Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-05-10

her Olusn WueD nc OHereu neT lODstti-
salad; and when, yesterday, Mrs.
Hughes got off that stupid joke about
! chicken-heart, and requested Captain
Herbert to paas il TO Miss Latane, she
couldn't have looked more conscious
had it have been his o@n heart that he
was offering to her acceptance on that
b.ue china plate"
"What iun" said Miss Pinkney. "If
we could only get her to think that he
admires her. Suppose we try"
Miss Plnkney seemed intended by
nature for a plotter and intriguante.
| With broader sphere of action she
might, like some famous ladies of his
tory, have revolutionized, by her little
arts, court or kingdom; and even
in the narrow circle of Mrs. Chase's
boarding house, she had been the cause
of more than one inexplicable denoue-
ment among the inmates. She liked to
| amuse herself in this way. 1t was, as
she had Just observed, "such funl"
As for Miss Latane, she was not popu-
lar at the Revere house, except among
the elder people. She had been there
some two or three weeks, having &C
comp8nied her aunt on n periodical
visit to the city; but none of the young
people felt much better acquainted
with her than on TIE day of her arri-
val
The gentlemen pronounced her
''pretty- r-a. til e-r-but not AMOS
ing" and, in consequence paid her no
parliculfr attention; while the young
ladies felt, rather than said, that some
how she did not fraternize with them,
She seemed, after the first few days,
TO hold aloof, as it were; and once,
vhen they had been discussing with
great zest bit of social scandal, ana
not being able TO agree upon the point
Of what party therein was most to
blame, had referred the question to
her, she had turned wih a blush and
replied, gravely; Excuse me, ladies;
| have no opinion 10 esfer on such a
subject" and mad thenceforth held her.
self more aloof than ever.
OF course the Indies resented this
presumption on the part of the "little
country maiden" though she always
being gentle and ladylike, il was diff
cult even for the malicioHsly disposed
to fad poilt of attack against her,
until the invention of Miss Pinkney's
brilliant and amiable plan, just men
toned.
The fair Rosa's address was well
known to her three friends; wherefore
on the following day they looked on
with some interest, as carelessly re-
Ginning on the same tetc-a.tete with her
proposed victim, she commenced the
attack.
ADO you know, Miss Latane, that
suspect you Of having quite spoiled our
little plan IN regard to our handsome
captain? Il is you, and not me. who
have made an impression on him."
Miss Latane looked up from her
silk netting with an expression of such
genuine surprise that the three ladies
bit their lips to suppress smile, and
then laughed al some trihing remark
made by one Of them.
81 dare gay You think me imperti-
nent," resumed Miss Rosa, with charm
ing naivette, "but can't help seeing
it. you know. Indeed. I'm sure he's
desperately smittenP
a vivid color rushed to Eva Latane's
brow.
81 think you are mistaken" she
said. Il am nothing to Capt. Herbert
or he to me. / should think any one
might see that"
"Oh, my dear, you may not be able
TO see what others cannot while you
have that pretty way of casting down
your eyes, with their long lashes, in the
presence of gentlemen, but ifyou could
see how he looks at you when he inn
AGNES himself unobserved, and how
quick he Is to catch the sound OF your
stepl Pray don't be angry with me,
she added, coaxingly seeing the color
flush wildly into Eva's face; "hut you
know ! couldn't help seeing it, and it
really seems cruel in you, not to give
him some encouragement"
lt WAS at this moment Captain Her
bert himself entered the drawing room, |
followed by one or two gentlemen. His |
glance fell upon Miss Lataae, VINO sat
facing the door. Her checks were still |
crimson, and in her embarrassment the |
ball OF silk fell from her lap and rolled |
to the captains feet.
He picked 1t up and politely return
ed it. She thanked him snyly, with |
yet n deep blush, and without raising |
her eyes.
He looked at her with 81 sort Of in !
quiring surprise, and the young ladies
exchanged amused glsnces.
"It'stoo bad of you to 20 on so, Rosa"
demonstrated Lilly, day or two after.
81 am now convinced that the poor
thing really does ike him; and if You
lead her to imagine that he cares for
her, nobody knows what the conseuuen-
ces to her may De.
"She does not imagine that he likes
her, If che did she would not hesitate
10 give him encouragement; but You
see how cold and distant to him she is. "
"Thst difference is put on for our
benefit" said Miss Kesne. "She is de-
| termined not to commit heraelf, aud
imagines we don't see that she is pining
in love with him, | should like to I'M
deceive her, and administer little
wholesale modification. She's so Ii
d'oulously prudish"
Miss Pinkney suddenly olasped her
| hands.