The Mineral argus., 1885-04-30
FLORIXE.

thinK You Will IKE ner, AIlcc.
she is a very beautiful girl, with unus-
ually attractive manners, and-what
recommends her to Us, more than any
thing else, she is rendered quite de.
pendent and penniless by the death Of
this old man. And 1 think can trust
my little Florine to be kind to her. If
she should seek a refuge in my home!"
So saying my husband went away,
and remained sitting at the breakfast
table, idly stirring the spoon around
and around in my egg-cup.
Whatever you do, Alice. don't let
any of your husbands relations get
footing in your housed Wife and hus-
band should be al and all to each other;
and the instant o foreign element works
its way into the partnership discord in.
evitably ensues. Take my advice.
Alice. Be civil to 'em all-but don't
lot them inside your door!"
That was what my Aunt Althea had
told me upon the eve Of my wedding
day and, - . general thing, Aunt Al.
theas sdvice was excellent, both in
quantity and quality. And now, here
was the serpent already creeping into
my domestic paradise in the shape Of
my husbands Florida cousin!
However, there seemed to be nothing
for il but to submit-and the next week
Florine Fayall came-a pretty lily-like
creature with appealing blue eyes. o
soft voice like flute, and . mouth like
a cleft cherry, or Cupid's bow, outlined
in vermilion! In her deep black, there
was something irresistibly pleading and
pathetic about her-and yet, hard
hearted as accused myself Of being, I
could not learn to love her!
II know Mrs. Ellington can't bear
mel" I heard her say one evening, as
she and Charles sat by the drawing.
room FIRE. The draperies Of soft blue
silk had fallen over the portals Of the
adjoining door that led to my own bou-
DOR, and neither OF them knew that il
was not closed.
what nonsense, Florinel" cried ont
my husband, stoutly.
"But it isn't nonsense" persisted
Florine, in that plaintive contralto
of hers. "She is cold-she IL distant
in her manner. Alas! what would !
not give to win her hearth"
"Now, Florine, don't cry; that's 9
good girl" said Charles, who. like all
men, detested scenes. II am sure
Alice is fond Of you in her way-only.
you see, she isn't gushing and demon
strative, like you southeners."
"Ah, If You did but know, Cousin
Charles, how my heart pines for q
little Lowell" cooed Florine.
At this stage of affairs I judged II
best to enter on the scene, where !
found Florine on her knees in Q most
picturesque attitude. kissing my hus.
bands hand, while poor, honest Char
Icy looked about % uncomfortable as
it is in the nature Of man to look.
"What is the matter, Florine?"
asked, with frigid ring in my voice.
"Are You ill?"
And Florine, rising to her feet, the
atrically, flung herself into my arms.
Love me o little, dear Alice,
she murmured. "Ah" if you but
knew"
II know that you are nearly strang-
ling me-" retorted, pettishly. Sup
pose We put off sentiment and light
tragedy until we have had our tea.
Charles looked reproachfully at me.
Florine put on the look of an injured
angel, and I swept remorselessly on
down stairs.
But my relentless snub had one good
effect. Florine left off experimenting
on me, personally, and gradually mute
antagonism grew up between us, under
the very eyes Of Charley, who blindly
imagined us to be the best of friends.
Charley" cried out one day in do
spair, "when is Miss Fayall going?"
"Going!" repeated Charley. "Why
should she go at all? Why shouldn't
she make her home here? I'm sure
she's NO more trouble than a Kitten"
''But don't like her, Charles
"Not like her, Alice? You are preju-
diced. Florine is the sweetest girl in
the world"
TASTES differ,"I responded, shrug-
ging my shoulders. ITO me she's un.
utterably obnoxious"
"Alice."
81 believe she has bewitched you,
Charles" cried out. "And the day
will yet come, in which you will see
that l was right and you wrong in this
matter"
"Alice," said my husband in o voice
graver and sterner than / had ever
before heard him use, II will not suffer
even my wife to use such language as
this. Florine is as pure and beautiful