The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-09-27
AT SAN PEDRO.
[Fiora Haines Apponyi in The Argonaut.l


He saw her the first time in Mission
| street car, and his impressions were not pre-
possessing. There was something too i'm
perious in the quick wave of her hand as she
signaled the car, and her very step was posi-
tive and aggressive. The perfect health
| which blossomed in her cheek, sparkled in her
| eye, and revealed itself in the easy carriage
of a firmly nodded figure, in his sight pos
| sessed an element of unlady-like audacity.
David Woodbury. had been in San
| Francisco only fortnight, but he had
already made up his mind, with the swift
| decision which sometimes characterizes
Massachusetts, men, that he did not admire
the women of California. They were an
innovation upon the type of womankind to
which he had been accustomed. The woman
of his family and of his acquaintance had all
| partaken, more or less, of a certain delicate,
spiritual cast, not uncommon among old
England families. He reflected now, with
an invalid's fretful persistency, that he could
not recall one who had even remotely ap-
preached the buoyant health and generous
physique of this girl.
For he was an invalid. His sta1wart form
and iron muscles had proved of no avail to
| resist tie pitiless onslaught of hereditary
disease, and the deceptive flush upon his
had, so far, attained only the interesting stage
| of sick mans existence, when the tender
| sympathy and concern of friends create
| subtitle separation between him and the out
side world, and the nerves are easily Jared
| by contact with the unaccustomed OF unex-
| pected.
Lost in reflection, he failed to observe that
a gray-haired woman, meanly clad and car
rying heavy bundle, had entered the car,
and stood leaning wearily against the door.
| The car was closely packed from
| front to rear There seemed a singular
| lack of the customary gallantry which
| appears to be a second nature to most Cali
/ fornians. Several newspapers were lifted
higher, to shut ont the appealing glance from
| their readers lines of vision; few men gazed
stolidly through the windows. Several well
dressed women, occupying seats, smiled in
| superior way.
There was a swift movement opposite.
| David Woodbury. raised his eyes to SEE the
old woman gently urged into the seat the
young lady had vacated, and to be himself
| included in a scornful glance which swept the
| car from end to end.
| Other men obstinately retained their seats
| in very laudable effort to maintain consS-
| tency, but this Massachusetts, man, feeling an
obligation to vindicate his own gentility, in
defiance of his bodily infrmities arose and
rendered his seat to the combative young
woman. The courtesy was firmly repulsed.
''You must take my seat. / can not allow
you to stand, he had said, clumsily enough.
81 would not deprive myself of the pleasure
| for the world" returned the girl The voice
was surprise-musical and vibrating, with
intonations that he had been accustomed to
associate with ideas of refinement and cul-
| tnre. But he at one, allied that he had
blundered. This dauntless creature, with the
self-consciousreSs characteristic of western
girls, had promptly attributed his courtesy
to the influence of her charms. He wlithed
beneath the consciousness all the more be-
cause Of his utter inability to defend himself
The very tliviality of the episode rendered
him powerless.
The recollection of this vexatious incident
still pursued him six months later, when he
returned from the Sandwich islands, his fair
skin tanned and burned by tropical sun,
but with health restored, and ready for a
season of relaxation before returning to New
England. He was at an evening party one
night in March, conversng idly with a lady
acquaintance, when his attention was at
tracted by couple who had entered the
room and stood chatting with the hostess
He saw dignifed elderly gentleman in the
undress of a military officer, and on his arm
queenly girl who might have stepped from
some oId-time picture. A shimmering robe
of rich texture was draped with classic ele-
| gance about the graceful form; not a scrap
of lace or patch of velvet marred the beauty
of the costume; but in the folds of filmy tulle
| which crossed the bosom cluster of eglan-
| tine roses was hidden. A single diamond, in
a setting of antique silver, CLEANED like a
star amid the waves of her abundant brown
hair and in her hand she carried curious
inlaid fan.
David Woodbury's sensation was one of
positive delight. With returning strength
had come new appreciation of the royalty
of health, and he reveled in this picture of
perfect womanhood. He thought of his sis
ter who had mild enthusiasm for art, and
for it's sake loved the beautiful in nature, and
wished she stood by his side that moment
and could feast her eyes on the scene before
him; the lofty room, with its rich appoint
mems, not more costly than tasteful, the
wealth of tropical plants and blossoms
making the air heavy with perfume,
and in the foreground a glitteling con-
stellation, with this superb figure for its
central sun.
''That is Gen. Langdon and his daughter
died three years ago. leaving two daughters
one mere baby. They say Stella's devotion
to her little sister is something beautiful to
behold. But come-let me introduce you.n
The girl looked at him in calm scrutiny as
he bowed before her. II have met Mr.
Woodbury. before-in street-car" she said
gravely
An under-current Of satire cut like a two
edged sword. To have attempted excuse or
explanation would have appeared like the
consciousness of guilt. His thoughts turned
turned back to their old channel The ele-
giant simplicity of her dress he regarded as
bid for notoriety. Her unconventional man.
ner received his mental condemnation OBJ
| serving how neatly she parried all attempts
at familiarity on the part of her admirers, he
reflected that the women in whose society he
had been bred had no need of parrying any
such approaches. The air of icy reserve in
which they enyeloped themselves was i'm
| pregnable.
During ensuing weeks he met her fire.
quently, but his original conception of her
character remained essentially unchanged
| He told himself that she was gay, brilliant
| girl, always cheerful and animated: but
dwelling altogether in the shadows of life.
| like others of her class
| One morning these opinions received shock
| and q surprise. Turning down Pacific street
after an early stroll on Russian hill he Ell
countered Stella Langdon going down town
on forenoon shopping campaign such as
young and stylish women affect, he inwarrlly
decided. He joined her, and they were soon
.hkai1