Turner County herald. (Hurley, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1884-02-14
A PROUD WOMAN.
A Pretty California Story prettily Told.

"A [ RUQD WUMAN /.
A Pretty California Story Prettily Told
John Vandor's sky had always been
cloudiess; He had seen. life through 8
rose,nned haze, and had walked rough.
shod over its meadow bloom. Naturally
ne forgot or never knew that somewhere
ana sometimes there were sodden paths
70 tread, that the meadow-bl turned
10 r1stling broomstalks, and the sky to
unIer-rooi OF dolefui gray. Hewas
sunshlny because he had never peered
into the shadows. To have a purse we'll. v,
filed without knowing who filis it, 10
open your hand fora gift of fortune and
nave it drop in carelessly, to win love
without seeking tin short, to play. at
living is pleasant occupation, but very
poor discipline. Perhaps John yandor
was trifie selfish, in spite of his inex.
haustible good nature, his intelligence.
his invariable good form. !" - -
Agnes Earle was the sort of Girl men
call dashing, and women-out Of respect
to their own preference dare not class,
lfy. She had dark and unreadable ewes.
matched to a shade by a profusion Of
crlnkied hair, and set off by long, almost
curly iashes-lashes that would have
made the Sistine Madonna a half CO.
quette. Her complexion was that rich.
deep yet perfect clear olive, one sees
more often in the best Spanish portraits
than IN american life. From remote an
cestors she had perhaps Spanish blood in
her veins. In figure she was neither
so tall as Diana nor so mature as Juno;
neither 1.-the nor willowy, to describe her
exactly, though neither may help to in.
dicate the subtle something in her car
RAG which make her as graceful in move
ment as IN repose, in speech as in silence,
IN alert attention as in self.saturated
rIeverie. Indeed, Agnes Earle would
have been almost beautiful if she had no
other charm than the wonderfully pretty
hands which had made John Vandor fail
half in love with her when they first
met, and had helped to persuade he
loved her ever after.
Vandor was not exactly handsome,
He was fine looking. One could not but
admire his physique, and one could not
help noticing, in looking him full in the
face, that he had brains.
These two began by liking each other
somewhat blindly, He liked in her the
brilliance and dash Of her style, the sug-
6tSosAN0 nuoAey VI ueT Slndll Lalk, ana
above all, her compelling beauty. She
suggestion of restrained power, which
seemed to underlie his obvious conceit
and his superficial empiricism of think
ing, and she liked his open-handedness,
his big, brave ways, his love of dogs and
horses and of "all outdoors.
These young people were second cous-
ms, but they had not met or known
much of each other until he WAC man
OF 26 and she a woman of 10. He had
come to California for no good reason
for no reason. One Saturday afternoon,
after q week Of some comprehensive
doing" of San Francisco, he walked into
Richard Earle's study at Berkeley, bear
ing note of introduction from Cousin
Mary, who lived in Albany. He found "a
bronzed .grizzled, curt and gruff, who
sc0wled him dubiout welcome without
rising. n. ~
"How long have you been in the state,
young man?" asked tho host.
Just ten days-two in Sacramento
eight in San Francisco"
care you broke?" y
DO you mean out of funds?" asked the
guest, smiling in spite of himself.
II mean broke-b-r-o-k-e; busted,
p'r'aps you say. Come here to borrow ?''
No, thank you. came here to pay
you my respects, and wish you very
good day" And second cousin Vandor,
turning on his heel quietly left the room.
In the hall he was arrested by the un-
mistakable rustic of feminine drapery,
just in time to avoid a collision with a
lady.
u beg your pardon" he said rather
stiffly.
Have you beenquarreling with papa?'i
The young lady smiled while she asked
the question, and all the stiffness had
gone from his voice as he replied:
Not exactly; am a cousin of your
fathers-of yours too, by the way and
had come to be very civil to my relative.
Your father thought l had come to bor-
row money"
He had forgotten his anger; forgotten
that he ought to have been in full re-
treat.
"Come back with me, and let me ex-
plain. I'll make him apologize. Our
cousin must not go away in such fash
ion, with the afternoon sun about to go
down upon his wrath. didn't wonder
you were angry; but then, twas only
father"
Your cousin had much rather accept
the family apology from you" said Van
dor, laughing. However, I'll go back,
and try and explain that I'm not
Agnes led the way, and marched
straight to her fathers side. She bent
and kissed him lightly, and then standing
directly in front of him, she shook at
him one taper finger, saying, with an in.
imitable drawl: "Aren't you ashamed ol
yourself?"
."Why didn't he come here at once,
then?" snarledf the bronzed grizzly.
"Ah ha! and that's the reason you send
our cousin away with your awful blunt,
ness. Now please understand, .Da
she called him "Da"-'. that | shall permit
here, cousin, and notice how meekly he
shakes hands,"
By this time both men were laughing
and Agnes smiled complacently and LETT
the room. The second cousin masculine
shook hands and the elder soon became
interested in news from his old home
When Miss Earle re-entered the room
an hour later, she saw that the cousins
were on the best of terms with each 9th
er; and judiciously invited the young
man to go out on the porch with her
and watch one Of their show sunsets
"Judiciously" means that wise youne
woman did not intend that the Others
should have a chance to become boreC
with each other. =, ,-.s.x -.
From being mere looker-on3 in Wen
ma, vandor BECAME enamored of "our gllo
rious climate" and resolved, with the
calm, far-seeing discretion of 26, to inves
the major portion of his fortune in Cali
, fornia securities. Fortunately Richard
Earle was wise mentor. No one knew
the ins and outs of San Francisco trade
!, better than he; and .Vandor managed tt
/ steer clear of Pine street, and locked hi.
money into the walls of big bonded
warehouse. From being enamored o
our state and our climate, it was easy
enough to fall in love with one Of oul
loveliest girls; and before their knowl
edge of each other had lasted a year
Agnes made herself. believe that sht
loved him will enough to become hi
wife; and all this with the full contenti
| of gruff Richard Earle.
Z At the point on line of stairs on tht
lowest shelf of the Berkely foothills, abou
midway between. the south hall of th.
u syr,.