The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-09-20
PHEMA's WAY.

lou arc very silly, Euphemla."
81 dare say you didn't think me very
wise, mamma; but person can't be
convicted of extreme Stiffness on one
account"
"Let the matter drop, my dear, il
you please. We won't argue it. You
have consented to wait till Septem
Der before final decision, and the
thing is too disagreeable for discuss
ion" Mrs. Bayard drew her soft
shawl gracefully about her and left
the room.
If ever anybody was "born to the
purple" in this republican country,
Euphemia Bayard had been. Her
father belonged to one of tie oldest
families, her mother counted Dutch
ancestors back to the time when that
solid nation "took Holland" The
Vandeveers had been rich before Mrs.
Bayard's time. She was the seventh
daughter Of a ninth sou, and the fam
lily wealth would not bear such inf
Intestinal division as this, and all
the sons had their own families, and
million will fade fast under divis.
ion and subdivision. She had mar
ried Bayard because he had position
and money, and why he married her
nobody knew. Perhaps he did not.
She was sallow, skinny5green-eyed
doIl-haired and cold-blooded as fish;
graceful and stylish, it is true, but to
travesty an old quotation, "Look in
her face, and you forget it all" Mr..
Bayard was handsome, genial, pros
porous young fellow when they were
married, and Euphemia, their only
child was tended and educated like q
princes. Velvet valenoiennes, swans.
down and linen cambric were scarce
ly good enough to lap her tiny, love
ly shape, and two nurses combined
with her mother to spoil her utterly;
but she inherited from her father,
keen sense, quick perception, humor,
generosity, and deep feeling. These
went far to atone for the high tenn
per, the educated selfshness, and the
willful disposition of Miss Phema.
1t would have been better if her
father had lived. but at six years old
she st.him. He was instantly kill
ed by a fall from too spirited horse
which he was trying, and Phema had
only childish memory of him left.
She grew up under the most expen-
sive governess in the most fashion
able finishing schools, petted, admir-
ed, pampered with every luxury, and
her vanity fed and fostered from hour
to hour. That she had her own way
was foregone conclusion; but her
character was so strong that it assert
ed itself even in its wilGulness, and
"Phemn's way" was proyerbial, both
at home and at school.
At eighteen she came out into So
ciety, beautiful, accomplished and
headstrong Mrs. Bayard had spent
all these years since her husbands
death in a rccklessly extravagant
life, and now, to her great surprise
found her property was deprecated
and her income suddenly lessenod.-
She repaired at once to her husbands
lawyer, and, having learned the state
of the case, determined, entirely
against his advice, to sell everything
she owned and buy an annuity. In
vain old Paine represented to her
that this would utterly impoverish
her daughter, in case of her own
death.
81 cannot help that" she replied
with a cool selfshness that chilled
him, 81 can never live, nor can
Phema, without our accustomed lux
uries. She must marry we'll; and
that she cannot do without an en-.
trance of the right sort into society.
| trust she will not need much more.
| think not" And Mrs. Bayard's
green eyes flashed with pride that
might be called maternal, but did
not deserve SO sacred name. Sc