The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-05-12
FELICIA.
The Modern A.se.


 Young Mrs. Hardon felt il incumbent upon herself to speak to her brother. On the strength of six months of married life, she arroga;ed 10 herself the function of keeping watchful eye on all his deals ings with her own sex; and this after noon, when she had met him 2, Brighton Station, the fact that he had carefully deposited fellow-,raveler in fly before even turning to shake hands with her, had aroused her suspicious.
 Who was your companion down, Frank!" she inquired, as soon as they had reached her pleasant, rooms, and were sitting over the five o'clock tea table.
 Frank Neville, a tall. hnely-built young man of seven-and-twenty, rose from his seat and leaned against the man,lepiece, as he answered, with l laugh:
 '.i mus; say. Loo, you don't beat about the bush when you are inquisitively in- elined. Suppose say. don, know -
 But see you do persisted Mrs. Hardon.
 Not exactly" he replied. ''She is a Miss Dale; and, after travelling all the way HUH siNkOIld Nitii HCi acquaintance al Preston Park, where she discovered tha, she had either lost or ae- ciden,ally started without her purse. Some one or other had taken her ticket for her. and, apparently, had forgotten to give her either that or the purse. The guard began to be rather insolent, and l couldn't avoid paying for her, to shut him up. also hcasd that she had come to Brighton to nurse sister just recovering from long illness at school and that IS all know about her. should think, now, Loo, it would be an excellent thing if you would call and take her out for a drive, occasionally-a girl of that age is sure to get out of sorts if she is lief, ,o nope in a sick-room all day"
 Mrs. Hardons face had all along ex- pressed prudent disapproval of his conduct. but at his last suggestion, swift alarm and amazement raised her eye brows and opened her lips wide.
 My dear boy. where do you ge, your extraordinary notion from. she ex- claimed. Will you kindly make clear 10 me what possible business il Is of mine 10 look after the health and spirits of a girl who Is complete stranger to me, aAA, pteNGNaitp, to fpos i'GsNit DC- cause il has fallen 10 her share to nurse an invalid sister,
 Oh, pooh Loo. returned her brother, more euphoniously than courteously. Don't excite yourself, can answer for her being lady. You couldn't do better than make her acquaintance"
 Mrs. Hardon puckered Up her pretty face wisely.
 l dare say you are right, dear but prefer ,o make my friends in d rather less casual fashion,
 Very we'll" observed Neville. shrug- ging his shoulders. put ii in your way ;e do kindly action, and you turn Phar- see. and decline. nave no more to say,
 Mrs. Hardon def,ly turned the conser- sation; but she had noticed with real concern his unusual resentment, his curt words, and impatient gesture. \ few days passed without any further re ference being made to his fellow-traveler then, one morning on the pier. he drew her a,- tention to girl in bath-chair, accom- panied by her sister
 - That is Miss Dale came down with. 7 he said, with a shade of pride in his voice, as though that fac; alone conferred distinction on him.
 The sisters were at some little distance, ard Mrs. Hardon, while only replying to his remark by careless indeed" was able, wiihou, rudencss. to take careful stock of both. The invalid was pretty. 'nischievous-looking child Of fourteen or ,lfteen, but there certainly was singu- larly charming air about the elder one. She was simply. yei gracefully dressed, and the clear-tInted, delloaiely-chiseled face, spoiled by no painful adJaceney of cnbecoming color, seemed stamped by candor, sweetness and refinement Mrs. Hardon was seized by desire 10 make the acquaintance she had so recently secuted and the discovery that the lady n charge was her own schoolmistress rendered it easy for her to obtain an in- troduction. She crossed over to the quiet little group, and soon Neville was bliss fully occupied in making small talk to Miss Dale, and noting fresh ways in which she was different and superior to any girl he had ever met before Every thing about her was exquisite-her face, her voice, her dress. and, above all, hes manner, which, for all its ease and un- consciousness, was just appreciahay dis tanf, as became lady, to his thinking.
 Aftex this meeting the acquaintance made rapid progress, and was watched over by the two sisters with eager curiosity and interest.
 Felicia, what do you think of Mir. Neville:n inquired Lily Dale of her sis ter, one evening, taking an invaiid's lib erty of speech.
 Felicia hesitafed a moment, then an- swered. without embarrassment
 < I like him. He is no, clever. dare