Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-08

little peasurable ,tremor of excitement
meet her
Mrs Hale's drawing-room was full whe
the Miss Harveys arrived, for in the
hoSpitable regions luncheon is not light az
airy nothing, to which You are invited TO 5
down to trifie with fragmantary dslicacios
an excuse for meeting and conversiug in tt
middle of the day 1t is rather a good, sui
stantial, sensible repast, commencing wit
soup and ending, after many intermediat
courses, with grapes worthy of being ofrere
up at the shrine of young Bacchus
Accordingly, wise hostesses take the OF
| portunity of wiping off the scores again,
them by inviting just as many to these mid
day feasts as they would TO late dinner
which has its conveniences in the winte
season, when the precipitous character of th
country in this part of the county is take
into consideration. So now Mrs. Hale ha
called n large number OF the incest peopl
she knew to come and eat luncheon and loo
at Mrs. kesterton.
The kestertons were in admirable time
they timed their arrival with such exuuisit.
punctuallty that, though the luncheon Wi
announced the moment after they came, an,
though they were the last corners not ,
single dish was kept waiting for an instant
Stlli, II they had been a few minutes earlier
their kindly hostess would have been better
pleased. Size did so much wish to introduce
the beautiful Mrs KeSterton to two or three
of her old friends-notably to her dear
friends the Haryeys
But 1t was impossible. Luncheon was an
nounced, and Mrs. kesterton swept off in a
pansy -colored velvet dress. the outlines de.
nned with feather trimmings of the same
shade, on DR. Hale's arm.
A little hum-it did not amount to a
buzz z'-of admiration followed her. 1t pro-
ceeded from the assemblage of ladies', and
was called forth--"eXtracted' from them.
In fact-by the way she had embraced every
one In the genial apology she had made for
not having come two seconds sooner. The
perfect cut and fit of her dress had something
to do with it The Miss Harveys were so
taken with her profile and back views, as
she slid into the drawing ROOM and was then
wheeled OFF into the dining-roo bv her
host, that they quite felt that they had been
culpably negligent in not having called on
her before.
Really culpably negligent" Miss Harvey
whispered to her hostreSs, next to whom she
was setting; land l am sure Cynthia feels
the same" Cynthia was the second Miss
Harvey, the staider and more thoughtful,
and, perhaps, shade the less popular of
the popular sisters.
Miss Cynthia is quite struck with Mrs
kesterton's beautiful FACET can sea that.
she has hardly moved her ewes from Mrs
heSterton since We SAID own" Mrs. Hale re-
joined in high good humor. Mrs. Kesterton
had been spec tally engaged, DAYS before
II
luncheon. Therefore, Mrs. Hale was natur
ally well pleased that the graceful attrac-
hon which she had secured should be a
prominent object Of attention and topic of
An, cynthia is an artist, You know
Mss Harvey said with pride self taught
n her youth, poor dear, We hadn't the means
If getting instruction for her-but IA real ar
lst, 1 assure you She always sees more In a
ace than do, reads off the bad and the
.ood that speak through the human coun-
enance like book"
"She can only read what is good in that
ovely face am sure" the hostess replied.
warmly; :nd Miss Harvey agreed warmly
With her, and again expressed the opinion
hat she and her sister had been cuipabIy
egligent in not having called on Mrs. Kes-
erton before this.
But at least the pleasure of an introiuc-
on to the bewitching stranger was prom
ed TO her as soon as Mrs Hale could get
he opportunity after luncheon And Miss
arvey, contented with this promise turned
er attention to her immediate neighbor
urlng the rest of luncheon time, and be-
anne immersed in local politics.
II was winter when this agreeable little
,union took place at Mrs Hale's hospitable
Ouse, and that lady was utilizing her priyi-
geS and the occasion to the utmost, by hay-
g an afternoon at home" to follow the
ncheon Several young ladies from the
country houses had been invited
bring few songs and little music
I'd their brothers and cousins. if these gem
emen could he persuaded TO come home an
'ur or two earlier from shooting for the
Ike of hearing Mrs. kesterton sing. Thess
vltatioDs had been freely responded %.
'on there was quite little crowd in Mrs.
ales drawing-room, and as it was thickest
und the popular beauty, the opportunity
being introduced to the latter, which Miss
arvey so ardently desired, was lost to her.
Mrs kesterton sang well. and received all
e plaudits which her singing called forth.
'eetly and unaffectedly Miss Harvey
injured to remark TO Mr.. Kesterton that
e must be very proud of his gifted wife,"
which he reused himself from day-
cam and generously declared that he was
cry proud of her; she was a real
imp! She did what she wanted to do and
int care what any one thought of her.
ed snap her fingers in anyone's face who
mt agen hsr-that's what she'd do; and
Y hntt1d nj ha1 ha-I .
aims and a laundering good banking ac-
INT"
Mr.. Kesterton's manner and diction struck
IS Harvey as being odd" to say the least ,
it Indeed, though he looked we'll, dressed
u, and stood well, Miss Harvey could not !
p arriving at the unpleasant conclusion
It the charming woman's husband was not
;sntleman- !
It was not till the party was breaking up :,
Mrs. kesterton was departing that the
reduction to her was effected for Miss S
lrvey. In the haste of the moment Mrs. s
lie forgot to mention Miss Harvey's name; {
Mrs keSterton's reception of her was as
dial as if Miss Harvey had been duchess
1 hope to see you soon, and often at the
Ike house." she said quite effusively in her /
,erly energetic way, warmly shaking I
nds with half a dozen people simultane- L
'ly. Then summoning her "Lion,n as she I
led her husband, she swept away out of l
house with graceful velocity, and the 70
lining guests burst forth into eulogies of J
beauty, grace, and unaffected vivac- v
;" y
Sot all the remaining guests, though. a
S Cynthia was strangely silent. Miss I
nthia looked strangely scared. Miss Gym
a was most strangely unsympathetic. .
1 hope-1 pray with all my heart l may y
'er see the woman and her evil spirit :.
lin, ;" she said, when her sister forced her I
give expression to some sort of opin- Il
respecting the general object Of interest. u
You surely can't call that distinguished e
king husband Of hers her evil sp;ris"" u
$. Hale asked blithely, while the others ,
ghed and jested. and declared that poor 9.
IS Cynthia was as piqued as man might @
re been by having been overlooked by the o.
tivating beauty" W
o all this jesting Miss Cynthia turned a Il
lry ear, and privately begged her sister "
go home at once" admitting that she Ii
) strangely upset by something" u
they had followed the popular beauty ii