Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-10-03
MISS OLDHAM'S CHOICE

UEiNluk along the pdrau6 Oh bOfOuRhDOnrnQ
had kept her clear blue eyes fixed dreamily on
open fiy in which she was drew up at Brat
ley's, the principal Diapers shop OF the plaza
she got out and crossed the pavement into the
shop.
Miss Oldham had the walk and the easy.
natural dignity of an ideal queen. There was
nothing particularly beautiful in her face ex.
cept, perhaps, the eyes-and yet she had a face
in which there was whole world Of fascina-
ton imprinted somewhere. Among q crowd of
Others it was the one which would have been
almost certain to be remembered. The short
Grecian nose; the sensitive fps above ALL the
droop of the eyelids, and the dignified, direct
expression Of the clear eyes. The poise of the
head was very dignified alsO-and IL one had
happenened to catch the tone Of voice that
would have been remembered as well. It was
clear and decided, like the look in the eyes.
At twenty-seven q womans complexion Is
rarely her strong point, but Miss Oldham's
complexion had never been anything but un-
noticeable. She was not one of those enigmati-
cal women who can look marvelously plain at
one time and at another time marvelously
eyes, and that poise to her head, she could
never have looked plain. But beautiful? Fas-
cinating and queenly, yes-but there might
have been two opinions as to whether she was
1t was late summer. Her warm-colored,
handsomely made brown costume seemed to
speak of the coming autumn leaves as she
passed straight through the crowded shop to
distant counter. She glanced up and down
farther alons speRe o the
men.
al win take that Indian silk with me now
She certainly had most distinct and bell
like utterance; but the shopman looked as
thunderstruck and confused as if she had adj
dressed him in an unintelligibe dialect.
"The-Indian silk-madam-?" he SIAM
mered.
"Yes," replied Miss Oldham, looking at the
man.
She continued to look at him for another
moment, and then parted her lips as II she
Just at that instant the man burst into q pro-
fuse torrent of apologies.
Miss Oldham madam-I beg your pardon;
/ understood you to say you had decided not
To take the sikh sold the two pieces not ten
minutes ago to another customer. 1 beg your
pardon. Miss Oldham. will at once telegraph
to Liberty S for two more pieces OF exactly the
same shade
A little spot of bright color had burned sud-
She dropped her heavy eyelids for a moment
and raised her hand with an involuntary little
movement to the pin at her throat
II fancied had made myself perfectly un-
derstood," she remarked, coldly. at is very
strange"
And fancied had done so, madam" the
man answered. 81 thought you said you would
not take the silk; but that you would call in
half an hour and choose something else. In all
ibC OuStiO tudt kOtS Ou dEOuuu, i uusb nave
misunderstood-I hope you will allow me to
send to Liberty's."
Miss Oldham was very angry. The man was
telling her the strict truth, and as she was
clever woman she ought to have seen at once
that IT was so. As matters Stood however, she
disbelieved him. What she did think simply
was that she being new to BOroughborne had
been despOiled OF her rightful purchase in order
TO suit the whim of an older and, perhaps,
larger customer; and her soul revolted at the
injustice. Besides, woman-like, she was vexed
about the silk.
"You told me yourself" she said, that that
uncommon. You said If / wanted any more it
would probably have to be specially dyed.
should ma 1t very aWkWard to wait ior that as
Is still there?'
The man turned round for it and put 1t down
on the counter before her.
~ have not had time even to parcel it up,
madam" he said, with rather an offended air,
seeing that he was disbelieved. "The gentle
many, and he promised to come back and give
me the young lady's correct address. OF
course, If had understood you to leave the
matter even In INDIGESTION should never have
let the silk go. Perhaps some of our other
shades might be equally satisfactory, madam
fire. ann f6 b sun s ke ss
eyes clouded the more as she looked at it.
"If you were to explain the circumstances of
the case to your customer she remarked, still
in the same cold manner, az should think he
could hardly refuse to let me have these pieces.
Perhaps some of your other shades might be
As she spoke she bad laid her parasol across
the silk. She really had only done so in order
that she might the more conveniently fasten
a button of her glove; but 1t seemed to the man
as if she were going to take possession of it,
and his face actually grew pale with alarm.
'Oh, if you please, Miss Oldham" he said
hurriedIy, II can assure you that DIR. Werner
would never allow"
He stopped dead short, for Miss Oldham had
looking at him. Whatever there was in that
look 1t seemed utterly to deprive the man of
the power OF speech For fully five seconds she
her hand to her brooch with the same involun-
tary little gesture as before, and an instant
after took hold of the two pieces of Indian silk
II chose this silk and gave orders that 1t
should be entered to my account. The mistake,
If there was mistake, was on your part; and I
silk belongs to me. shall, therefore, take pos
session OF it on my own responsibility; and,
perhaps, you will be good enough to let Mr..
Brattley and your customer know that have
done SO. Good afternOOn!'
An instant later she was walking through the
bustling shop with the soft glowing golden silk
thrown over her left arm. AT the lace counter
she paused, and looked critically at the Valen-
ciennes and Honiton, even remarking with
hardly tell now the Imitation from the real lace;
and yet the truth was she barely saw the laces;
she was SO M angry; she eva was SO angry.
haunted by this man? She counted, as she
stood there, with morsel of the airy like fabric
in her hand, how many times this mans indi-
viduality had been thrust upon her since she
had arrived six weeks ago at Boroughbourne.
Five times, II she was not mistaken. She put
the lace down, and taking up another bit be-
gan to go over them In her mind.
First, there was the incident about the rooms
at the hotel. After engaging them she went
door OF the hotel again met the landlord. He
was SO sorry, but Doctor Werner had also ar.
rived by that train-from a tour on the CONT
nent: Doctor Werner always put up night at
this hotel on his arrival from the continent
and always occupied these rooms: and as she
liberty-just for one night-of removing her to
the other side of the passage. That was once
Then she had wanted to hire q particular
phaeton by the week, and q particular horse
The man regretted much that Doctor Werner
often went out with them. That was twice
10 the current number Of the Quarterly, and
she had left word at the circulating library,
which she had joined, that Immediately upon
its arrival 1t should be sent to her. The next
morning the librarian rather thought there
must have been some mistake; at any rate the
Three times.
Some friends had come down from London to
see her, and she had ordered q dainty little sup.
per for them from the French cook OF the hotel
At the supper everything was wrong; game
burnt, meringues tasteless. The landlord was
again proiuse in his apologies.
The fact was, there was great dinner at Bar
rtngton Crescent-at Doctor Werncr's. Four
times. And now this was the fifth! Well, we'll
she almost laughed now; and yet she was SO
angry.
She moved over TO where there was great
display OF gay ribbons. Each of the above in
cidenfs was triding. Of course; but still each
ana she had got to think that the whole OF
BOroughbOurne bowed down in worship before