The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-04-04
SELECTED SKETCH.
SHE DIDN'T KNOW.


monstrated Emmeline, the elder sister.
And when things are all but settled be.
tween you'll" groaned Althea, the second
Miss Stafford
Alice was nndeniably the beauty of the
family. Emmeline was Manufactured and
practical and occupied the post of vice.
principal in neighboring primary school.
Althea was short and stout, with filmy, gray
eyes, and brows SO light that they were
scarcely perceptible on the level plain of her
! face
She. was housekeeper, aud performed
marvels in the pie and pudding line, besides
making the family income go twice as far as
it would otherwise have done
But Aice--fresh-el ee ed, rosy-lipped lit
tie Alice, with the straight, small features,
and the liquid, sapphire-blue eyes, she had
always been the family baby.
She practiced a little, sometimes. on the
oabinet-pano, which was hired at four
dollars month; she made mp frlls aud
laees for the other girls, embroidered pretty
triies on plush, and took care of the canary
and the geraniums. Nobody dreamed of
setting Alice to perform any of the harder,
more mental duties of the household.
! And great was the family Satisfaction
when Frank Kingsdale fell in love with
Alice.
Now she will have the home she de
serves, }" said Emmeline.
And husband who will worship her!e
added Althea, who, alas, had never had nm
offer in her life.
Perhaps if Mr.. kingsdale had not dis.
played his lnfatuation so plainly, Alice SAT
ford would have accepted him.
As it wt.s she did not. She believed in
the old proyerb about the oyer-ripeness of
the apple which fell too readily from the
bough.
She wss slightly fastidious, and very capri.
eious. And she made up her mind, after
much deliberation, that Mr. Kingsdale was
not cher IDEAL"
" Ia the girl crazy ~ said Althea, dole.
fully.
She must have been," said Emmeline.
who, as full-fiedged yice.principal, be.
heved in the efficacy of strict discipline.
Il don't love him." said Alice. Am
to fall in love with every gentleman who
chooses TO take fancy to me?"
"Loye don't signify so much mot ii you
like and respect him." sighed poor Mrs. SAT.
ford, who had eloped at sixteen and had led
sorry life of it for thirty odd years in con.
sequence thereof
"Oh, tnanma," said Alice, ~ never
could marry a man if didn't love him."
=" You're silly goose !" declared Althea
"pm not an old maid, anyhow" retorted
saucy Alice.
at would serve you right if Frank
Kingsdale went and married Hippolyta
Danesbury," asserted Emmeline.
He will not do that" said Alice. "you
will see that he will never marry anybody
Then you have blighted his life," said
Althea, in accents of reproval.
"That isn't my fault" said Alice
Mr.. Kingsdale accepted his dismissal
Contrary to Alice's expectations he came TO
the little hearthstone in the Montefore
Flats no more. The bouquets, new books
and boxes OF French chocolate ceased to IN.
rive by special messenger.
There were no more private boxes at the
opera no pleasant drives in the park II
was little dull
But Alice Stafford felt that she had vindi-
Gated herself, and when he had overcome his
first chagrin, she was certain that he would
come again--of course he would come
again.
Old Mrs. Wyndham Jones called one day
"a powdered, .overdressed old bag, with
false hair, false teeth, false everything. who
believed herself still to be as beautiful as
Venus. She went everywhere and knew
everybody, and was as good as daily ne vs.
paper.
Well, declared" cackled this venerable
interpreter of society. Miss Alice has gone
off in her looks, hasn't she2 And that no
counts for it. told Mrs. Fitz Arbine that
Frank Kingsdale never would have thrown
her over unless there was some good cause.
Did you know that he was becoming quite
devoted to General Salsify's niece, Miss
Msugenet? Eyerybody's talking about it.n
Emmeline looked grim. Alice blushed
scarlet. Althea observed, tartly, that they
didn't take much interest in drawing-room
gossip"
mo; of course not" slid Mrs. Wynd.
ham Jones. Being so entirely out OF So
ciety, all these things are new to you. But
IT'S pity about young Kingsdale, isn't it !?
He would have been such catch for Miss
Alice, there ~
Alice's cheek0 famed leeper than before
Thank you, Mrs. Jones !" said she, pur.
posely emitting the Wy ndham, on which the
old harridan especially prided herself; ~
am not in a hurry to be married"
"Thats what all the girls say" ehuckled
Mrs Wyndham Jones. "But, good gracious,
they can't deceive me And Frank Kings.
lale is one in thousand They say Miss
Maugenet's trousseau is to come direct from
Paris Oh, well, it's dress that makes her !
She isn't pretty, only stylish. And she must
be fun Ave years older than Frank"
Alice said nothing after Mrs. Wyndham
Jones had taken her departure. She busted
herself with praeticing new "Nocturne, :"
and gave the double chords with great
spirit.
Tie next day, at brsakfaxt, Mrs. Stafford
looked very worn and haggard.
Girls" said she, "pve news for you.
I'm sorry ever invested in those Tenneg.
ridge mining-bonds- Ten per cent. in gold
seemed very attractive, but ought to have
followed your Uncle Connaby's advice, and
let them alone. The whole thing has ex.
ploded We'geinst the six thousand dol.
lars, and what's worse, we're liable to ths
stockholders !"
"oh, motherw cried Alice "what are
we to do p
I'VE must ell g. TO work" said the wild.
ow, piteously. az win take few boarderr
--Althea can help me- and you, Alice, do
pofi think DARLING vor. xw<r,ld ~,,x,l -~-