Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-22
/ MIND OF HER OWN.
IAN the scsr Ronnd.l
CHAPTER I.

But oos TcpNtu hcF Soa>tn,
Nora Clsus, with the utmost calm.
alt u absurdl You who have two
thousand q year. aud who came 70 me-
At least ] thought so--sith the inten.
tioa Of making good marriage, want
10 20 into . diapers shop 10 be q CON.
mon shop.Risl !"
"wsll, why nots The only require
msnis for such position, besides hcn-
ssty ard knowledge Of compound adj.
dition. are, | believe, fairly good hg-
ure and no objection TO wearing black
gowns. Thick my tigore will pass"
said Miss CLINE. survey ing her graceful
form critically in long mirror, "and
black Is becoming TO me. ought TO
get situation, in spite OF my want OF
experience"
alt isn't that" cried the mstroo.
"You know very veil what | mean.
You cueh,n't TO want q situation, ana
the way yoa are talking Is simply mad.
You are just tvsnty-ons, aud you are
an heiress. Thanks TO your guardians
idio,ic pr,jadices, you have never been
IN London before. You are undenisbly
good.lopking; yet, instead Of caring, as
. sensible gul should, about balls aud
theatres, and securing good establish
ment, your first wish is TO shut your
self up in stuffy, horrid shop, where
you'll have to stand for hours, till your
feet ache and your brain reels, and yet
be expected TO DO active aud smiiing'
You are unqusstionably insane
al hope not, Lou; | think not" re-
piled Nora, with smile Of rather con-
scious superiority. "f You have emu
merated the very reasons why ] want
to make this experiment. have READ
in the newspapers articles telling how
shop.cirls are overworked and i'll
treated, and think my two thousand a
year, and perhaps the good looks you
say l possess, should help me in cru
sade ! mean to preach sgainst their
wrongs. But / don't want to have
men say to me, as they usually do to
every woman who is in earnest about
any question, You don't know any
thing about the matter | want to
know my subject--to have data in my
own experience"
"And Mrs. Pcnfeather spoke
with anxious solemnity-" do you mean
to pass all your life in one OF these
places?" .,
Miss Clyne's smile became q little
mischievous.
"Oh no." she said. =" After six
months experience Of millinery, shall
probably become bar-maid, and then
perhaps q ballet-girl."
Mrs. Penfeather fairly screamed.
81 won't do it, Nora; | will not do
II. csnno. let you degrade yourself
in those horrid ways. What would Sir
George think Of me?"
al cannot guess, though | know
what he thinks Of you already"
"wbat is it? Do tell me !" cried
the mairon, expecting something com
plimentary.
"He saws that you sre "a coafOund-
ed matchmaker that's his very
phrase--s who has q score OF needy for
tune-hunters round her ready to pounce
on an ignorant girl with little money
that's me-"
"Your guardian is IA brute Tex
claimed Mrs. Lou. with tears OF anger
in Der eyes.
ale ia q donkey, at least" re-
turned Nora, calmly. "He would be
furious if be knew my plans. dis
wish was that | should remain In his
house till consented to marry a gen
t)eman of suitable rank and wealth.
be said-in short, some one OF his
choosing. 1t was my announcing my
determination, as soon as | attained my
majority, to pay that visit to you to
which he had always refused his con-
sent that made him characterize you in
the terms / repeated. You see, he Ii
Jealous Of the influence you have over
me-"
Mrs. Penfesther had not q shadow o
influence over her cousin, who, indeed
prided herself on her Independent
ways; but the suggestion flsttered Lou
and in the reaction from her recent In
diguation she began to judge Nora
scheme more leniently.
"But, my dear" she said, returnln
10 the original subject of conversation
"you don't really want to be ballet
girl, do your"
"No, l was only testing when
threatened that. / want to make tn
ore experiment Of month in draper
shop. Nobody but you and M'
Penfes,her knows that ! am in Londor
and he won't mention the fact to IA
ope-I don't interest him sufficiently.
IL you'll only be q good, kind, obligiu
cousin. you will get me situation wit
that Blackjack to whom you are such
good customer and month hence yo
can announce to -shs half dozen futul
husbands you have selected for me II
arrival Of your charming cousin iro
Yorkshire. IL you won't do what
want l will return TO Swariedale .
morrow; bnt il you Will promise
remain with you elk months, IL yo
don't tire OF me before, aud to mari
the whole six II nothing less will sati
fy you"
Mrs. Pepfeather protested lit,
longer, but more feebly. When one
thirty. tiye, and is growing stout, sn
has husband who hates going out al
doesn't like parties at home, invitation
become less plentiful than they wei
ten years before, and 1t is margello'
FLIP TO mstron's popularity and a
addition to her prestige to have yonr
and handsome heiress to take abol
with Der. Mrs. penfeather's temper
happiness being measured almost Who'll
By The number Of evenings she cou
spend in other peoples drawing-room
she really ionged for that incress
number OF requests for the pleasure
her society which Nora olyne's re
dencs with her would produce. The
fore she gave her adhesion to the gin
scheme for disposing OF the first moi
Of Der stay In London, on tho expr
stipulation that for year theresf
Nora should make the Penfealher est,
lishment her home.
r A