The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-02-16
SELECT STORY.
ADA OARFIT.

Ada Carfit was decidedly the belle
of Scarborough and as that small but
bustling Midland town had reputa-
ton among its neighbors for lovely
lasses, the distinction was great one,
In figure, the girl was somewhat
small and slight but in feature she
had attained almost to perfection, both
of outline and tint.
She had lofty, well proportioned
brow, around which rippled rich waves
of auburn hair. ...
She had eyes of dreamy blue, checks
just sufficiently tinged with delicate
carmlne to throw into relief
the pearly whiteness of her teeth.
The worst of it was, she knew that
she was beautiful, and the knowledge
spoiled her
Ada was the only child of wealthy
Scarborough manufacturer, and added
to her other charms tina. of being an
heiress
Naturally she had suitors not
few
But ladies Clara We're de We're can
exist in much lower circles than that Of
the poets faulty heroine, and Ada
Carfit had caught the vice of prold
coquetry.
She relished her power over suscep-
tible hearts and she did her best to ex-
tend it,
The breath of homage was life to
her.
She led her wooers gently on till the
tolls were all around them, and then,
of a sudden, they found an impalpable,
impossible barrier erected, and Adas
smiles were for new comers.
1t was an amusement, half the zest
of being, to her; she never wasted an
anxious thought on what it might
mean to her victims.
Men were' strong and must protect
themselves.
The last to enter the charmed circle
had been a youth from the North, who
in appearance and manners was GER
tainly at disadvantage with those
whom he quickly came to consider his
rivals.
Roger Herlestone was two-and-tweD-
ty but his thick-set, burly figure, and
his abundance of beard, made him look
years older.
He was heavy in feature, uncertain
in movements and awkward in ad-
dress
As the nephew of Mr. Marston, of
Marston & Marsh, cotton-mill owners,
his prospects were very good.
But the knowledge of this fact some
how failed to give him the needed self
confidence.
Rogers many blunders made him to
large extent the butt of his male ac-
quaintance, and it was probably this
that caused Ada Carft, out of sheer
opposition, to treat him with marked
| favor.
Philip Dare, the lawyer, had likened
Rogers to the proverbial "bull in a
china skop :" and Philip Dare should
be made to bite his lip with vexation
at her Difference to the despised one.
But once again she was kind only to
be cruel.
Il cannot tell whether she cares for
me, or whether she does not, said
Roger Herlestone to his younger broth
er, Martin. sometimes / think one
thing and sometimes another. But
this | am sure of, she is all the world
to me"
"Then I'd ask her, old fellow"
"But-but-sh has always so many
around her. Ada Carft is the queen
of large circle, and l."
Have been the best of sons, the best
of brothers, and l have no doubt,
would make the best of huibands.
"And J." said Roger, rusuming
slowly, and paying no heed to this en-
thusiastic praise, "am rough and
homely man, who has almost as good a
right to dream of becoming Prime
Minister as of winning such wife.
"Nonsense, Roger! Don't be so un-
necessarily modest You are just as
good as she, and the girl must know
it"
"Then," and the elders tone changed
suddenly "I'll put it to the test and
see. If Ada refuses me, it will be jus,
another dream dispelled, and shall face
the worst
| The opportunity soon came.
The two were thrown much together
at summer picnic party, aud some
malign genius made Ada NOR than evel
gracious
1t semed to her that she had sue
ceeded in thawing the ice of her admir-
er's awkwardness, and the studied com
pliments he paid her awoke the CLEAN
of a sunny, satisfied smile.
She little suspected the commotior
that was was working beneath the sur
face
They had wandered out of sight an(
| hearing Of the rest, on pretenee OF ex