The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-03-24

rate nhu Deeu hiui III
companion for me, if only could find
something to talk about something SO
gifted a creature as he was reported to be
would not be bored with. Alas for me, the
conversation field seemed to have become
suddenly barren of flowers of speech not
bud was left Yet among people with
whom | am at home, have never yet been
accused of taciturnity.
For some short time tho lady on the
other side of him saved me. She appeared
to know him, and complimented him on
the success of all article IN one OF the re-
views, which she attributed to him. He
thanked her for her praise, spoke few
words on general subjects; then. as | sup
pose, in duty bound, turned to me and
recommended conversation.
In five minutes, l positively hated my
self and Mr.. Vincent Hope. 1t may be
kindness to bring ones intellect down to
the level of the listener; / call 1t concelt.
If in spite of my elaborate new dress, he
could not help seeing | was but school
girl, was there any reason why he should
so plainly show me he saw itY Was there
any reason why he should quite change the
manner of his discourse as he changed his
listeners should talk 10 me in a way he evil
IDENTIFY thought suited to my caliber? If
he meant it kindly, what right had he To
think / should esteem it kindness? dare
say | deserved nothing more; but who was
he to judge of my deserts? 1t ruff1ed my
vanity, and destroyed any self confdence
| was beginning to feel. The worst of 1t
was, he meant no rudeness.
He did not pretend to even patronlze me;
he simply chose to talk upon subjects
which he was pleased to think were well
within my limited range 1t was mortify-
ing! twisted up my dinner napkin under
the table, as a sort of vent to my vexation.
Soon grew desperate. | would show this
man | was not the inane empty-headed
school girl he fancied me, or | would perish
In the attempt.
My tiuency of speech came back as sud
denly as it left me. On my own account
l began to talk-of topics about which ]
knew nothing-of places | had never WIS.,
ited-of people | had never seen, and of
books | had never read.
He seemed amused at my new departure,
and, | fiattered myself, tried to lead me ON
to talk. SO talk l did, and thought no
evil. 1t was not until had once or twice
gone completely out of my depth, right
over head and shoulders, and was compel
led to founder back as best | could, that |
fancied the wretched man was laughing at
me-not openly, of course; his manner was
politeness itself; yet / had an unpleasant
suspicion that more than once | had made
myself an idiot in his eyes.
l positively detest people who have the
misfortune to see me at disadvantage;
SO, when | rose with the rest of the women
and left the table. felt that it would have
been a great satisfaction to have given Mr..
Vincent Hopes broad shoulders Parthian
stab with dessert fork. / had not been
success, and, what was worse, l knew it.
1t was dull work in the drawing groom.
The women were strangers to me, and
talked about their own and their friends
affairs, IN none of which | had the slight
est interest. 1t was very hot, too. / peeped
out of the window, and saw the garden look
ing most tempting in the light of lovely
autumnal moon! How delightful it would
be if | could have one walk around it,
l doubted whether it would be quite
right for a young lady TO walk about the
garden alone and by moonlight; but the
temptation was very great. After all, |
have always found it much easier and often
pleasanter to yield to little temptations of
this kind than to resist them; so l soon
gave in. Even at the risk of cold or
scolding. would have one, Just one, turn
in the soft September night.
| slipped from the room, covered my
head and shoulders with a shawl, and stole
through the library window which opened
| to the gound.
| The change from the close atmosphere
| of Mr.. Ramsays drawing room was, as [
| predicted it would be, simply delicious.
| The clear sky, the full moon, and the bright
| stars which had tempted me out, made me
| feel quite poetical | forgot all my little
annoyance in the beauty of the night; |
/ became quite cheerful and happy. The
one turn about the garden, which | had
] IL I Il 4 -
great many; yet | was loath to leave the
enchanting scene. But duty must not be
altogether neglected. With sigh, l turned
for the last time, and began to retrace my
| steps to the house. To my horror, as I
neared it, | saw the French easements of
the dining-room open, saw the flood of
brilliant light which poured out partially
eclipsed as one dark body after another
| passed through the aperture. l realized in
a moment the frightful position in
which / was placed. The men were
coming out to get a breath of fresh air
and to smoke a cigarette before entering
was certain to be seen. BY the light of the
wonderful moon everything was as clearly
visible as by broad daylight. | shrunk
from the pc tie ridicule with which my
nocturnal anderings were sure to be
greeted; in ruth | was now rather ashamed
of the freal which had led me into such
an awkward 'tuation. / wished to extTi-
cate myself ithout having to make ex-
cuses aud exp nations, and as | shuddered
at the tt ought of walking boldly past the
knot OF gentlemen, | was compelled to
adopt the alternative concealment.
On the lawn near to me grew one of those
conical trees-a species of laurel-the
foliage of which touches the ground and
leaves the center nearly hollow. This
particular tree was so large that it formed
n natural summer house, and to enable it
| to fulfill its mission an entrance had been
cut through the boughs on the side furthest
from the house. 1t was the very thing a
perfect harbor of REFUGEE
Careless of insects, needless of the twigs
which caught and tugged at my hair, but
| grooming. nevertheless, as | thought of my
new frock. l rushed inside, unseen and.
hoped, unheard, resolved to wait behind
the friendly boughs until the voices which
/ heard in the distance died into silence.
Feeling quite sure that no one would be
likely to explore the leafy recesses of my
hiding place, / began to grow easy in my
mind, aud even ventured to compliment
myself upon the cleveness l had dis
played. My triumph was short lived. In a
few moments | became aware that voices
were drawing near to me-So alarmingly neal
that very soon was able to recognize them
and distinguish what they were saying. 1t
was Mr.. Vincent Hope and his host, who
had strolled away from their friends.
"You have fine specimen of the Portu-
guese laurel" said the former.
Yes, replied Mr.. Ramsay. ats fine
tree of the kind. They seldom grow lar
ger. Indeed, this one is beginning to die
down. There is an entrance cut on the
other side; so it makes a shady, but I'M
comfortable, warm weather retreat.
Then | knew that the two gentlemen
were coming round to the entrance. | was
in despair. | covered down in the dark
ness, and prayed that Mr. Hopes curiosity
might not induce him to pursue his botani-
cal researches into the interior. / saw his
head and shoulders fill up the entrance anc
hide the moonlight falling there. For the
moment, | was undecided whether to shrek
with horror, to endeavor TO scare him away
by growing like wild beast, or to lie still
and to trust TO chance. On the whole, the
last seemed the wisest course to adopt.
breathed more freely when l saw he had nc
intention of entering-the recesses were
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