New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-08-19

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"My dear Mrs HOLSTER she began. while seat
ing herself, do YOU know that Cousin Cornela
knows al about youf happened to mention your
name before you Tero marred-Miss IwlninG,
Yes" replied Claire.
"Wel, the name seemed TO strike her, and she at
once asked If you had not stayed quite long time
with Mrs Mrs. oh. You mentioned her when you
spoke of being here several weeks before your mar
Mrs. Bergemannp said Claire, and immed lately
added in tones full OF quiet interests "en'
why, that was what placed you, don't ron
know. with Cousin Cornelia Yes Mira. Bergs-
mann /; that was the name.p
Did your cousin know Mrs. Bergemann r IN
quircd Claire.
"She didn't say So But she appeared to know
just who yos We're think she's going to make me
present you. There seems to be some queer mys-
terry; She acted rather strangely Are you sure
you've never met beforeT cut
Yes, l am perfectly sure" answered Clare.
Horn ~
Cousin cOrpelasi Why yes Of course lit it vd is;
Kortlandt side. She was Miss Thurston."
"Thurston," repeated Claire, not interrogatiyelv,
but as though she had caught the sound with recog-
milton the instant it left the speakers lips. She
broke into a smile now. THAT explains every
she noti'
"Oh, yes. said Claire" 81 know him very well.''
why. you don't tell me sol" blithely exclaimed
thin ks dreadful, bu, dote HIM just the same
He is so broad. don't YOU know He's seen 30 much.
and read 50 much and lived SO 0s %u0 So
conventional. That ~ the way i like CONVEX
tionality- hen you find IL in some one who makes
it sort of fatigue dress for liberal views aud not
the uniform Of narrow ones"
90 approve your description of Mr. Thurston."
said Clare. slowly. :" 1t tells me how well you
know him."
and bent Der face closer toward Claires. What on
earth do You suppose 1t " IA that made INN Dart OH
so suddenly 60 Europei" she asked.
Clare stopped. as though 70 discover sOme kind OF
Objectionable speck in the cup OF chocolate that she
was stirring and then removed what she had
found. with mach apparent care lie DID 90 quite
unex pectedy, did lac mott ~ she said, lowering her
head still more as she put the speck on her
saucer and examined IL with an excellent counter
felt of the way We regard such things when uncer:
tam If their origin be animal or vegetable. she
wondered TO herself, at the same time. whether
Mrs Diggs would notice her increased color, OF
whether she herself had merely imagined
change. AT some other time she went
on, letting the words loiter IN utter;
ance. with very neat stimulation OF p,e-ocGppien
/ should like to talk moro with you about Mrs. Van
Horns brother But just now want to ask you
about Mrs Van Horn herself
Here Claire briskly raised her head. The prob
lem of the aggressive speck bad seemingly been
solved 81 have heard Mr. Thurston mention that
speaking with speed. but he told me
almost nothing regarding her. She appears TO be
very important person
Mrs Diggs glanced toward distant table AZ
which she had already seen her cousin seat herself
Then she turned TO Claire again. "a thongh confident
of how safely remote was the lady whom she al
once proceeded To discuss.
"Cornelia Is a very important person, Mrs. Hol-
lister. As told you. she's NJ second cousin:
used 10 a good deal OF her before was married
She's at least ten years older than ] am. She
brought ont into society. ] was an orphan
don't YOU know. and there was nobody else to bring
ne out. | had TO be brought ont Tor ! waseRhtcen
aud all the rest of the family either in mourn
ing or too old, or else had gone To Europe or
. WELL some bling of that sort SO Cornelia gave me
a great ball. IL was splendldiy civil OF her. But
don't think she did II from the least brnev
oeDce. No. not OF all. She had ended her term of
widowhood, aud wanted to appear again, don't You
know T. The ball was magnificent, and II gathered
all her old cicAhle about her. i remember
IL 81 well; IL u only eight years ago
stood az ner size. behind towering burden OF
bouquets which II made nv wrist acre 10 hold
CoInelia in white satin. with knobs of vloieis
all over her dresa shall never forget that dres.
She wore melhysts round her throat aud IN her
hair ana on her arms. 1t was kind OF jubant
accommodating, don't you know sho looked
superb she was eight years younger than che "A
now. People gathered about her and paid their
court She resumed old acqusnt 'nces; she received
omen or whispered compliments she was The event
OF the evening. was nearly Ignored Ana yet II
was mn ball IL had been given for me, 10 celebrate
NV debut in society. But a. the evening progressed
| began To discover that had been made mere
COrnela hffseli was tho fcal reason OF the
ball. she had simply used me as an excuse Tor
re-emerging She ne-energrd by the way with
seventy thousand year and reputation for hay-
ing been ono vf the reignng bellies of New York
before she married Winthrop Van Horn she was
poor when she married Winthrop. and lie lived only
a few years afterward. He lett her every penny
of bis money: there were no children Cor
never heard II contradIcted. and Pve somehow
always accepted IL. think every body has always
ACCEPTED it, too de died of consumption IN Bermuda,
and II is usually taken for granted don't YOU know
that ne died in Corueias arms. For INV part,I can't
imagine anybody dying In COrnelias arms :.
But that's neither here nor there. shn kepl herself
as a.iet as IA mouse for five years. Bat mice are
nOmadc, and they gnaw everything. Aud COrnelia,
during those i've years of bereaved woe. TO my cer-
tam knowledge, pook peep at every capita' IN
Europs After the bal-the ball that she gave me.
please understanding became a great leader.
She's great leader sttIl. DIDN'T Beverley tell you
"No.D stated Claire, keenly Interested bv this
nmble monolOgue. As said, Mr.. Tburston scarcely
did more than mention his sister name"
Mrs. Digs applied herself actively 10 a fragment
of cold chicken, which she had left neglected
through all these calculating items Claire watched
her. thinking how clever she was anu YET now I'M
circu aspect. With what slight incentive had been
reused this actual whirswInd OF ianly conndencesI
she perfectly adore, Beverley. Ars; Digs
presently continued. nave an Iaeh th hco sue
shSs one She has contryod tomake itsppear very
exceptional 10 be Ihurston. The Ihurstons nave
peyor been anything whatever. Her mother mar
ried into the family, and cast u spell of
aristocracy over them Bnt Corneiia never alludes
10 the an Korilandt connection. She knows that
can take care of itself. believe her grandfather
on the Thurstou side. was saddlor. But she has
managed To have II seriously disputed whether he
was a saddler or . landed Knckerbocker grandee.
The panels OF her carriage bear Thnrston crest:
IL is very pretty one, am quite sure she invented
1t. once told Beverley 30. aud he laughed. lie
has never used IT, though he has never
IL as spurious. The Joke is
that she ignores the Van Horn crest entirely which
is the only one she has any right TO air.. Corneia Is
in the big old house on Washington Square whion
her late husband left her. Lots of people have
gone. after all. It's absolutely funny TO
observe what vogue she has got. She
could make anybody whom she chose
10 take 40 a social somebody by merely lift
ing her finger. But she never hfls her finger That