Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-11-26
VANITY HARDWARE
BY ALAN MUIR.
.t Nv CHAPTER XXI
IN WHICH MRS. HARDcAsTLE MAKES Hu
FlRFWEII, Row

FAREWELL BOW.
Now, how did these two women live 70
the next twelve monthsi Doing works q
mercy-visiting the sick. teaching in tn
parish schools: attending church daily. NAL
ing two In congregation Of seven; reading
together in simmer under the shade of the
rectory trees; In winter at the fireside; Van
ity studying French to make herself psrfsct;
learning to make butter and to do little bits
OF cooking. and TO housekeep generally.
Why, II Miss Vanity Hardware, of tie
theatres royal IN several provincial towns,
had been told that such life was before her,
that young lady would have called it by an.
ticipation a true penal servitude Asa mat
ter Of fact, she found the time pass most
pleasantly, and her own character and dis
position so changed that she scarcely knew
herself Her Improvement cannot be better
described than in the words-genders only
exchanged-of great old master, applied to
hero, after whose name for long enough a
note OF query might well have been written:
whatever in her nature had a tendency to
vice had been corrected by continual con.
yersation with this good woman. She had
also, by reflection on her past follies, acquired
discretion and prudence very uncommon
In one Of her lively parts" ....
Sometimes they had visitors For instance,
Mrs. Hardcastle and Arabella, who were
staying at bennington, drove over one day
after luncheon in a carriage and pair, with
great majesty; indeed, the chariot whirled
and thundered into the village so unexpect-
edly that the good old lady found herself in
the midst of flock of geese, who suddenly
dispersed themselves in terror, with Tapping
Of wings and fearful clutter.
Sister Catherine was polite to Mrs. Hard
castle, but, not relshing her ways, she
allowed Vanity Hardware to conduct the
greater part of the conversation. So old
Mrs. Hardcastle, much against the grain,
had to exchange sentences with that "acting
MINK" as she afterward termed her; but
Vanity was cheerful and pleasant and we'll
bred. gt1 t
"Do you enjoy this cottagef" she inquired
of Sister Catherine.
Vanity took upon herself to reply:
.Oh, It is SO NIGEL Weareso happy herer
] MIS- Hardcastle hereupon resolved to i'm.
prove the young persons mind. 80
Happiness is our duty" said she 'If
Providence were to send some of us to two
roomed house and some of us to Windsor
Castle, it would be the duty of all parties TO
be equally happy"
"Only," Vanity said, laughing, II should
like you to be sent to Windsor Castle; you
would be far more at home there than we
should"
old lady, who was not accustomed to hear
her moral axioms treated with familiarity.
She signaled her daughter to rise and then
asked the question which was her business
that afternoon.
"Does Mr.. Pembroke ever come to see your
Two pairs Of cheeks colored at this intru-
s1ve query; but really the sister blushed
more deeply than Vanity Hardware.
''They are all staying at Malvern. Ihave
lov
Next weekP' calle1 out Mrs. Hardcastle
much interested. 'Ther Mr.. Pembroke can
not come; he is going to Edinburgh"
He tCds," Sister Catherine said, with
quiet emphasis; "but )ie wrote to say that
he would postpone that visit, and come here"
:. "Arabella," said Mrs. Hardcastle, 1T is
time to CO."
The time was now early autumn. During
nine months Vanity had met Tom Pembroke
only once. or course every woman must be
interested in man who has once truly loved
her. During that five minutes interview
Tor that was the length of it-Vanty's heart
auttered little Whatever Tom Pembroke
felt he managed to conceal, and his behavior,
so Vanity thought, was perfection. But, in
point OF fact, he was a well-bred man, which
is the rarest creature that lives; for the fine
artistic sense and the .quickness of sympathy
which give the finishing touch to manners
are denied to most masculines Everybody
admitted that Tom Pembroke's manners were
charming, and Vanity was in an extraor-
ilnary degree susceptible to this particular
grace. AS she walked along the village road
chat day she caught herself wondering could |
she ever have loved Tom Pembroke2 Yes
Then, with arush of self-accu-
sation, she asked what had become of her
passion for Willie Snow. It was gone, van
ished. Why had she ever loved one whom
now she loved no more9 Perhaps his sur |
roundings, rather than himself, had attracted |
her. But why, then, that long persistent |
mood OF lawless hking-so wicked, SO undig- |
nified, the memory of which even now made |
her cheek burn?
Vanity shrunk from any further self-in-
spection; only she inly renewed her vow that
love should enter her heart no more
'You saw Mr.. Pembroke to-day,n Sister
Catherine said that evening.
"Yes.n IS ia.
'No."
HE is a great favorite Of mine," contin-
ned the sister, watching Vanity narrowly
''my particular pet"
Vanity knew that a tell-tale blush was ris-
ing on her cheek. Not now for the first
time had those kind eyes searched her when
Tom Pembrokes name was mentioned. She
would not let her blush be seen.
Particular pet" she cried, laying her
cheek coaxingly against Sister GATHERINGS
ACE; ~ must be the particular pet! l.
The blush was hidden; but Sister Cath
,rine was not to be altogether evaded.
Vanity, will you ever marrygn
mo" she answered, quite sadly; mot
,ow.n
What does mot now meang' the sister
lsked, with almost maternal tenderness
. not now,' SO very sadly spoken?n
She thought Vanlty's face looked wonder
ully beautiful just then-quiet, chastened.
'ull OF noble purpose. But all the girl said
vas:
Il want to live with you"
Suppose / were called awayg'
Called awayl What do you meang'
From the world, child"
Vanity was stunned; then, in an instant,
whole chain Of incidents, which till now
he had never understood, became intelli.
ible Every drop of blood left her face,
nd her lips scarcely moved as she managed
o articulate:
Are you going to dier' II
my ne hangs by thread" Sister Cath
rine rep lied. ''All the chances are against
They were sitting under a great cedar
rec in the rectory garden. A few minutes
efore Vanity had been thinking that the !,
vide spread summer landscape, tue scent of
he flowers, the blue sky, aud the breeze | 7
hat stole by half unfelt, were images OF 1
er own tranquility. Only few words
ad been spoken, and the summer glory was
Il there unchanged; but Oh, how little mean
1g was in it now!
What is the mattera" she asked at last.
Don't ask me, child"
Vanity did not speak again for a long
me. She was trying to compose the I
1mult of her thoughts. and most OF all to p
estrain the outburst Of grief which she felt
npending And SO she looked away at the
lstant landscape, desperately contending 9
ith herself; but her eyes, and the gather =
g sorrow in her face, showed that the q
ruggle would not be long. In
1T is no surprise to me, Vanity. have s
ID long. warning" h