The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-11-26
ANNICE'S DREAM.
Mrs Harriet Prescott SpofTord.I

ner that all this luxury was inexpres5ibly
attractive To her, that the presence OF
women, all OF whose beauty was heightened
by every art OF the picturesque; OF men
either OF splendid bodies, splentid souls, or
splendid achievements; that feasts where
fruits and flowers and wines. which were the
visible aroma OF fruits and flowers, con-
cealel the grosser side OF banqueting dances,
where thu dances seemed only whirling
flower, that, in short, all the daily life of
the Downs was something which. if she had
pictured the heights of pos sibility would
yet have ex ceedet the picturs.
She was an object Of beauty herself
picuant beauty, dark but clear-with no
color except under excitsment, with great
gray eyes that sometimes seemed blue, with
outlines fins as gems, n carmine curve
of mouth, over pearls of teeth, and hair
as black and as long as a Carthnginian's.
@She is like a picture by the old masters"
said Mr.. Ammon. aFThe old masters never
made anything half beautiful" said
Julia.
what a shame to have h,r wasted here
marry soma clown and live a life of hard
work, tailoring or dressmaking OF some
thingI'
Mamma, suppose we take her to the
Down We might make Der fortune. Be-
side her Maria Duresclin is simply COM
moni"
Mrs Ammon who had been detained at
the little riverside farm by the carriage ac-
cident which had broken her ankle, and had
become attached to Annice, the young
daughter of the house, looked at her own
daughter seriously 1t had been the hope of
her heart that this daughter should become
the wife of young Dunderbeg, the desire OF
all the mothers of the Downs. 1t is true
that his intellect was that without which it
is impossible to get along at all, and that in
him the old family seemed SO old as to have
dwindled nearly into nonentity; but he was
O millionaire, a spendthrift of the spend
thrifts, and had every prospect of dying
early and leaving his wife the wealthiest
widow in society. But Julia, plain as she
was goo1-natured, was acute enough to see
that hsr mother hoped for the impossible. and
her only chagrin in the affair was the fear
of Maria Duresclin's superior sue
cess. 1t hal flashed en- her, as she said,
like an Inspiration, when taking fancy to
Annics. that if this pretty creature were
leading the life she herself lived, the whole
world, and Dunlerbeg with it, would go
down before her. Mrs Ammon looked in
her daughters eyes one long moment
"Mamma," said Julia, II am like the floor;
you will always have me with you But
that doesn't hinder our settling this little
being in paIace-a villa at the Downs,
say; changing her from a creeping grub to
q winged butterfly"
Mrs Ammon sighed. "Very WELL" she
said; 81 will confess 1 shall find my own
pleasure in it. Maria Durescin indeed.l |"
And when they left the riverside firm,
little Aanice went with them into their
world of unreal light and splendor.
"Don't bother about dresses" Julia had
said "mamma will send to Pierrot and have
everything ready for you"
"As if couldn't make my own dresses!'
cried Annice. And she showed Julia her
dark flannel yachting suit, fitting like a
tailor made Rsdfern, her white cambrics of
various degrees, and her ono black silk of
complete simplicity.
You look as if you had been melted and
poured into it," cried Julia But mamma
must give you soms.party dresses"
mo, indeed, couldn't let her. | always
did want a black lace dress though, with a
bunch of deep blue larkspurs at the breast
But | might as we'll wish for q star"
"Ill tell you whas-you mustn't be offended
you're so frightfully independent, but
you've such a knack you could fit mamma
and ma some dresses. Nobody would know,
and it would be real economy, and the price
we pay would get you black tulle and a
white one"
"But my work is perfectly plain. l couldn't
give the STYLE"
"That's the stylel' cried Julia. "Now the
things donel What season you are going
to have, Annicel All the Downs will be at
your feet. The mammas will hate you, but
you will have grand wedding"
"How you talki Why, l am the same as
engaged to Val, you know. He keeps the
store, and we shall live in the little red
house and garden"
"That brave fellow with the yellow shock
of curls and eyes like topazsss thought as
much. But say goodbye to him before you
leave the village. Mr.. Prince Dunderbeg
will change all that"
ITO Vala Ga! l couldn't" gasped Aunice.
al"
You love hims You think You do. You
will find out that you love some other things
BETTER"
But when the dresses for Julia AMI her
mother were finished and all was ready for
the campaign, Annice was lingering IN the
dark at the foot Of the old garden with Val.
Il can't ses why You want to go away" he
was saying. Nothing here will ever seem
the same again"
"Ie', there will; you will"
Not l. Those fellows at the Downs, with
their horses and yachts, will put my little
boat cut OF sight
As il / cared for horses and yachtsl'
you do. Everyone does. Butch, An
nice, il you should-it woulltkill me!' And
all at once he had taken her to himself, and
had drawn the soul to kar lips in the first
kiss lie had ever given her, and she was
eiinging to him convusively and sobbing.
Il don't know, Val. L didn't dream you
cared so. IL won't 60"
But | wouldn't let you stay. II your
love for me doesn't weigh down all there is
at the Downs, we'd better know it early"
III.
What q life it was to her then, all that
life ut the Downs! At first. strange and
phantasmal, and all the time a spectacle. it
bewiidered her; she had to get used to it
all the gay morning. the brilliant nights
the dining, the dancing, the sailing, the
drivin.. Oace or twice came the longing
for hcms, Val's boat upon the river was
more to her than these great yachts with
all their clou of sail That was all very
well; Mrs. ANN IN did not urge hsr; she
was learning the pace But one night Mrs