The Wilmingtonian., 1885-05-23
THE STORY TELLER.
stooping TO Win Him.


... ~
STOPPING to Win Him.
The clock on the reafest church struck
four, as stylish private carriage turned
out of the throng on Chestnut street, Phila-
delphia, and drew up before the door of a
handsome brown-stone mansion only few
PAGES beyond.
The house was one Of those fine, imposing
residences built before the revolution, which
now remain.
Modern taste had revolutinized its awk-
ward aspect, in a measure, but within 1t
kept it1 "',id, oldworld look of luxurious
comfort, offering to visitor its substantial
chairs and sofas, lis cheery fires in tiled fire
places, its massive mahogany tablet, and its
crimson velvet draperies, in fashion if not in
actual material, unchanged from Zone hun
dred years ago."
In one of the great arm chairs before the
fire, slight, pretty, fair-haired girl OF
twenty-seven was lounging with 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 min
utes ago by Capt. Joyce's servant. was
coming up the steps just then, aud he placed
it in my care to give it to Miss Genevi-
eve."
"She has just come home," said babel
Wardroper, shielding her face with her
book.
81 heard the carriage stop You need not
carry it upstairs, Estelle; leave it on the
side-table, and when she comes will give
it to her. Was there any message left with
it p'
"No message, miss"
The girl laid down the flowers AMI depart
ed.
Isabel Wardroper listened a moment,
then rose and took the boquet to the win
dow.
"As expected" she muttered. "Here
is letter-from him."
With a spiteful wrench of her whita, jew
eled fingers she tore it open, and it read al
follows:-
~ could not say all 1 wished when W.
last met, because your Cousin Isabel joinet
us too soon.
'sBut you must have understood my mean
ing, dearest Geneveve. You must know
that love you-that I wish you to be m,
wife.
off you consent wear the white rose
send you with this, in your hair, this even
ing, at Mrs. Glenroy's ball. If you do no
wear it / shall know my doom at glance
and you never again will be annoyed b
me.
VIcToR JOYCE.
Miss Wardroper was fatherless heires'
the leader of her own ''set," the queen {
fashion, and in virtue of all these thing
and acknowledged sbeauty," as a matter {
course.
Yet the face was positively ugly as SD
bent over this most genuine love-le
ter.
The pretty blue eyes that conld give sue
shy, appealing glances at her admirers, lool
ed cold and hard as steel now, and IL
small white teeth caught the under i
SO sharply aud savagely that they Dire
blood.
''Never shall w. lever sha
you tt,umph tR6ii
--.sasfe istref ND tns mowers =
glowing fire.
"Wbat peculiar Perfume" said Gene'
eve, coming into the drawing-room fe
minutes later, looking fresh and rosy aft
her long drive against the wind, "What
itBell ?"
''This pastille, 1 suppose" said Isab
motioning toward the smoke that curl
from the miniature watch-tower, in silvt
on the table by her side.
"What shal you wear to night, Gene
eve ~
"White, of course" said her cousin, a
sently.
''Tben I'll lend you my pearl necklace a
bracelets, and those lovely pins, with cha
drops for your hair.
"They will show to great advantage
your black braids," said Isabel, speaking
kind, careless way.
"Will youP" Genevieve's eyes brighte
ed with pleasure at the thought of looki
well in the eyes she loved.
"You are SO good to me, dear Isab
Every one is good and kind, think. 1 CT
not imagine why people so often say a
write that this is an unhappy world
ours"
She went singing up to her room to ma
some preparation for the toilet of the ev
ing.
Isabel's blue eyes followed her.
evil smile played around her pretty MOI
meanwhile.
"You will be wiser, soon, on that poi
cousin Genevieve and it will be my ia
that you are SO. Bnt since one of us
must suffer in this business, l
fully determined that it shall not
myself"
-
Infatuated That is the proper word
use, my dear" said Mrs. Wardroper, look
up from her breakfast at her daughter.
never saw man more SO in my life. 1
no one could wonder; no one in the b
room could compare with you, lisa
That toilet of rose pink and diamonds
your greatest success, and we need
regret its cost now that cur object is att
ed.n
Isabel Wardroper glanced at her (
handsome face reflected in the pier glass
their hired lodgings in Fashionable Lon
square.