Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-10-09
The LANDsTREETS.
A STORY OF THE PEACH COUNTRY,
OSCAR DALE.
cOpyrishtea py The Every Evening Publishing Go
CHAPTER vi.
a. -~-


THR Bx-CONGRRssMAN $ DAUGHTER.
Miss Lucy Curtis, for some unexplained
reason called Miss Lutte or Lutte by her
intimate friends, was Katie Lsndstrset's
dearest friend. Sue spent large part
OF the winter with her aunt, Miss Cochran.
in Washington, that beautiful city having
cast its spell over her as 1t had over her
father, who had not merely been q
congressman for years before the war, but
had strengthened the charm of the place
by marrying there. He was rich enough
TO live where he pleased and he had ,eve,
since his wife's death, taken Lutte with
him to Washington until II had become 3
second home 10 her so that she "went to
Congress" ss she put 1t quite as regularly
rs any member and with continuing
steadfastness that many members would
have greatly envied her
Naturally Miss Lutte was regarded as
the socially omnisoient person of her own
neighborhood and such persons as she
did not choose for intimAtss were
confident that she entertained quite
lofty opinion Of herself. None who really
knew her, however, accused her Of foolish
pride, for she was sooiable by habit and
Instinct and unsel8sh by nature and
therefore not one to sllow her mind to
dwell on any real or imagined superiority
Of her own to those she acknowledged as
friends.
Was she pretty : Oh, that was matter
In dispute. Katie LAndstreet, who was
naturally Lutie's superior in good looks,
though lacking her charm Of style, would
have grown indignant had anyone
questioned her friends beauty, but Lutie's
oontemners declared that she was rather
commonplace in appearance, about which
II must be confessed there was nothing
really striking to the casual beholder.
6he was not tall nor yet "divinely fair"
Her cheeks had healthy flush despite
Washington winters, her nose was well
enough, though her critics did not fail to
mention few freokles on either side Of
II, while her abundant hair was of soft
brown color ''and all her own," as Katie
Landstrset seemed proud TO declare.
There was surely nothing remarkable in
all this, and II was not singular that there
could readily be proud people who saw
no special beauty In Lutte Curtis aside
from the fact that she had an exquisite
form and dressed In admirable talte.
But any OF the half dozen men wbo had
loved her would have told different
tale, even though some Of them had
spoiled the ending by denounoing her
Rs demure little airt, for that
oountenanoe so commonplace In the eyes
OF some was within certain wise limita-
tions as sentative TO each passing emotion
as the bosom Of the lake to the ipf neuoe
Of each passing breeze, and the beautiful
brown eyes, which seemed to him who
looked into them deep rs the wells in
which one can see the stars at midday,
could dance with Joy, sutfuse with
sympathy, droop with modesty or glance
for an instant with tenderness in way
dangerous to the heart Of anv masculine
beholder, Never to Lutte Curtis could
In the market plaos,-"We have piped
unto you and ye have not danced; we
have mourned to You and ye have not
wept." Sympathy was habit with her
Was she, as some declared, fllrt 7
That depends on what one mesrs by the
word She undoubtedly found 1t pleasant
TO be admired. What woman capable Of
inspiring admiration ia there Of whom as
much cannot bs raid She liked to be
liked, and it may be that, 60 long as 1t
did not tend too visibly to pain or i1c,n-
venienoe, she loved to be loved Farther
more sbs did like men and enjoy their
company aud attention. Such girl is
sure to attract and hold msu, and very
likely to he denounced by tho less
generous Of her admirers aid by the
euvious Of her own sex as fiirt, however
devoid she may be Of any intention to
cause sorrow OF pain to the men che
attracts. So far was Lutte Curtis from
rejoicing in her corquests tha her aunt
declared that II any rejected auitor had
had the wisdom to propose again within
an hour OF his dismissal Lutte would have
accepted him cut OF pure sympathy with
the grief she shared 80 strongly with him.
Miss Lutte vas twenty-five years old,
however, had passed seven years in
society, and had too often seen the
disoonsolate quickly oOpsoled to feel
deeply, or for any long time, ,oompunot on
for her sins against ''the opposition" as
she called them. She believed with
Rosalind that "mep have died from time
to time and worms have eaten them, but
not for love-" Naturally, too, she had
herself received plenty Of ''attentjon
without intention" from men Of society
and knew the unwisdom OF overvRluing
It, and hence she believed firmly what
she had laughingly affirmed to Barlow
and Katie, that II was time enough II
refuse q man after he had asked one.
Fond as Lutte WAS Of the society OF the
oapital she was entirely at home amongs
her neighbors in Essex and Durham, and
though her city experience made some o
the rural swsins shy OF her, most o
them were quite worshipful Of the gay
creature who frightened and enlivened
their quiet society aud one or two OF then
had pluoked up courage to openly max,
love to her, and though unsuccessful
they could make no Just complaint o.
lack of courtesy and even tenderness il
the manner OF their dismissal. Lutte
however, once declared TO Katie tina
there was q painful suddenness sbou
Essex proposals, since they were prec de-
by none Of the recognized prsliminarie
and gave girl no chance to avoid them
OF course Lutte pamed no one, but looa
gossip was less punotilious and freel.
mentioned the victims, including MI
Barlow 10 the list. Katie had never quit
believed this, but after the conversation
recorded In the last chapter she turne,
the rumor over In her mind again an
again. While this thought made cleare
10 her her own growing iondness for tn
sohoolmastsr, 1t caused her to doubt froI
time 10 time the Interpretation she ha
once unhssitRtingly put on his uncon
oesled manifestation OF strong liking TO
herself. Sometimes the recc Election I
hia looks and tones would make he
confident that Barlow loved her, and the
again there would fash through he
miud the story he had told her at Ml
Curtis', and with hot cheeks she woul
wonder for mon ent If he could hay
meant It as O warning to her not
misinterpret his intentions. This wa
however, but passing injustice, yet
left its trace on her mind and she said
herself thst if, as he declared, 1t was tim
enough for q woman TO refuse = ma
after he had asked her, II was oertainl
time enough for her to believe he love
her after he had told her 80, and Il
result was that she became appsrentl
leas inclined toward the tete a tetes vii
Barlow into which she had former
allowed herself to be 30 readily le
Naturally Barlow, who was s0mewh
over sensitive about admirers toward OF
so much better off than himself, beoar
more reserved, and, though gossip ct
linked his name with that Of hi
LAndstrest, they appeared to themselv
to have driftsd widely apart at the tin
our story opens. Had old Tom Landstre
known this he would not, perhaps, ha
been so fierce in his denunoistion
'sthe Yankee schoolmaster.
One day after Mr.. Carswen had 60
back to Boston to make arrangements
moving permanently to his new hoI
Lutie Curtis drove up to Mr.. Landstree