Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-03-27
MISS RIVERS REVENGE.

and stepped out into the grown4up world
tomeet what fate awaited me. In accord.
ance with a solemn promise, spent some
little time with an old school friend,
Clara Ramsay-one, like myself just
emancipated. Her people lived at Twick-
enham, i'll a delicious old house with
large garden.
AS the Ramsays were quiet people and
kept little company, an announcement
made by Mrs. Ramsay that dinner
party was projected was sufficient to flut-
ter our hearts. For several days before it
took place, we discussed again and again
the merits of the guests who were to be
present. AS Clara knew them all except
one, her interest was centered on the
probable appearance of this gentleman.
AS even her mamma did not know him,
all information respecting him must be
extracted from Mr.. Ramsay, whose friend
he was. Girls being inquisitive creatures,
Clara, at breakfast, egged on by me,
asked her father:
"Who is Mr.. Vincent Hope, papa!"
"a friend of mine, my dear. A very
clever young man, who will one day, I
think, be most distinguished member of
society"
The guests arrived---two by two. 'Iike
1 Clara, who, having seen little more soci-
! ETY. than had, seemed quite at her ease.
| Mr.. Vincent Hope, as became distin-
1 guished man, was late. At least, it was
| not until " few moments before dinner
| was announced that Mr.. Ramsay brought
a gentleman to me and presented him.
We bent to each other; then, taking his
arm, joined the procession to the dining
| room. We sat in our appointed places,
| and as the soup was being handed round.
Nh. Hope addressed q few ordinary re-
marks to me- Then l began to realize
| how shy--how stupid q person l was.
The only words my foolish tongue seemed
capable of forming We're "Yes" and "No."
Connected words had left me for an in
definite period. / felt my conversational
shortcomings SO acutely, that it was some
little while before / was able to look at
my neighbor, except furtively and tim
idly.
The young man was undoubtedly hand
some. His eyes-the feature woman
first looks at--were good; gray, l decided,
with dark lashes His face was pale, and
bore a look of refinement. His forehead
was high-not too highland his chin was
large, and gave him the appearance OF
possessing considerable force of char
acter. Twenty-eight, L should have
guessed his age. Altogether very creait
able young man.
In five minutes, positively hated my
self and Mr.. Vincent Hope. It may bf
kindness to bring ones intellect down tx
the lev of the listener; call it conceit
| If, in spite OF my elaborate new dress, ht
could not help seeing was but school
] girl, as there any reason why he should
, SO PLAINLY show me he saw it? He did no
even pretend to patronize me he simpl.
chose to talk upon subjects which he wa
" pleased to think was well within M,
e limited range. 1t was mortifying!
D twisted up my dinner-napkin under tn
: table, as sort of vent to my yexation
Soon I grew desperate / would shoV
s this man / was not the inane, empty
i headed schoolgirl he fancied me, or
v would perish in the attempt.
:. My fiuency of speech came back as sud
u denly as it left me. On my ow1
d account, I began to tall1-of topic
/ about which I knew nothing c
places I had never visited--of people I ha
never seen-and of books had never reat
he seemed amused at my new depar
y ure, and, / fiattered myself, tried to lea
b me on to talk. So talk 1 did, and though
,f no evil 1t was not until / had once c
. twice gone completely out of my deptt
4 right over head and shoulders, and wa
e compelled to founder back as best coult
o that l fancied the wretched man we
: laughing at me-not openly, of course; h
manner was politeness itself--yet I ha
1t an unpleasant suspicion that more tina
IN once l had made myself an idiot in h
a eyes. was greatly relieved when tt
signal came to leave the table.
1t was dull work in the drawing-roon
60 1t was very hot, too. / peeped out of tt
I'D window ard saw the garden looking mo
ae tempting in the light of a lovely autur
nal moon. How delightful it would be
I could have one walk round it. l slippt
from the room, covered my head al
shoulders with shawl, and stole throug
to the library window, which opened to tt
go ground I forgot all my little annoyan
90 In the beauty of the night; became qui
e' cheerful and happy. was 10th to lea
he the enchanting scene. At last, with
at sigh, l turned and began to retrace Il
nm steps to the house. To my horror. a!
neared it saw the French easements
~ the dining-room open. The men we
sh coming out to get breath OF fresh
,ar and to smoke q cigarette before enterl
"a. the drawing-room. What could do?
was certain to be seen. shrank from
or polite ridicule with which my nocturr
wanderings were sure to be greeted;
truth was now rather ashamed OF
av. freak which had led me into such an av
a, ward situation. / wished to extricate
self without having to make excuses a
lat explanations, and as / shuddered at
for thought of walking boldly past the kl
of of gentlemen I was compelled to adj
-, the alternative-concealme
200 On the lawn near to me grew one
:, those conical trees-a species of laure
mo the foliage of which touches the grou
OF and leaves the center nearly hollow L
particular tree was SO large that 1T form
natural summer-house, and to enabl
ibi- to fulfill its mission an entrance had b
cut through the bows on the side fartf
from the house 1t was the very thing
aer perfect harbor of refuge! Irushed ms
up Unseen and, hoped, unheard, resolve,
"A wait behind the friendly boughs until
voices which heard in the distance {
:, into silence.
the In few minutes I became aware
red voices were drawing near TO me :
oon alarmingly near, that very soon [
able to recognize them and disting
what they were saying. 1t was Mr..
:. cont Hope and his host, who had stro
lieu away from their friends.
w aYou have fine specimen of the Pc
,out euese laurel here,n said the former
con. ayes" replied Mr.. Ramsay. SITS a
=, tree of the kind They seldom G
- larger. Indeed this one is beginniI
die down. There is an entrance cut Oh
other side; SO it makes a shady, but
comfortable, warm weather retreat"
pio Then I knew that the two gentle