the fashions, sauntering up
and down Broadway, and staring at
the ladies, or driving on the fashion
able thoroughfares and in the even
ing dressing for public entertainments
and attending them. He aims at be-
ing
1.-THE glass of fashion, and the mould ofform."
and has no higher ambition in life
than to be studied and copied as the
perfection of dress. He fancies HIM
self Beau Brummel as to manners
Count D'Orsay in point of beauty
and grace. He may be handsome
we cannot tell-for the immense
amount of hair about his face renders
it impossible to distinguish any fea'
ture except a pair of great rounC
light eyes, and sharp and very eff
Terminate nose. Occasionally he con
descends to smile, and then his white
teeth CLEAN through the mass of hai
surrounding the lower part of hi
face, like lightning from dark cloud
Mr.. Meredith Fitz-Henry, unfortu
nately, set up for a wit, and his sill,
speeches are laughed at, and repeat
ed by sillier young ladies, till he i
really deluded into the belief tha
they are worth repetition.
On entering Mr.. Acton's parlor
Mr.. Meredith Fitz-Henry, with hi
glass fixed in his eye, stared abou
) him with great nonchalance and i'm
pudence, till at length his attentio
was attracted by the Vermont Cous
) in, utterly unconscious of his obsel
vation.
t s'Ah what vision of lovelines
and grace is that I see before me
: exclaimed he to Miss Laura Wiltor
very young lady, enjoying her fir'
} winter out.
} This brilliant speech was greete
e with the usual litter by the youn
a lady, who was exceedingly fiattere
r by even this mark of attention fro
: the perfumed and bewhiskered e,
quisite.
L "Oh, that is a country cousin (
: the Actions, from Vermont; a farr
er's daughter, excessively verdant,
o assure you," answered the your
e lady.
e ''From Vd1naou1at, is she? All, wei
e | suppose | must pay Yarmouth i
IS tie attention / wonder who will |;
/ me under everlasting obligations
# giving me an introduction to so fail
t, creature?'
/, "Oh, / will introduce you," a
L, swered Miss Laura in great glee, al
a she signaled those near her to drs
d up to the sofa, as great fun might
1t expected. Gradually the croy
is thickened in that part of the roo
ID all pretending to be engaged abo
ID something else, but all eager to he
l. the witty Meredith Fitz-Henry q1
of the Vermont Cousin.
er Herbert Ferguson sat quietly loo
ing over book of plates at a tai
OF near the sofa. ON which the introdr
rs ton having now taken place in d
e, form, the perfumed exquisite thr
o, himself with his head thrown baC
at and his delicate little shining boz