Wichita eagle., 1888-12-27

tnlS Is tDe RESULT
And pretty little Nine ParitoR sighed
heavily and turned up her fine eyes with a
look Of unutterable pathos. Her friend, the
Vicomptesse de Revers. short, comfortable
matron, fat and forty, but-like the majority
Of French women-by no means fair, also
sighed and endeavored to look as sympathetic
as her absolute ignorance of the matter in
question would allow Of The couple were
seated In one OF the shady allees at Spa, near
enough to the band for its strains to be dis
tinctly audible, but not so near as to prevent
them conversing freely. A stream of people
passed constantly up and down, and Nine.
Paritof was frequently obliged to break of
IN the recital of her woes to acknowledge,
with stately inclination or smiling nod, her
numerous acquaintance and friends.
you were saying, dear madam interro-
gated the viscountess, after pause.
Il was saying then how inconceivably
have been disappointed in my plans for
Anna. You know how l have brought her
up-English nurses and governesses, riding,
walking, cold water, Independence, liberty
que sais-je, moii Everything that is most
English. wished her to marry an English
man, for thus l thought l should best insure
her happiness.
"Well, my hopes appeared about to be
realized five years ago, when, at seventeen,
in this very place Anna engaged herself to
young Mr. Twickenham. His fortune and
position were good, and he himself charming
There was but one drawback: his father I'm
John Bull pur sang, objected to his marrying
a foreigner. At first he refused his consent
altogether, declaring his son was too young
TO know his own mind; but finally agreed to
withdraw bis opposition if after SIX months
during which time the young couple were
neither 10 meet nor to correspond-they were
still firm In their resolution. Well, you will
hardly believe it--before three months had
passed my prospective son-in-law wrote TO
break of his engagement his love had
cooled, suppose, for he discovered that he
and my daughter were unsuited to each
otherI She will never get over it; I cannot
persuade her to think Of marriage, though
several suitable parties have presented them
selves; all men are alike, she says, and she
will have nothing more to do with them"
''Do you think then she is still attached to
her Englishmanp
Her Englishman! Oh, de grace, madame,
do not speak of him thus. Anna cannot
bear him; will not even permit me to hint
at this episode in her life. Judge then of my
dismay and grief on hearing this morning
that he is here, actually here, and that we
may meet him at any time. You know I am
in the very middle of my cure; it would not
be possible to leave now without grave in
jury to my health"
Actually here-Bonte Divinep calculated
Nine. de Reyers. ''EFhat a complicationl
What then will you do, chere amie2 what
does Anna herself says"
"Annar' Gn little scream). 81 took good
care not to tell her. 1t would quite spoil her
pleasure for the rest Of our sojourn here; and
here, as ] told you, it is absolutely necessary
for me to remain. 1t is possible that this
young man may, on discovering our vicinity,
have the good taste to retire l can hardly
imagine no would be forward enough to wish
to intrude himself on our notice. 1t is
again possible that, surrounded as Anna in
variably is, she may not be aware of his
being here; they tell me he does not go much
into society. In any case, shall leave it to
chance-and Providence" she added, piously,
II must try not to worry. Ny doctor as
sures me"- and Nine Paritoff, whose
health was just sufficiently delicate to be Of
al absorbing interest to her and not so much
as to prevent her going about as much as she
liked, launched forth into dissertation on
her favorite topic.
Little did she know that at the very same
moment Anna was walking up and down
their drawing room. in a frenzy Of excite
ment, on discovering the name of Basil
Twickeaham in the list of visitors to Spa
Once again she reviewed her brief love tale,
her blind faith IL the man who had forsaken
her, her girlsh dreams, and then the rude
awakening, the shame, the bitter indignation
She had lived il all down at last; she had
hoped that the very memory of it would in
tine fade out of her life; and now this man
must needs insult her afresh by bis close prox-
unity However, she would know how to
conceal her annoyance; no one, not even her
mother. should guess at the emotion she felt;
Rs for Basil, she would prove by her airy and
serene demeanor how easily she had got over
the past.
Tie next morning. when Nine. ParitoY
was quefilng her matutinal glass Of water.
with the aid OF sirop de Groseilles and sundry
g11maces, at the Pauhon, she was surprised
to see her daughter bestow gracious bow on
young man who was approaching, and who,
unlike the generality of their acGuaintanceS,
had not first uncovered. Down went Nine
ParitoTs glass and up went her gold pince
nez, Just in time to see Basil Twickenham
color up TO the roots OF his brown hair and
return the salute with grave dignity.
do YOU see, mamma. II is Mr.. Twicken-
ham," said Anna, in her most matter of fact
tones How funny TO meet him here again,
is it notf'
Nine. Paritof gasped, and clutched her
daughters arm for support, while the latter
gazed serenely at the approaching figure;
that blush was balm to her feelings, the sight
of her evidently made him uncomfortable
30 much the better; she would try and make
him moro SO.
The momentary confusion had, however,
died away as completely as the blush when
Basil stood by her side. greeting her as calmly
IS though he, an ordinary acquaintance, had
parted from her yesterday.
His prevailing sentiments were those of as
constituent and admiration; astonishnent
that the timid, half developed darnsel Of five
years ago should have grown into this beau
tiful, cueenly girl; admiration not only of
her person, but of her manner, her self pos
session. the easy grace with which she con-
Quoted herself under circumstances which
most people wculd have found embarrassing.
Nine. PRriroT, however, could not dissem-
be so well, aud was almost Extensively rude,
after few moments putting an end 20 the
conversation by drawing her daughters arm
through hers and walking away.
The ice was broken, nevertheless. and.
after few dsys, Basil again found himself
co intimate terms with the Paritoffs; Anna
having made her mother understand the ad-
visibility of proving that they were in no
wise heart broken, or even piqued, by his be-
havior in the past, and, further, announcing
t.luch TO the latter's surprise) that it amused
her 10 see him again. To Basil the renewal