The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-10-22

at Fosters many days before his
name was coupled with Nora's by
all the matchmakers in the neigh
borhood. The good people were
much mistaken. Will might walk,
ride, or play tennis with Nora, or
even constitute himself her cavalier
and escort on every possible occasion
but secretly his heart went out to.
ward Masadlen. Yet how, after No.
ra's words, could he dream of be.
traying his devotion How could he.
q mans whose only attainments yer
those Of physical strength and agil-
ity hope to please a girl thrown both
by training and natural bent in the
midst ofpurely intellectual interests?
Sadly he told himself that she was
not for him. Magdalen as sadly
told herself that somehow she had
forfeited Willis friendship, by which,
had he only known it, she had set
great store. He seemed to her the
perfection of gentleman, and per-
haps his want Of learning was the
thing she liked best about him SO
cordially did she hold her own blue
ness in adherence. Thus were the
two kept apart by phantom bars
rier raised between them by Nora
who, without caring for Will herself,
resented his preference for Mag
dalen. She was under no disappre>
hension as to his feelings, and yet
q petty jealousy debarred her from
doing what lay in her power toward
bringing about a better understand
Ing between him and her sister.
WHIPS last day arrived. A tennis
party was to take place st Fosters S
in the afternoon, as a sort of farewell
entertainment for him, and he did
his best to throw off the dependency
which oppressed pim.
"Will you play tonight, Aagda-
len + he asked, very hesitatively in
the morning.
Magdalen shook her head.
"No," she said shyly, 81 don't play
tcnnis.'
"Of course not, laughed Nora
"Wlil, what an extraordinary idea !
AS if You didn't know Magdalen
was above tennis
cit is not said Magdalen, color
ing ''but that tennis is above me.
l tried it again and again at Welles-
ley, but it was never any good. l
only spoil every set play in
ooh, we'll, you can't play or you
WON'T" said Nora, impatiently +;
Its all the same.''
same"
Nora's sudden i'll temper seemed
very uncalled for, but she was irrl.
tated by the disappointment on w ills
face. Presently, however. her equa-
nimlty was restored, and she said,
pointing her hand to the young man
who had turned to her, Il will be
your partner, and you, Magdalen,
need not play, but shall talk to the
people-that is, if papa can spare US
his walking dictionary Of antlqui-
ties.''
Another illusion to her blueness |!
Magdalen gave her sister an appeal
ing look and turned away. Will fell
into 8 brown study. During the
afternoon he played a good deal with
Nora as his partner. and the two
proved an lnvincible couple. AS Nora
was fully occupied with the gameMag-
dalen was called for more than once
to do her share in receiving and talk
ing to the guests. They wercs more
than ever Impressed with her intense
blueness, for the poor girl had the
heartache, and found it strangely
hard to look bright and smiling.
Many were the remarks made TO her
about Viii and Nora, who certain.
iy played admirably together. In
the middle of one exciting set. a
young married lady, who was sitting
next to Magdalen, whispered conf>
dentially, "Those two are made for
one another, srn't tney?.Depend upon
it they will be partners in earnest be-
fore Mr.. Fairbairn leaves.''
Ma 5dalen went little pale as
she answered evasively. Every
one likes to have Nora for part
ner."
Yes, yes. / know but not in the
sense / mean, What loss she will
be to US all Now tell me do you
think Mr.. Foster will let her go with
him, or will they have to waltz"
This was going too far, Magdalen
thought.
"The question has not been dis
cussed yet" she replied distantly !;
and, aved by her manner, the young
lady subsided into silence.
Magdalen vent up to her room,
when the party was over, in a very
miserable frame of mind. AS she
cast a retrospect over her life Of late
it seemed to her that her success at
Wellesley had cost her every thing
she most cared about. She did not
know how much her three years at
Wellesley had done for her. She was
not in position to realize the ALL
important difference between her