The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-05-01
STOPPING To Win Him.


STOPPING To Win Him.
The clock on the nearest church
struck four, rs stylish private carriage
turned .out OF the throng on Chestnut
Street. Philadelphia, and drew up be-
| fore the door of n handsome brown
stone mansion only few PAGES beyond.
The house was one of those fine
imposing residences built before the
revolution, of which so few now remain.
Modern taste had revolutinized its
awkward aspect, in measure, but
within it kept its staid, oldworld look
of luxurious comfort, offering to
visitor its substantial chairs and sofas
its CHEEKY fires in tiled freplaces, its
massive mahogany tables, and its
crimson-velvet draperies, in fashion if
not in actual material, unchanged from
the time of lone hundred years ago."
In one of the great arm-chairs before
the fire, slight, pretty, fair-haired
girl, of twenty-seven was lounging with
a novel in her hand.
| A servant entered-a smartly- dressed
French maid-bearing beautiful
| boquet on silver salver
For me ?" asked the young lady.
"No, Miss Isabel. 1t was left five
minutes ago by Capt. Joyce's servant.
was coming up the steps Just then,
and he placed it in my care for Miss
| Genevieve."
"She has just come home" said
Isabel Wardroper, shielding her face
| with her book. II heard the carriage
stop. You need not carry it upstairs,
Estelle leave it on the side-table, and
when she comes 1 will give it to her.
Was there any message left with itS"
"No message, Miss"
The girl laid down the flowers and
departed.
Isabel Wradroper listened moment,
then rose and took the boquet to the
window.
"As l expected" she mnttered
Here is letter-from him."
With spiteful wrench of her white,
jeweled fingers she tore it open, and it
| read as follows -
Il could not say all wished when
we last met because your Cousin Isabel
joined us too soon.
But you must have understood my
meaning, dearest Genevieve. You must
know that / love you-that wish you
| to be my wife.
"f you consent, wear the white rose I
| send you with this, in your hair, this
evening, at Mrs. Glenroy's ball If you
do not wear it l shall know my doom at
a glance, and you will never again be
annoyed by "VICToR JOYCE"
Miss Wardroper was fatherless
heiress, the leader of her own "set," the
queen of fashion, and in virtue of all
these things, an acknowledged beauty"
as matter of course.
Yet the face was positively ugly us
she bent over this most genuine love-
letter. The pretty blue eyes that could
give such shy, appealing glances at her
admirers, looked cold and hard as steel
now and the small white teeth caught
the under lip so sharply and savagely
that they drew blood.
Never shall she win you! Never
shall you triumph over mel" she cried,
and thrust the letter and the flowers
deep down into the glowing fire
What peculiar perfume" said
Genevieve, coming into the drawing
room few minutes later, looking fresh
and rosy after her long drive against the
wind "What is it Bell2"
This pastille, l suppose" said Isabel
motioning toward the smoke that curled
| from the miniature watch-tower in
silver, on the table by her side. "What
shall you wear tonight, Genevieve?"
"White, of course" said her cousin,
| absently.
Then I'll lend you my pearl neck
lace and bracelets, and those lovely
| pins, with chain-drops for your hair.
They viii show to great advantage in
your black braids," said Isabel, speak
ing in kind careless way
will you?' Geneyieve's eyes
frightened with pleasure at the thought
of looking well in the eyes she loved
You are so good to me- dear Isabel
Every one is good and kind, think. 1
cannot imagine why people so often say
and write that this is an unhappy world
| of ours.
She went singing up to her own
room to make some preparation for the
oi.ette Of the evening.
| lsabels blue eyes followed her. Ar
evil smile played around her pretty
mouth meanwhile.
| You will be wiser, soon, on thai
point Cousin Genevieve and it will be
my fault that you are So But since one
OF us two must suffer in this business,
am fully determined that it shall not bt
| myself"
49, ..ss
"Infatuatedl That is the proper
word to use. my dear" said Mrs. Ward
roper, looking up from her breakfast a
her daughter. 81 never saw MAJ
more SO, in my life. And no one coult
wonder; no one in the ballroom coult
compare with you, Isabel That toilet,
OF rose-pink and diamonds was you
greatest success, and we need no
regret its cost noU chat our object i
attained"
Isabel Wardroper glanced at her own
handsome face reflected in the pie
glass of their hired lodgings in
fashionable London square ~ Handsome