The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-05-24
LITTLE ROSABEL.

~ LITTLE KOSABEL.
said Rosabel Raymond sadly. emo
II body seems to want me. No home
Ssf seems to be open to me anywhere.
N When papa died he told me that Uncle
@ Dallas would be kind to me, and take
NJ his vacant place. And he is kind,
~ after his odd, abrupt fashion. But my
81 Aunt Alicia don't care for me, and the
IA girls look coldly Oh my shabby dress
q and pale face. Evidently l am not a
"a cousin to be proud of. If were an
n heiress things would be different"
& Poor little Rosabel! The world
NJ looked very dark to her as she sat on
a the window sill of the third-story back
S room i'll the Dallas mansion, which had
81 been unanimously voted "g0od enough
q for Rosabel Raymond, ," -and watched
n the dull reds and grays of tho Winter
u sunset fading out behind the crowded
q spires of the city.
Il ooh, Rosabel, are you here?"
1t was her cousin Medora's soft,
u sweet voice. She disliked NIedora
q more than either Augusta or Bell,
& although she could not tell why. =
u I'VE were thinking, mamma and I -
said Medora, "that you must be terri
d ply dull without anything to do, all
these dismal days"
cit is rather lonesome" sighed
Rosabel, wondering at her Cousins
4, unusual thoughtfulneSs.
"And so," added Medora, with the
sweet SMsile,sthat,sIs mi 9sabel alWaxs mis-
g, ,tEl1st
4 Hover designing rooms-you always
4 were an artist, you know, dear--I ex-
4 claimed IN that silly, impulsive way of
4 mne; The very idea for Rosabel. -
\ And" added Medora, 'Miss Armitage
says you can obtain excellent board for
\ four dollars week with widow near
h the rooms, and that would save Won a
great deal OF time and no end of fares.
so, if you conclude to accept the posi-
tion, perhaps you had better come down
into the drawing-room and see Miss
Armstage."
IL there was anything which Rosabel
d Raymond loved, it was her pencil.
Here, at last, was the much -longed-for
I opportunity, and she arose with alacrity
4 and followed Medora Dallus down the
stairs.
Mis- Dallas and the Misses Dallas
were openly exultant when Rosabel
1 Raymond was gone.
so dlspirting to have her round all
4 the time, with her swollen eyelids and
pale face" said Miss Augusta.
4 But what are we to say if Mr.. Bal
lard asks after herr" blurted out Bell,
a the most honest and least prolific of the
family. ~ ~ '''0
"Say2 Why, the truth" declared
d Mcdola, that she has left us.''
For the secret of Miss Medora Dali
las anxiety to get rid Of her pale little
cousin, whose mourning was so dis
tressmgly becoming to her, was the
q fact OF Mr.. Hugh Ballard IS admiration
i OF the white, statuesQue face, the deep
Z larkSpur-Dlue eyes, and the features
Wnlcn were as perfect as any cameo.
Z Miss Medora had marked Mr.. Ballard
IF tor 'wn prey, and declared war
gu any unfortunate pretender who
81 81 oD in her way. .....
&, Nc' first evening that Mr. Bal
e la ~, he inquired for Miss Ray
a nlond. Mcdora dropped her long
4 lasllcs.
81 ''ROsabel had a. cold, reserved ma
Clue," she said. "She never seemed to
q become fond of any of us, and she has
& gone away"
d Gone where?" Mr.. Ballard was per-
y sistent enough to ask.
D "Slle said she would write and send
us the address," said Medora, drawing
q on her imagination; "but she never
s. did. 1t quite went to dear mammals
q heart. Mamma regarded Rosabel as a
M fourth daughter. But Rosabel never
n was inclined to reciprocate our affec-
Isl ton"
81 Mr.. Ballard glanced at Medora with
an expression which she could not in
terpret, but. it meant simply:
s. eff this girl is lying, she is doing it
very artistically. Appearances are
certainly against Rosabel Raymond; :;
s but 1T would take more than the testi-
mony OF one woman to make me be-
lievo her either cold or mgrateful.n
81 These reflections passed through his
mind as he was politely accepting Miss
s. Dallas invitation to accompany her to
Mrs. Whitworth Walkingham's musi
y cal tea, the next day.
E2 "It will be a bore" he said to him
self; "but Mrs. Whitworth Walkir CHAM
8 is a genius, and there is sure to be good
s. music there.''
@ '"There was good music there. and
salso delicious "Orange Pekoen in the
tiniest of cups, each painted with q
sSseparate wild flower or bunch of grasses:
8cake, ices and white grapes following
BSSsthe barcarOlaS and rOndolettas-.a
s&all went merry as q marriage bell,
Until, IN turning to place a chair nearer
8 the window for Miss Dallas, Mr.. Bal
Yards unfortunate elbow knocked one