Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-01-15
Christmas Eve.
CHAPTER I.@COntlnued,


AS the skaters glided swiftly over the
smooth ice, Ralph Pasten failed to OBJ
serve the figure of girl who was
watching the party, believing herself all
the time to be unseen.
Celia Danvers caught sight of her,
and though she could not see her face
she recognized with a woman's quick
eye the dress which the watcher wore,
and she knewit belonged to Rose Thorn
bury.
"She is sorry enough now that she
behaved SO brusquely," thought Miss
Danvers, with. a spice of satisfaction;
1T will probably be lesson to her for
the future" And then, perhaps by way
of enforcing the lesson, Celia Danyers
asked some question Of Ralph, and turn
ed her clear blue eyes to him with such
a steadfast glance, and he bent down so
closely to answer, that an awkward
movement On his part made his long
moustache brush her cheek, simple
accident that caused both their faces to
flush suddenly.
Angry Rose saw the movement, and
the deep bushes that followed it, and
she could have sworn, in all sincerity,
that she had seen her own faitkleSs
lover kiss Celia Danvers. She was ex-
asperated and bad-tempered enough be-
fore this, her irritation at being left
alone while the others went out for a
days enjoyment had enraged her al
most beyond endurance, and she had
done everything in her power to keep
her aunt and cousin at home, but with
out success.
Finding every other plea fail, she had
pretended to be i'll, and had even sent
for the doctor, and declared she was 60
ing to die, but unfortunately for the
success of her scheme, she had done this
same kind Of thing before, and now her
aunt quietly said that Mrs. Martin, the
housekeeper, would take care of her
during the day"
Mrs. Martin shan't come near me, /
hate the sight Of her when L am ILL.,"
exclaimed Rose, petulantly.
But her aunt and Beatrice paid not
the slightest heed to her they knewvery
well that there was nothing the matter
with her beyond bad temper, and they
rightly judged that the less notice they
took of this, the sooner she would
recover.
II don't care, / hate such unfeeling
selfishness, but they can go to their
trumpcry party" Rose said to herself,
as she watched her aunt and cousin de-
part; "and what waste of fine clothes"
she continued cOntemptuOusly, "as
though anything she could wear would
ever make Beatrice look passable."
So saying she walked to the looking
glass and surveyed her own fair face,
and the contemplation proved so salts
factory that she smiled, and actually,
for the moment, forgot her ilI-temper
and all tho spite and spleen that had
been gathering in her heart.
Never mind, III have n jolly picnic
of my own" she thought, with a smile
Of defiance; "of course aunt will be
scandaliZed, but don't care, she should
have stayed at home and looked after
me; it isn't to be expected that can
remain here al day alone. | wonder
what time Ralph will call, he said he
"tHll Itb 0itt w ibllt, dllNl Nlltll Dt
does wen go off for the day together"
Her eyes flashed rs she came to this
resolution, her checks flushed, q sweet
smile came over her lips, and she GER
tainly looked an cG4uisitcly pretty girl,
for the workings of her disconnected
spirit had not yet written their story in
indclible lines upon her face. If she
lives many years longer her beauty will
change.
The charm of color and of feature
may remain for some time, but her
countenanCe will then be truer index
of the soul within than it shows Mt
present; and, let the face be what it
will, the soul is not lovely nor a Iowa
BILE one.
In anticipation Of Ralph's arrival,
and of the long and pleasant day she
meant to spend with him, Rose put on
ono of the prettiest dresses, and rs he
was still absent by the time she had
finished dressing, she thought she
would walk down to the riverside, and,
taking care not to be seen herself, have
good look at the people whom Mr..
Commission Danyers had set himself TO
entertain.
Beatrice will get hold of the little
man himself to be her cavalier il she
can" she said, with n snccr; my very
commonplace cousin is decidedly am
hitious-I only wish l were"
Then she sighed. She would have
resented tho truth, if she had heard it,
she was ambitious enough, but selfish
vanity and the reckless ratification of
every momentary within and fancy pre-
vented her from attaining anything
that required patience, self-denial, and
perseverance. So she went down to
the river, and she felt inclined to laugh
rs she SAW how Mr.. Danvers and Beat
ricewere talking together.
Likewise she made some satirical re-
mark soto uOco when she observed her
auntsmiling swcetly, while the old doc
tor, who was widower, was looking
sentimentally into her kind eyes. But
tho smilc faded from her face, and the
ill-naturcd sneers died upon her lips
when she saw Ralph Pasten and Celia
Danvers skating together.
Now she had understood why he had
kept her waiting; he had gone with the
others caring moro for n paltry picnic
party than for her comfort and happi-
ness, and she was left behind, and
alone.
She made no excuse for any of them;
her pity and compassion were all for
herself.
After her first outburst of anger
more permanently resentful feelings
took possession of her soul. To her per-
Nerted Judgment it seemed to be 4
deliberately planned thing throughout.
Mr.. Danycrs assumed that she had re-
fused his invitation before she had
done 50, simply because he did not
want her in the party lest she might in
teriore with his attentions to Beatrice,
and, in addition to this, he wanted to
secure Ralph Pasten for his sister, so
she would have been doubly in theway.
Yes, l SEQ it ALL" she muttered
furiously, "and would give my right
hand to be able to show them to-day
that | don't care-that l despise them
every one, and can live my life without
them"
In this frame of mind she walked