St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-11-11
ACCIDENT OR DESIGN !?


s'Innocent face! Why, of course she
has; that kind of women always have~
were the first words which | heard as
mounted the steps leading to the We
randa of the Rock Island house. Evi-
IDENTITY the usual beach group of gossip
ing matrons were dissecting the reputa-
ton and character OF one of their
''friends.''
Suddenly petite figure appeared in
the doorway, and by the abrupt ending
of the conversation and the air of limo
cence assumed by the matrons, Judged
that the owner of this figure was the
object of their remarks.
Coming down with my sister late in
the day, l saw the lady who had stood
in the doorway in the morning, sitting
in the midst Of a group of ladies. Those
about her were engaged in embroidery
her dainty foot on the floor of the We
randa. My sister (whom l was visiting
in the absence of her husband) intro
duced me to the group. Mrs. DeyereauX.
such was the pretty lady's name,
acknowledged the introduction by a
smile and upraising of her large, child
ish blue eyes.
II am afraid you will find us very
dull down here" she said; ''the
young ladies complain that there are so
few gentlemen"
While she spoke she played with the
fringe of her delicate cashmere wrap,
and smiled archly. Her lips had pc
culiar downward curve when she smiled
that was irresistibly attractive.
"You certainly have most devoted
admirer, Mrs. DevereauX," remarked
one of the group, with rather sour
look, thought.
YES" said Mrs. DevereauX, sweetly.
81 suppose you mean Mr.. Hermann.
He only goes with me because he fears
you young ladies. You know we old
married women are SO prosy that the
young men are not afraid of u.s." Her
eyelids dropped in sanity way while
she made the last remark, but was
sure they hid mlschievons look.
We sat at the same table as Mrs.
Devereaux. She was charming at din
ner in white gown, her golden hair
knOtted carelessly at the back of
her head. looked in vain. for her huS-
band, and wondered good deal about
him. She was as eager as child in
discussing party which was to be
given at the hotel that evening. In
deed, she seemed more childish than her
daughter, who was nine years old, and
whom | could not imagine as belong
ing to Mrs. DevereauX.
Later int the evening, as | was standing
in the corridor. she came up to me and
said she should like to have her hus-
band meet me. We went out on the
veranda, and she tripped toward tall,
stout man who WIS standing in corner,
smoking cigar. She called him Mr..
,DevereauX (shc told me afterwards that
she could not bear his first name, which
was Hiram), and thought how pretty
that sounded, as she stood there, so
small and delicate, beside this immense
man. He seemed very fond of her,
and thought that he humored her as
would spoiled child. He said he was.
going to the party, but only to please
his wife, at which she pouted prettily
and darted off.
At about II o'clock handsome, dark
haired young fellow entered the ball
room. He was greeted by mods and
smiles, and saw at once he was gen
eral favorite.
A little while after I saw him with
Mrs. DevereauX. She was smiling up
into his face with such an adorable eX-
preston of innocent cEildishness. If
for moment l thought she was flirting
with this dark-eyed young man, imme-
diately took myself to task. She was
made to be admired, | thought, and
those chances are as natural to her as
her hair and eyes. Presently she came
over to ME and introduced her COM
panion as 'Mr. Hermann" I recog-
nized the name as being that which she
had mentioned in the morning.
While dancing with Mr.. Hermann, he
told ne that he thought Mrs. DevereauX
one of the lovelieSt women he had ever
met.
II could lie down on the ground and
let her walk over me!' he said, in the
exaggerated style which / found was
his natural mode of expression. "They
say down here you know how envious
women are) that she never does any
thing but look pretty, and l tell them
that is enough. 1t would spoil her if
she were always puttering over some
bit of old WorSted work."
| could not help laughing at his
openly expressed admiration. He was
so frank and handsome!
While his wife danced (she eclipsed
all the young girls i'll the room and was
the idol of the mem MIR. Devereaux sat
outside of the window lazily putting, his
cigar and watching her. He said he
never danced, but liked to see her enjoy
herself.
Our mornings were spent OH the
beach. Mr.. Hermann, lying IN grace
full attitude on the sand, and fully
aware that he looked his best in his
white flannel suit and jaunty white cap,
recited poetry, while Mrs. Devereaux,
reclining against huge rock, tore in
pieces stray bits of seaweed, OCCASION
ally bestoWing smiling glance, from
beneath her Wide-brimmed sailor hat,
on the hero of the hour.
often wondered how Mrs. Devereaux
kept her marvellous beauty of COM
pleXion, while the rest of us were either
brown as leather OF fiery red. One aft
ernoon. going to her room for book, l
found her lying on the bed, her face
covered with some kind of white cOmpo-
sition. / learned that she never APP
peared in the afternoon, but recuper-
ated for the evening by beauty sleep
each day.
She certainly did not over-exert her
self. Her little girl adored her with the
wild admiration which children are apt
W navy iOt uuiltys plCttt uidiliiioo. WIZ
donot trouble them with undue check
ing. / did think sometimes that Mrs.
DevereauX might have taken more care
of her little daughter: but l remem-
bered that she was only made to be
pretty, and that matronly airs would
not harmoniZe with her appearance. So
| did not think much worse of her when
! found that Mr.. DevereauX put Alice
to bed every night, and sat with her
until she slept, she being afraid alone
in her room. Sometimes when he asked
his wife to go up with the child, she
would pout and say, looking beseech-
ingly at him..
"0h. no! You put Allie to bed"
And he always did.
My infatuation for Mrs. DevereauX,
and MI. Hermann's, too, thought. in
creased each day. Indeed, she could
commit foIlies which, in other people.