The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-03-20
E Bryant the very one you

y
elder daughter, Ella-and 1 fancy her sit
uation is not particularly desirable one,
owing to Elias domineering wayss Rose
is as nice a girl as ever lived, and very
smart. but she seldom goes into society"
''That accounts for my ignorance of her.
You think she would take the part well:"
he asked.
81 do, assuredly."
"With her other duties, would she have
time to learn the part in season for re-
hearsal next Wednesday EVENING"
81 think she could manage it in single
evening""
"Then the only question is, would she
undertake it,"
'sI am almost certain, yes"
"Are you willing to see her with refer
ence to the matterM
81 am, and will let you know the result
of my efforts tomorrow, at Hurch."
THANK you"
At church, the following morning, he was
| informed by Esther VernOn-the lady with
whom the above conversation was holden
that "Rose will take the part;" and,
| later, by the same lady, was introduced to
+, Miss Bryant herself, whom he found
| petite brunette of agreeable if not fault
| lessly regular features, whose mouth In
| dictated firmness, self-possession, pride,
whose age could not have been more than
| twenty.
| His mental comment, on seeing her. was,
"She'll do the part to perfection" The
| first rehearsal confirmed this impression,
and, at each subse quent rehearsal, she i'm
| proved upon the preceding. When the
play was performed, on Independence Day,
she outdid her previous best efforts.
| Every word she made express exactly
| what was intended, and her gestures were
quite in harmony with the text. In the va
rious love passages between herself and
| Mr. Ainslee-as heroine and herO-She
| tod N
not be supposed any one could exhibit save
toward the veritable object of her affection.
The play was, mostemphatically, a success !;
| and, at its conclusion, crowds OF people
rushed to Mr.. Ainslee to congratulate and
thank him.
thanks to Miss Bryant rather than TO me, +"
returned that gentleman, y King toward
the girl who stood near him, her cheeks
flushed, her eyes sparkling with excite
ment. ITO her, especially, 3 the success
of nv innovation due"
All did as he requested save Ella Mason,
who was profuse in the encOmiumS she be-
stoweI on Mr.. Ainslee, but hs.i no word of
commentator for Rose. S!le was not
willing to take any step whiS.A would les
sen the distance, that, IN her well-known
opinion, ought TO intervencDetween herself,
daughter of the wealtb.est man in Camp
ton, and a servant.
Sunday at church, and each Thursday
evening at the pray which lat
ter he came to attend regularly, having
learned that she was never absent from it;
and the more he saw of her, the more inter
ested in her did he become. Once he es
corted her from the vestry where the even
ing service was holden to the home where
she was employed, and her conversation
chaste in diction, elevated in tone, thought
full in sentiment-convinced him that she
was fitted for quite another sphere than the
! one she occupied.
Miss Ella Mason was thirty years of age
at the lowest estimate, and her chances Of
ever becoming a wife daily grew fewer. A
state of "single blessedness" was exactly
what she desired not to njOy, and to its
avoidance she would hardly have hesitated
to adopt any tactics. For Mr.. Ainslee-
though much younger than herself-She
had conceived a warm liking, which she
took no pains to conceal, whenever they
were thrown into each others society. In
the heyday of her youth she had aspired &c
. become the wife of some man OF high social
position: now, she was less particular.
Her father was amply able and quite willing
TO give her an establishment, and very likely
Mr.. Ainslee would be ready to accept heI
and the establishment, as soon as he knew
; they were to be had for the asking. Or
his part, there was no ignorance of the rea
: condition of things with Miss Mason, and
the thought of her transparent plans called
, many a smile to his face. SO far from re
ciprOcating her regard, he had an antlpa
thy to her from the first; as brief study
of her manner was sufficient to convince
any one that she was self-willed, 'lmperi
| Gus, affected-SucG a person as no sensible
man would select for his wife.
The various invitations that she had ex
tended him to call upon them, he had re
| fused; the first that be received after form
ing the acquaintance OF Rose he accepted
!, solely in the hope of seeing the latter
, | But, during the entire evening that b,
: passed at the Nasons', she was not visible
and such was the case on three subsequent
, occasions, when he called for few min
utes.
One evening his ring at the dOor-bell wa
; answered by Rose, who, having informed
; him that the family proper had gone t,
) ride, asked him in, and he gladly awaited
himself of the opportunity for longer con
yersation with her than he had often beer
privileged to hold. Soon mnsic becam
their theme, and she expressed her gratifi
, cation that the choir had so improved unde
D his direction; said that, wherea
= it formerly panied her to listen t,
theig rendering of WORKOUT tunes
| now it was pleasure to listen to the sing
} ing in church.
"Do you play OF sing?" he inquired.
/ 81 used to do little of both"
"Win YOU favor me now? 1 presume
: Miss Mason would not object to our usinl
{ her piano in her absence. at least, / will
i assume all responsibility for so doing,
; with smile.
l ''If you will not criticise me too severe
? ly," she laughed.
7 "That promise you"
S And he opened the instrument
{ She seated herself at the piano and ra
her fingers over the keys; then she glide
D. .,
D she had finished, he said: "Please sing,"s
g TREMENDOUSLY that she looked up to his fac
near her own.
Without a word she began Labitzky'
e >Flow on, Sweet Ripping Stream" tn
1 auivering tones of her rich soprano voic
; counterfeiting the ripping of a stream
81 criticiSe youn' he exclaimed, impetu
ously. "You are by far better musicia
: than ever / shall be-"
4 snow YOU must play and sing for me,
she quietly remarked, rising from the piano
stool.
g 'That I shall not refuse to do, though m
> performance will seem Insignificant com
pared with yours" taking the vacate
seat.
In a few moments, turning to her, h
asked:
!; "why have you never Joined the choi
l in this place"
Ell principally because have had no inv
!. tation," smiling. .-'.s- H. et
1 You have had no invitation; yet yer
= tuIre to say you are the finest singer even i
Campton."
81 fear you give me credit for more thai
e is my due. At any rate, you are the onl,
t person in this town who has any know
edge of my musical ability, whatever
: may be; as, till this evening, l have neve
o played or sung a note since l came here
= Servants"-a bitter, ironicai emphasis o
Z the Iyord-stare uot Sunnosad 70 ba az
n ouainted with the accomplishments @
those occupying super Tor stations in life.
"H'mw he muttered. "Just at present
: L,n,-a charcrc of tho choir aud 1 r,ot nrnl