Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-06-29

mine. He looks beyond me with those
dark, melancholy eyes OF his. as If /
were not the object of his search 1t is
the third time he has passed. so ! am
not mistaken"
Ozark eyes?'' said Dana, a swift
fash of color flying up into her face.
"a young gentleman, Alexia2 What
Is he likeg"
Come over and see. He is going
again. disappointment marked on his
downcast brow. Either disappoint.
ment or dyspepsia" amended Aexia,
I'm not just sure which. Do come,
Dana, or YOU will be too late"
Dana, however, did not stir. IL
can't be he" she thought. IL was silly
/ to think Il.
She listened TO her cousin half-dream-
lily after that. She was thinking OF
that week in New York after they land
ed, when Launt. Harrington had called
upon them daily at their hotel, when he
had CHANGED across their routes of
sightseeing, when the slightest encour-
agement would have made him one of
their number, but that encouragement
was never given.
t"Neither papa nor mamma were half
friendly TO him." unused Dana. mot
half so friendly as they were to :"
Mr.. Gordon Marquis!"
The announcement fitted so appro-
priately into her thoughts. that she
found herself blushing guilty under
his ewes.
"You see that have availed myself
OF your fathers invitation right speedi-
w." he said, as he shook hands. - MY
sitter for the week had tic doloreaux,
and couldn't be painted with n swelled
jaw, so i made my escape and availed
myself of the greatest pleasure which
was open to me. i shut up shop, stuck
q card on the door to inform my patrons
that i would be back in three days, and
took the first train to-Paradise, may l
say?-Philadelphia and Paradise being
synonymous terms To me. Your father
and mother are quite well, trust?''
"Quite well" answered Dana, max
ing haste to introduce him to Alexia,
whose presence he scarcely seemed to
| observe.
Mrs. Oliphant came in ut the moment,
Mr.. Oliphant made his appearance
later, and Mr.. Marquis staid to dinner,
staid for the evening, and made his
adieuX as the clock struck eleven.
I'll come around in the morning
and talk over that matter of the por-
trait, , he said at parting. IF you say
you want it done. Mr.. Oliphant, I'll
throw over all other engagements. and
stay to do it. There's nothing pressing
among them, nothing but can wait as
well rs not.7
Mr.. Oliphant was by no means anx-
ious to have his pictures perpetuated on
canvas, but his wife was, which amount
ed to the same thing, and Mr.. Marquis
received his commission for the portrait
on the following day.
" And for a young lady who has had
so few chances, you have made remark
| ably good use of Your time" said
Alexia, as the girls talked together be-
| fore retiring. 1.-TWO strings to your
bow within five weeks after you have
landed is doing very we'll"
al am not sure that have even one,
my dear Lex"
~ wouldn't fb," said Lex. "Dana
Oliphant, what lucky girl YOU are
You have everything To make YOU
happy; a splendid home, indulgent
! parents, lots Of spending money, and
devoted lover. If / were disposed to
envy any one in this world, L would
/ envy YOU"
Everything TO make her happy? Yes.
surely she hail Yet Dana was not so
bright as perfectly happy girl ought
/ TO be.
Mr.. Marquis lost no time in beginning
his work. lie engaged a corner in a
/ friends studio, vast, sky-lighted
apartment up innumerable flights of
stairs. but subdivided by screens and
curtains into more than one charming
and retired nook. Here Mr.. Oliphant
came, two mornings of each week, to
pose for his portrait, generally ac-
companicd by some one of his woman
/ Kind, or as sometimes happened all three
| together; but whether one or all went,
Lex never failed.
She liked the glimpSes of Bohemian
life which she caught i'm these morning
/ visits, but this was Bohemia with silken
curtains, and thick carpets, and plate
! glass, and golden frames Bohemia
of the successful genius, not of the strug-
Cling aspirant after fame. She liked to
get up an occasional Irritation with the
! long-haircd art students who were con-
stantly dropping in, liked to dazzle
them with her bright chances and flash
ing smiles.
The ELEPHANTS were not in society,
/ but il was by their own choice. Old
| friends of the family, who remembered
! Power Oliphant as u young unmarried
man, were ready To- throw open hospit-
able doors, but his wife pleaded the
lateness of the season, and beyond an
exchange of calls with very few had
not encouraged advances.
| The daily drive in the park or saunteI
on Chestnut street, hardly supplied the
diversion which Miss Braxton craved:
therefore her keen enjoyment of these
mornings at the studio. She had grown
| friendly with Mr.. Schoenberger, the
resident artist, who extended the free
dom of the place; and rummaging
around among his pictures. she came,
one day. upon an unfinished head.
/ Enough was done, however. To bring an
exclamation TO her lips. Mr.. Schoen-
! berger looked up from the bit of ultra
marine sky which he was decorating
with pink cloud.
Zach, Himmclr' he calculated in
comic dismay. "YOu haf surprised
your admircr, Mees Braxton."
| NY auinlrerF
Undoubtedly. He comes profess
edly, to haf me take that sketch; in
reality to hear about YOU"
about mef" Lex echoed.
81 haf said it-yaw! He comes the
hour after you 90, he watches your
party, he listens with sick face when
tell him how the artists are charmed
by you
Then YOU tell him the most unwar-
ranted falsehoods," cried Lex, but with
flash and n sparkle of absolute de-
light. Had she really made conquest,
she wondered. To make a conquest, to
have a real and devoted lover, Just now
was the end and aim of Alexia's exist
/ ence.
In the half-limned features she recog-
nized the gentleman whose chances had
been directed so persistently toward the