The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-06-07
AN lNGENUE.


since ingenues exist, which have always doubted,
u Is their essential characteristic not TO know II.
But do duty for one, and do II, moreover, very
we'll
say have always doubted whether the real
article exists. am 40 conversant with the tricks
OF the trade that may be excused II am sxcptical
as to even the very best performances In that line
We are all critics as To our own special art, and
mine Is one which annoys me II II is not carried out
lions i should never be attempted, and among these
conditions l am myself inclined to place certain
handsome women play the part, and play II with n
certain degree OF success; but they labor under ter
cess is ever assured enough to make il worth while.
], on the contrary, am emphatically qualified by ma.
inre ior ne part u would have been. indeed
spnrnlng OF the gifts she has bestowed upon me u
hau not assumed It, have soft, round, baby face,
with peach-llke complexion, and eyes which, from
"innocent." They are big and blue, and have a
trick 0hls, II Is true Ia ,np Improvement upon ma.
too was In my favor. II was as II my mother and
nature had combined to point out to me the role
was intended to play for was chrstened Innocent.
grateful The part OF an ingenue. to be successfully
carried through, must be promptly decided upon
both. do not Remember the time when was NOT
rehearsing it-when did not know more, far more,
than was supposed 70 know, or did not assume an
Ignorance OF the world which had long outgrown.
And on the whole think 1t has paid
My father died before was born, and my mother
! married for the second time widower with one
he dls.Iked me. lie has now been dead year-it
was not OF my mother, whatever ill-natnred people
were estabshed-la am thankful to say we are rich
In a house in Belgravia.
Dugiae, my stepfathers son, who Is rising barrs.
ter, lives with us, and confess that his choice OF
of @ cer e nm aT sega INV ne n SSs eer
still he makes his home with u.s. For my part,
have always liked Philip. Il he had gwen me any
but he never has Tii last month had, neyerihe.
less. lingering hope that he might enl by becom-
msner hers has disposed Of ih!s possibility and saved
me from the error of reckoning II In as factor In
my calculations as to the Of my future
| fore my slepfather's death she had happened to
overhear conversation between him and his son,
pre2s request that Philip wOuld, under no clrcun-
stances, allow himself to be induced to marry me.
~ can't think what made him do IT, said my
| thought could give guess at his reasons. His
own marriage mad not been such a success but that
enough OF the family. But did not tell mamma so.
"What did Philip say?" asked ut length
"That such an Idea had not entered his head. OF
course IL had not pursued my mother wrathfnly.
"Anybody could have seen he looked upon you as a
sister. II was so unkind and unnecessary"
That very week engaged myself TO Mir. Clement
| Ross, young man who believes as fully as even
ners; but resolved, the while vndictlvely, that
| should not be my fanlt II 'snch an Idea" did not
enter my - Dr0tnerS" mead before had done with
him. The course before me lies clear and distinct
like Glen very much he Is handsome not too poor,
| and remarkably steady. lie dresses unexcepiion.
ally, and has nice curly hair, and intend to marry
him. know, moreover, that after have married
him l shall have no more to do with my brother
MP ISf s S q, bottom ana n mean to
time intend to take all that can possibly get: to
use all the opportunities which my Ingenue.shp and
my ssterly relations afford OF Intercourse with
Philip, and finally, should II be possible, give him
one pang Of repentance for the promise made to his
| father and sighting way In which, according to my
mother he had treated the subject.
1t Is November, and only Il day or two after our
return from the round of autumn visits we always
pay-my mother anu !. am glad TO be back again
In London. For the last month Glen has always
happened to be staying at the same houses as our
selves, and ] am little tired of my Hance. We
found Philip already established in Eaton Place,
and lost no time IN imparting 10 him the fact OF
my engagement j. iansled he looked put out at the
ever anxious to ascertain his views the subject,
and this evening, as sit with book In my hand
am trying to devise an opening for the prosecution
OF my Investigations. Philip has come In some ten
minutes ago; he usually does for half an hour he
always goes to lie down. l sometimes wonder how
he manages to time his entrance 80 accurately. To.
day as steal look at him. i observe that his good
preston, which Is saying good deal. Throw down
my book.
looks up. "Are you busy?"
mot o particparly as you perceive says Philip
couraglng, hut intend goingon. look down s6yly.
ait was only-ony that wanted to speak to You
| some time when you are at leisure"
SWELL am at leisure now. Philips tone Ia
rather impatient, re,y brotherly. "You had better
make haste, the ,lressing.bell will ring directly"
| hesitatingy. / wish could bush--it is the only
branch OF my art in which am hopelessly deficient.
"What about your matriage?" says Philip, more
kindly; he has perceived my embarrassment. sits
| all right, suppose?" He Is prOvokingy matter of
fact. take sudden resolution, and, rising, cross
| the room TO where he Is sitting A low chair is at
no great distance, and drawing 1t quite near sit
| down, leaning my elbows on the arm of Philips,
be brothery, am willing to give into His Views.
up, "R9lllp" n say u. aesl!ailng IS. s, am sometimes
makes no immediate reply.
"Il would make me So unhappy 4 you didn't get
on with-with my husband" Again wish could
al believe he Is good fellow" says Philip, I'M
comfortably. "He y not quite my sort, you know,
Innocent; but then II he had BEEN" smiling IL Ia
quite certain he would not have been yours" lift
| my eyes again, little hurt this time. II Philip
| means to he brother, he shall be one with ven
| geance. His hand Is on the arm of the chair and l
lay mine on It, fancy Philip doesn't like lat least
he fagets again, though he cannot withdraw ais
q! want you to Ike hlm,"I say. ~ have no
brother but you, and"-as watch Philips face from
under my lashes feel thrill OF triumph. Some
thing has flashed across 1t which Ia not altogether
traternal Whatever 1t is however, IT Is gone in a
| O moment.
| "Ail right" he says cheerfnlly, hut rising and
moving away; ~ WIN do my best; brothers-in-law
are proverbally antagonistlc, you know. but will
attempt 10 BRING up the average. When Is the event
| to come Otf?"
sin about six months. reply. "If we continue
ment, you Know" Philip looks at ME. 'A'sN
~ hope you DO know your own mind, Innocent, y
ne says rainier seriously may call this sort OF
liltleLnt 1t does girl no good II u doesn't end In
msrrass Ana you have ~ one nn, your mother
"Ah, but never think OF taking hers" say reas-
surngly. ~ don't really, rIillph NY tone is ex-
indscreion. He looks at u loss whether to approve
or condemn me. Finally he does neither.
feelings in tie maiiers" ~ ''''' '''' " ''"' own
~ think So" say. ~ IKE Glen very much, and
sand you are sure.-" he says, and then no breaks
OIL. know his struggling between reluctance TO
into which my chlldshness may lead me. lie need
not have been afraid incline to believe that
know most about It Of the two lie turns away.
"Well, suppose Is all right. There IL the hell,
Innocent" with slight accent OF relief at the
clusion Of our interview. "You had better 20 ana
idly, ! think sometimes when j remember that few
months more Will see me married. The weeks pro-
dnce no very percepllbe change In my relations
ssiery, and on the principle that half Loaf shelter
than no bread allow Philip to be as brotherly az
| he likes. He for his part Ia variable. never had a
brother Of my own, but 1t sometimes occurs to me
that his behavior, had been 80 fortunate as pos
sess one, might not have resembled Philips IN ali
| respecis-a suspicion even crossing my mind at
times that he takes advantage now and then OF my
youth and ineNperence and our peculiar relation
ship to be what he lmagnes imagine TO he broth
erly. IL annoys me that he should take me to be
such simpeon, but, considering the results, con-
done his poor opinion OF my intellect, and the occa-
slOns upon which such suspicious are forced upon
me few anu far between. For the most part the
difference In Mr.. DuRdae IL chieny that he II worse
| tempered than ever remember MIN.
| London IL fu.l this winter, aud our engagement
| many and varied. But one half hour OF each day
pass with clock-like regulariiy-namely, the half
hour before dressing time. Day by day, as O'clock
strikes, II nds me settled In the draw ing r0om and
day by day at the same hour Philip appears. lie IL
getting on fast Ut the bar and often has TO work late
into the night, but he never fails to appear ut ms
hour. Sometimes we talk, ofener we sit reading;
at any rate we are always there. have developed
an invinclbe objection to dinner engagements, which
pernlexes andannoys mamma, hut am ilrm, though
gentle
Eel don't think it IL que-q quite nice for girl who
Ia engaged to 20 out No much" say. ~ think
Glen might not like III" and my mother reluctantly
gives In. Philip, too, seems 10 have Knocked OF
dinner engagements. Az to Clenl, he often, very
often, dinea with us-he N "a Government clerk and
engaged all day-but contrive thar he stall no,
come too early. and az he has the whole evening IL
himself, my mother going 10 sleep, and Philip In
yarably trampng OF To the library soon Az dinner
Is over he Ia fain TO he content. For myself 10 my
own irritation, nay, consernaton-for / had never
meant II to go far-I lnd that this half hour Il
becoming the one event OF my day Once or twice