St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-03-22
MISCELLANY.
IN THE RED ROOM.

IN THE RED ROOM.
By Lucy G. Lille in Harper's Magazine.
On certain brilliant January morn
ing young man was approaching the
White House, and reading a letter as
we'll as the hanson in which he was
being fastened along would permit
His smile as he read was shrewd and
reflective. The character of his face,
on the whole, was thoughtful, with
just tinge of good-humOred cynicism
in certain curves about the mouth and
eyes. But he was handsome fellow
in manly way, which even the fault
less precision of his attire could not
make foppish. Years of foreign life
and habits had not destroyed his ma
tive American humOr or alertness, but
had given to both an air of being the
result of IL large minded sort of civil
zation, which the young ladies of Col
Hale's acquaintance found fascinating
ly Saxon, and which made him among
men regarded as "gOod fellow all
around" Without many prejudices,
the young man had very decided pre-
objections, and his friends were gener-
ally aware that some six years before,
| he had been crossed in love. Miss
Marion Van Buren, had unexpectedly
Tilted him, marrying man from Cali
| fornia, whose death, however, had
made her rich widow just eighteen
months ago. Colonel Hale had made
no particular effort to meet; indeed
had not for some months cared to in
quire her whereabouts but now he
told himself that he was sure his folly
would be quickly revived, since he had
experienced such pleasure when the
letter he was now reading reached him.
"MariOn is in Washington" the let
ter ran "she is going to be at the
White House to-day at the reception /;
and so am |. Pray come there and
find me as speedily as you can. | shall
be in the Red Room, and so glad to see
you! l wonder if you can imagine
half how glad. l have only been in
! Washington day or two, or | would
have notified you sooner. Dear me !
l believe we will talk of nothing but
Richmond days. Weren't they happy,
Thoughts Be sure to be at the Execu-
tive Mansion by twelve. / hope you'll
know me after these two years."
Hale smiled again as he read these
words, for a very vivid remembrance
of the Richmond days arose, dominat
ed by the picture of the charmingly
pretty girl who had written this letter;
il girl holding as it were the secret of
her happy, joyous youth OH her lips
and in her frank gray eyes girl who
could read and care for Austin Dobson,
and look like one of his delicious Dol
lys or Susans who could sit in the
saddle for twenty mile ride and dance
the deux-temps half the night after
ward who had on one occasion played
Parthenia in private theatricals so that
she turned the heads of half her male
acquaintance and yet whose presiding
charm was purely domestic, for never
had she seemed so bewitching as when
she was pouring tea at her fathers
Richmond villa, and exercising the
most unaffected of hospitality. If he
had not been in love so long and so
bitterly with MariOn-well!
"Talk of wOman's constancy ~ Hale
said to himself as he sprang out of the
hanson "nothing but mans constan
cy ever prevented me from falling mad
ly in love with Portia Day."
And he went into the vestibule of
the White House declaring to himself
that things in this world were decided
ly awry.
A small company of people were be-
ing admitted within the sacred pre-
cincts beyond the vestibule, and Hale
followed in their wake, ushered across
the hall by polite attendant, into the
Blue Room, through the doorway of
which he beheld the fair young mis-
tress of the Mansion, to whom he was
glad enough to pay his respects as she
stood there dispensing pretty bows and
smiles, shaking hands with every one,
and saying something bright or good
humOred, it would appear to most of
her guests. Many of them withdrew,
after moment, with the air of people
who had assembled either to appraise
the furnishing of the Executive Man
sion, or exchange opinions on the per-
sonal appearance or manner of the
Presidents bride, and if Hale had not
been engrossed by the idea of meeting
Miss Day in the Red Room, it would
have amused him to linger among these
careful analysts, whose opinions were
audible and decidedly pronounced, and
who stood for the most part in little
detached groups at distances whence
they could make shrewd and critical
observation of their hostess.
Hale escaped presently through the
Green Room, and thence around to the |
lower door of the charming parlOr
where he might expect to find Miss
POrtia Day.
That she was waiting for him eager
ly was evident, for he had not more |
than crossed the threshold of the Red |
Room before he was conscious of her |
presence saw that she moved little {;
that her eyes were fixed upon the door
with something very gentle in their
greeting. She was standing against a
tall vase of ferns, whose green width |
and luxuriance formed fitting back
ground for her charming figure, in its
simple costume of soft gray, with Or
at her throat and in the clasp |
of her belt which Hale was sure he re-
mem bered choosing with her-queer
Oriental stones in dull silver setting.
Her face was framed dautily in a little |
velvet bonnet. She had, as always,
thought Hale, the look of fine finish |
which he admired in a woman, and he
permitted himself for an instant to care
for the girls fairness, even though it
''be not for him."
81 am so glad you sent for me ]" was
Hale's greeting as he took Miss Days
hand in his. And Chow we'll you are
he added.
eyes," said Portia, frankly, and
without a trace of embarrassment, al