The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-08-01
AN OLD-FASHIONED GIRL.

"Still a bachelor. Claud? I'm
ashamed of you. and. l declare, half
regretful that l did not capture you
myself"
So spoke pretty little Mrs. Sheldon,
as she sat one afternoon on the piazza
of the Ocean house, looking smiIingly
into the face Of the tall. handsome
man who bent over her with such de-
bonnaire grace. He laughed aloud at
her mock-petulant speech.
"You shouldn't blame me. them"
he retorted. "for what YOU must hold
yourself accountable. You see. ever
since Dick cut me out with you have
been wandering around desolate, try
ing to find second edition Of your
self"
"No, no-that won't do. Still. !
confess that dear old Dick answered
my purpose very well-so well that
only one thing is wanting to insure my
happiness, and that is that you take
possession next winter of charming
house next ours in town, and let me
claim your wife as my dearest
friend"
"And as you have been to me all
these long years, Ella. the dearest wo-
man friend l ever had; but Dick has
no cause for jealousy for all that.
Shall l. then, tell you why have
never married, though my thirty-ffth
birthday is looming up startling near?
l am in a confidential mood this after
noon, and you shall hear. 1t is not
because l do not want to marry
Sometimes the picture Of nv own
home and hearthstone shapes itself be-
fore me until life seems hardly worth
the living without it; but it is an ideal
picture my fancy paints. 1t is no,
house but home. 1t is not the rus
tie o. silken trains through its halls.
1t is the sunshine of woman's smile.
1t is not the threshold of society, but
society is left upon its threshold. 1t
boasts no richer. sweeter music than
the happy voices and laughter of lit
tie children which God may send TO
ill it! You know now why l have
ne-er married. although the world
calls me a man, and | am free; but.
Ella, the girls nowadays are not fitted
for such homes. They are society
dole. | want an old-fashioned girl.
and they are out of fashion-unless l
90 regularly in search of one in some
curiosity shop, where she is labeled
and laid away on a shelf shan't find
her; and even if 1 made the rash at.
tempt, l shouldn't like to have had to
order my wife like bale of goods"
You're all wrong, Claud.' answer
ed his friend. Girls hearts nova
days are just as warm and true as they
were a century ago; but"
oh, Ella" interrupted fresh.
girlish voice, as young lady stepped
through one of the long drawing room
windows on the piazza, faint rose
flush tipging her cheek as if she had
come upon a tete-a-te'e. She was
beautiful girl, dressed in The very
height and extreme of fashion, from
the tip of her boot to the crown of her
fiower-wreathed hat.
INV friend, Mr.. Arnold. Maud.
Miss kingsland, Mr.. Arnold
So this was Claud Arnold. whom
she had heari of all her life. She
was not sorry for the interruption.
after all still, stealing only a glance
at the dark, handsome face. over which
all women raved. and delivering the
message which had brought her, she
disappeared as she had come.
"Who is she ?" queried the man.
Ralph kingslands daughter, and
an heiress. lam chaperoning her for
a few weeks, as her mother is an in
valid. Not at all the sort of a girl
YOU are i'm search of. So see that you
do not trespass upon her manor in the
quest of idle amusement.
Notwithstanding which kindly
warning it was straight to Miss Kings
lands side that Claud Arnold wended
his waS, when about 8 o'clock the
same evening she entered the ball.
room. He had watched her as she
crossed the hall on Mr.. Sheldon's arm,
and was fain to acknowledge her the
most beautiful girl whom Newport
vet boasted. She was exquisitely
dressed, too, in some soft, himsy fabric |
of white, gracefully draped over snowy
satin, her neck and arms bare, and !
void of ornament except two glisten-
ing jewels in the pink, shell-like ears. |
Not at all the woman for a wife,"
he mentally soliloquized; "but, as a
partner for a dance, enough to make
one the envy of all the fellows in the
ROOM"