The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-05-23
IN SPITE OF HIMSELF.

Neither tall nor short, neither dark nor
fair, with hair between blonde and
brown, and eyes that left a doubt as to
whether they were gray or hazel. She
was Just such little bundle of unccr-
tainties and contradictions as led the
imagination captive at the first glance,
and offered constant lure to anticipa-
ton.
Whether she spoke or remained silent,
whether she walked or sat, expectation
hung breathless upon her next word, her
next pose. Her eyes, varying as seemed
their hue, shone, none the less, with
candid ray that seemed the very light of
truth, and her fresh mouth, with its
milky teeth showing between the not
too-smiling lips, irresistibly suggested
the sweetest uses to which lips can be
put.
The heavily moving steamer had
plowed through half the great Atlantic
rollers, and the few passengers had all
grown heartily tired of each other, when
she suddenly appeared for the first time
upon deck quite alone, yet calm ard self
conferred as the small birds that some
times poised themselves upon spar or
bulwark to gather breath for fresh flight.
1t was julius Hilder who had first dis
covered her. leaning against the compan-
ionway railing, with the air of having
just come up or down, he could hardly
determine which, looking absently at
the tumbling waves.
Julius and his friend, Austin Drake,
were seceders from gay party who had
made the tour of Southern Europe to-
gether. 1t was Julius who had insti-
gated his companion to desert the others
and take the German steamer for New
Orleans direct, which then touched at
Havre, instead of crossing bya Cunardcr;
and it had all grown out of the obstinate
determination on the part of his sister to
attach her party to that of Mrs. Smollett.
Mrs. Smollett was his choicest aversion,
apretentious, intriguing woman, in whom
the making instinct had been so
developed by the effort to establish her
own five daughters that it could not rest
satisfied with the accomplishment of that
gigantic task. She seemed to have an
endless supply of nieces, adopted daugh-
tiers, or proteges of some sort, whom she
dangled ostentatiously before the eyes of
all eligible bachelors. She had improved
a chance meeting with julius to announce
to him new acquisition, lovely young
creature, whom she was taking home
with her from a Swiss Pension.
"Mr. Smolett's own niece, Mr. IIilder,
and quite like my Fanny at her age.
You remember Fanny? She was your
first love- believe" she had said, with
her ogling dowager smile, and Julius
had felt himself seized at once with an
insurmountable aversion to the fair Young
niece of Mr. Smollett.
In the first heat of his indignation
against his sister he had conceived this
notable scheme of crossing by the IIavre
steamer, and though it had not IN its
development proved to be emincntly
amusing, he had never omitted to CON
graduate himself and his companion,
night and morning, upon the good sense
they had displayed in adopting it,
d" No chattering girls or designing
dowagers," he would say as he yawncd
over his book or the dull game with
which they strove to believe they were
amusing themselves, "gives man time
to pull himself together and take account
stock, as it wcre.n Still, when on one OF
those aimless pilgrimages below which
formed the only break in the monotony
of this occupation, he had nearly run
over this pretty young creature leaning
against the ratings, thrill of undeni
able pleasure had coursed along hi,
nerves and he had felt himself blushina
with pleased surprise.
Fortunately the sea-tan had rendered
the blush indistinct, but over the ligh
that shot into. his gray eyes, the sea tan
had no powerS nor yet over the tongue
that stammered as he tried to convey hi
apologies for nearly upsetting her, anC
his offers of service in conducting he
to seat
"Thank you," she had answerc,
coolly, ''you did not startle me, as / say
you coming, and | am not sure that
want IA seat"
There was no more TO be said, and he
maid appearing at that moment with
bundle of parti- cOlored wraps, Juliu
could only lift his hat again and carr
out his purpose of going below. As h
had no reason for going except that h
was tired of staying on deck, and as tn
deck had now acquired paramount a
traction, he was soon back again.
In the meantime the young lady ha
made up her mind about the seat, an
had found one for herself close again.
the ships side. on the weather quartz
1t was not pleasant location, but as 81
had chosen it, and had wrapped a lars
shawl about her in an exclusive sort {
way, he saw 10 plausible ground for il
terfering
Nothing could have been more discre
and retiring than Miss Elton's behavio
but the perseverance of a man who fine
himself bored by too much of his ow
and his alter egos society, is an inca
culable force against which no womi
can successfully entrench herself, and
it was not long before Drake found hir
self eliminated as superhuous facto
from the sum of his friends enjoymcu
whenever Miss Elton appeared abo
deck. His success, however, was mo
apparent than real for although he'kne
her name, and was allowed to carry h
book and her shawl, and arranged h
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