Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-05-08
HOW FLORENCE MET HER
FATE.

a pretty DlOnue SaL III Lne SuHpLuOuS-
ly furnished parlor of a mansion on a
fashionable street in Washington. She
was reclining in rather listless man.
ner in comfortable lounging chair
and her blue eyes had rather dreamy
expression.
Her attire indicated that she was
about to attend some entertainment or
gathering, for it was composed of some
soft, thick, white material which fell in
graceful folds around her tall and lis
some figure. The short wide sleeves
fell back from her round arms, upon
which CLEANED magnificent diamond
bracelets. She was an exquisitely
lovely creature, this Florence Brady, d
woman who would attract and hold
your attention among thousand ordi-
nary beauties, by the wonderful way in
which her graceful figure carried itself,
alone, if nothing else.
She was simply regal. and to-day she
had arrived at her twenty-second year.
The beauty of her wide, Intellectual
brow, and her eyes were what attract-
ed you most; world of power lay in
them; and yet, some of Florence's fash
ionable lady friends whispered to each
other that she was slightly eccentric.
"How oddly she wears her hairr'
said one; and How independently
she carries herself! She is almost
masculine in her walk!' cries another.
All, envy! 1t is true that Florence
wore none of those fringes over her
fyl xr,hSt NH, hn
fair sex call "bangs;" neither did she
friz her hair, but let it wave in all its
natural golden magnificent and won-
derful thickness, right back from her
face, thus giving to her features the in-
telligence that of right belongs to wo-
mans face.
The male sex, however, found moth
ing eccentric about her; one and all
they were ready to fall down and wor-
ship at her shrine-from the youngest
to the oldest-for, as / have said be-
fore, she was wonderfully lovely, and
her white, white skin, the purity of
which was the result of perfect health
and not of washes or powder, was the
secret envy of every society woman in
Washington. A knock at the door
aroused her from her reverie.
"Come in!' she said in her silvery
voice, and footman entered bearing
q bouquet of rare beauty, composed en-
tirely of white japYnicas and purple
helitrope. Florence started up in a sit
ting posture.
~ James, who sent me that? How
beautiful it is!' she cried, receiving it
from the servants hand.
"a man brought it, Miss. He said
his master sent it with compliments
but didn't leave any name. He hur-
ried off instantly, Miss, as soon as he
gave them to me-" answered the man.
VERY well. Is my sister-in-law near
" ready, James?"
''She will be down soon, her maid
told me, MISS" and the footman re-
tired from the room.
"Who can have sent me this?" mus.
ed the beauty, turning the flowers round
in her white fingers.
Suddenly her eyes lighted upon q
tiny three-cornered pink note. right in
the midst of the bouquet, tied by mar
row violet satin ribbon.
With quickly drawn breath and tremb-
Ling hands she united the knot and
opened the dainty, scented epistle; and
these were the words that met her
eyes:
''Fair maiden flower, that dost SO shyly
stand,
Waiting tiny fate at some too venturous
hand,
Keen fhv still cwaofnoco frn,, tho s;a;n, hoo.
a9t not the winds so rudely wanton thee;
B3pom safe and slowly in the summer air;
Unfold to love aone thy petals rare.
There was no name signed-not even
an initial Florence was puzzled, but
Pleased and excited, too.
'lt cannot be any one of my circle of
gentleman acquaintances, because they
would have signed their name. 1t
must be-. cannot guess Who it can
be!' she cried, with smile and o faint
tnsh. as she looked again, with pleased
eyes, at the bold and beautiful penman-
ship displayed on the rose-tinted pa
per. II shall carry it with me at any
rate to Mrs. Drummond's party; who
ever the sender is, he will be there,
But how will know him?"
Here Mrs. Brady, dark and magni-
fcent in rose-colored velvet, point lace
and diamonds, swept into the room.
Her face wore an approving and afec-
taonate smile when she regarded her
beautiful sister-in-law in her becoming
and simple toilet.
"Dcar Flora, you will be the hand
soonest girl in the room" she cried.