Daily Republican., 1888-01-31
A STRANGE wOoINa.

that she was an heiress. She had 80
long been browbeaten and kept down
by her aunt that the possibility of in
heriting that disagreeable relatives
money had never entered her head.
Poor Eva, how she had suffered
from the insults of that termagant, but
she could not think hard now OF the
dead.
Once. when her aunt had been more
than usually unkind, Eva had sought
her lonely little room 10 have a good
cry, and her eyes chanced to fall on
the Matrimonial News, which had
been wrapped about something from
the store
Still In desperate mood, she began
reading the advertisements, and then
the thought flashed over her: Why
should she not put an advertisement
in the paper and see what came OF it.
Anything was better than living with
her aunt.
So before she had time to change
her mind she had sent these words to
the paper;
Eva, small and useless, would like to
correspond with a gentleman. win ex-
change photographs"
In few days came an answer and
later photograph, and soon she was
corresponding regularly with the
young man who had replied to her
, advertisement. Now that she was
alone In the world and independent she
resolved that she would stop writing
to him, but she closed the correspon-
dence with great deal OF reluctance.
|
Frank, said Hal Foster, bursting
into his friends bachelor apartments
one evening, II want to take you down
to Mrs. Averil's this evening. She's
bringing out most beautiful girl
heaps of money, too, and all that"
"Bother," was Frank Stacey's re.
ply. II can't forget the face of that
little girl I corresponded with. 1t
haunts me.
"Dare say she Is not at all like her
picture" returned the other. "You
come along, now. I'll wait until you
put your things on"
Alter much grumbling Frank was
finally persuaded to go. The two
friends arrived rather late. The host
ess greeted them cordially, but Frank
refused all offers OF introductions to
charming partners. He stood gloom.
lily leaning with his back against the
, wall gazing at the dancers, Suddenly
! his eyes flashed, he drew long
breath and then hastened across the
room to his hostess.
"Mrs. Averil," he cried impetuous-
ly, ''dO tell me the lme OF that young
lady in white with pearls in heI
hairl'
"Ah, Mr.. Stacey" said Mrs Averil,
! playfully, II see you are like all my
! male friends bewitchcd by my Charm
ing little friend the heiress, Eva dc
r Wynton. Shall introduce your"
8 Frank could scarcely control him
selt sufficiently to acqulesce, so Mrs
3 Averil steered her way dexterouslJ
!. across the crowded room, followed by
Frank in feverish state OF excite
, ment.
a Eva was sitting close TO the conser
vatory, her eyes absently fixed on tn
! dancers, 80 that she did not motto,
Q their approach till she was reused iron
n her reverie by Mrs. Averil's voice.
"Eva. my dear, allow me TO intro
. duce Mr.. Frank Stacey to you. Mis-
= de Wynton-Mr. Stacey"
Eva raised her eyes. As she did 8
n wave OF color surged over her cheek
& and neck, and her eyes had a startled
O frightened look, Frank controlling
himself better, having had the advan'
, tage OF not being taken by surprise.
= May l have the pleasure OF tn
!, next dancer" he said, bowling.
~ Eva would have given worlds +
refuse, but she lost her head, ant
A murmured family:
t. "Certainly."
h. Mrs. Averil now deserted partner
Z less young man, so, with few kin,
II words, she hurried of. Frank hesi
u tated an instant, then he said:
q "Will you not walk through tn
g conservatory, Miss de Wynton! 1t
n cooler there"
"a Eva had completely lost her sell
4. possession. She was incapable of re
% iusing. The most intense shame para
lyzed her tongue, SO she rose mutel
1r and they strolled among the flowers
miss de Wynton," said Frank
: "you cannot think what my deligh
70 was when | saw you sitting there. d
Ia II not be angry with me when l say
,J have thought of you day and nigh
" and lost all interest in life since loi
IN sight of you fear ought not to b
SO abrupt. but if you only knew tn
m, days of suspense and torture | hay
rs passed you would forgive me. l cal
c. not rest till | have asked you whetht
A. can ever hope to win your love, fo
d. believe me, love and respect you b.
lie fore all women.
er "Oh," cried Eva family, "you ca
Id never respect me- | feel as If shoul
SO SO die of shame when l think Of yot
pc Pray-pray spare me, Mr., Staceyr'
" ''There is no shamel' cried Fran
nd hotly. n deny i'll 1t was a mel
nd girlish freak, and l solemnly declal
en- to you that no woman in this room {
r. out of it do hold throned So high
ts, my heart as an ideal of modesty an
re womanliness. Your letters shove
10 me what you were, and when you a
.s cuse yourself you do me bitt
s es wrong, for the woman / love is not
al be mentioned In such q manner.
ers loved you from the first, l believe, al
Az your sweet, maidenly letters complet
on ly stole nay heart away. Give me
he little hope-only q tiny sparkW
~ IN added pleadingly, and he took b
- hand.
IA, IA, Eva did not withdraw it.
lily ,,Nh an M aebapoAd aha 40