The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1883-09-14

indeed, when she saw the ladies were
bent upon having the turbans, As she
had ordered two entirely with a view to
Miss Cecilia's accommodation; and.
moreover, that she was never more sur
prised in her life than when Mrs. Cos
ling desired that one of them might be
sent to her, because Mrs. Costing never
wore tuybans; and if Miss Gibbs had
only foreseen that she would have
bounced upon it in that way, she. Miss
Gibbs, would have taken care that she
should never have seen it at all" etc,
ETC., etc.-all of which the reader may
believe. If he or she choose.
As for Miss Cecilia, she was i'm
placable, and she fiounced out of the
house. and through the streets to her
own door, in a temper of mind that
rendered it fortunate, as far as the
peace of the town of B was con-
cerned. that no accident brought her
IN contact with Miss Charlotte on the
way.
As soon as she got into her parlor she
threw off her bonnet and shawl, and
piunging into her armchair she tried
to compose her mind sufficiently to take
q calm view of the dilemma, and deter
mine on what line of conduct to pursue
whether to send an excuse to Mrs
Hanaway, or whether to 60 to the party
in one of her old head-dresses. Either
alternative was insupportable. To lose
the party, the game ut Loo, the distinc-
ton of being seen in such good society
it was too provoking; besides. very
likely people would suppose she had
not been invited; Miss Charlotte, she
had no doubt, would try to make them
believe so. But then, on the other
hand. to wear one OF her old turbans
was so mortifyinf-they were so very
shabby, so unfashionable-on an occa-
sion, too. when everybody would be so
well-dressed. o. it was aggravating-
vexatious in the extreme! She passed
the day in misunderstanding the
cud of sweet and bitter fancies;
recalling to herself how well she
looked in the turban-for she had
tried it on; figuring what would
have been Miss Charlotte's NOR
LITIGATION if she had been the disap-
pointed person. how triumphantly she,
Miss Cecilia, would have marched into
the room with the turban on her head;
how crestfallen the other would have
looked: and then she varied her occu-
patton by resuscitating all her old tur-
bans. buried in antique bandboxes deep
in dust. and trying whether it were pos
sible, out of their united materials, to
concoct one of the present fashionable
shape and dimensions. But the thing
was impracticable; the new turban was
composed of crimson satin and gold
lace, hers of pieces of muslin and
gauze.
When the mind is very much en-
crossed. whether the subject of con-
| temptation be pleasant or unpleasant,
time flies with iHconceivable rapidity;
and Miss Cecilia was reused from her
meditationS BY hearing the clock in the
passage strike four, warning her that it
was necessary to come to some decision,
as the hour fixed for the party. accord
ing to the primitive customs of h -,
was half past seven. when the knell of
the clock was followed by single
knock at the door. and the next mo-
ment her maid walked into the room
with-what do YOU think?-the identi-
cal crimson and gold turban in her
hand!
what beauty cried Susan turn
ing it round that she might get a CON-
plete view of it in all its phases.
WAS there any message2" inquired
Miss Cecilia. gasping with agitation,
for her heart was in her throat.
NO ma'am." replied Sue, Miss
Gibbs girl just left it; she said it should
have come earlier, but she had so many
places to go to-"
"And she's gone, is she, Susan?"
eyes. ma'am, she went directly
she said she hadn't got half through
yet"
Every well, Susan, you may 60; and
remember, I'm not at home if anybody
calls; and if any message comes from
Miss Gibbs, you'll say I'm gone out,
and you don't expect me home till very
late"
Very well, ma'am."
"And. 1 say. Susan, if they send here
to make any inquiries about that tur-
ban. you'll say you know nothing about
it, and send them away"
"Very well, ma am, said Susan, and
down she Owed to the regions below.
Instead of o'clock. how ardently
! did Miss Cecilia wish it was z, for the
danger of the next three hours was i'm
minent. Well, she understood how the
turban got there-it was mistake of
the girl-but the chance was great that
before clock arrived Miss Charlotte
would take fright at not receiving her
head-dress. and would send to Miss
Gibbs to demand it, when the whole
thing would be found out. However,
no message came; at 5 o'clock, when
the miIk-boy rang, Miss Cecilia thought
she should have tainted; but that was
the only alarm. At she began to
dress, and at 7 she stood before the
glass in full array, with the turban on
her head. She thought she had never
looked so we'll; indeed, she was sure
she had not. The magnitude Of the
thing gave her an air and indeed a
feeling of Importance that she had
never been sensible of before. The gold
lace looked brilliant even by the light
of her single tallow candle; what would
| it do in q well Illuminated drawing
room, Then the color was strikingly
becoming and suited her exactly-Miss
Cecilia, We must here observe, was
quite gray; but she wore frontlet of dark
curIs and little black silk skull-cap.
fitted close to her head, which kept all
neat and tight under the turban-
She had not far to 90; nevertheless,
she thought it would be as well to set
off at once, for fear of accidents, even
though she fingered on the way to fill
UP the time, for every moment the dan
ger augmented; so she called to Susan
| to bring her cloak. and her calash, and
her overalls, and being well packed up