The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-04-25

! dark hair But when we are told thing
| as fact our minds naturally veer toward
| believing that there must be something
| in it; and, therefore, Mrs. Conway-Hope,
] having succeeded in making Nora regard
| her new plush with disfavor, resumed her
seat, feeling that she had made the kind
/ est possible remarks 10 her young rela-
! ton.
But this lady had q natural apti-
| tude to be disagreeable, and probably
could not help it, for she esteemed her
self one OF the saints of earth. She also
| esteemed herself MASTER or rather mis-
tress, of the art OF conversation and as
Nora Stewards guests began to assemble
she placed herself near first one shrinking
man and then the other, and at
last succeeded in driving the good
tempered, jovial-faced clergyman OF the
parish into a convenient corner, where
she firmly kept him until dinner was an
nounced.
Morals party consisted almost entirely
of young people. The pretty English
girls-Maud and Alice Lee-were staying
in the house, and were in love for the
time being with everything Scotch, in
Guiding young Malcolm Fraser, one of
Nora Stewards neighbors. This young
Highlander and his pretty sister, Minnie
Frazer, were among the first to arrive.
"And where are Mr.. and Mrs. Fraser ?"
asked Nora.
"Mv mother sent her love-" answered
Minnie, whose hair was OF such pale gold
color as to look almost white, "and she
could not leave my father tonight; his
rheumatism is so bad"
''What poor women have to come to,
you see" said Maud Lee, coquettishly, to
young Fraser, after hearing this explana-
ton.
As the young girl said this 'Mr. Bid
dulph." was announced, and TALL grave
faced, distinguished-looking man walked
rather slowly into the room; and as he
did so, brighter light sole into
Nora Stewards dark eyes, and a flush
came on her fair cheeks, which had been
so pale before.
II am afraid am late" said Mr.. Bid
dulph, courteously, as he shook hands
with his young hostess; "but the loch is
so rough tonight, we had to tack bit be-
/ fore we could cross"
II saw it was rough before it got dark, +"
answered Miss Stewart.
s'It's very tantalizing, isn't it l can see
Rossmore so plainly from nv place, and
vet l have been more than half-an-hour in
/ getting here tonight" and he looked at
his watch.
"You are my nearest neighborS, as the
crow flies, you know"
II wish l were a crow, then; no, don't
think l do-the sable-winged bird has so
many bad qualities"
"Oh, the poor crowsw laughed Leonora.
''They are noisy, quarrelsome set bad
neighbors, to my mind-bad to eat, and
bad for the wheat"
II must confess / like to hear them cav,
and see them veering about in their mys-
terious fashion among the old trees"
'That is because you are so young and
romantic" said Mr.. Biddulph, smiling,
and looking admiringly. at Leonoras face
with his grey eyes, in which there was
much tender thought and some sadness.
"And do you still like your wild eyrie up
here?" he asked.
II love Rossmore-I have always loved
it. used to come here, you know, when
| was a little child with my mother.
remember Col. Biddulph so well, though
we seldom saw him."
IL scarcely knew my uncle; but he was
a grim old man."
''He was rather misanthrope, was he
not? Yet he must have been very kind
/ TO think OF me as he did"
Hated the world and its crooked ways,
/ or the world hated him. We are apt to
I become sour when we are disappointed,
don't you think?"
Il have not been disappointed yet"
"No; it's bitter draught-bitterest OF
/ all to be disappointed in ones self"
Leonora looked up with interest in Mr.
Biddulph's face, but his eyes were cast
down.
'I intended you," said Leonora, a mo-
ment later, with that soft blush which
made her so lovely, ''to take my cousin,
after the Scotch fashion-Mrs. Fraser OF
/ Airdlinn-in to dinner this evening; but
/ only the young people are here. There
/ fore"
''ALay take my neighbor and hostess ?"
eli YOU like"
Il more than like. Beingthe oldest man
I in the room, except the parson, | have
! been indulging in certain gruesome Wis
/ ions of having to escort the lady in black
Il forget her name-whom / had the
/ honor of sitting next the last time dined
he'e."
"You mean my fathers cousin, Mrs.
! Conway Hope" laughed Leonora. "Well,
/ l fully enter into your feelings. Just be-
fore you came she threw a whole bucket
4 of cold water over my self-conceit; she
| told me my new gown did not become
me-"
''It would be presumption, / suppose, to
1 say what think of the new gown p
'Indeed, no; my ruffled vanity wants a
/ little smoothing down"
But the implied compliment was never
/ paid. Dinner was announced, and Leo
nora was forced to think of her guests.
/ The Rev. Andrew Macdonald was carried
| off in triumph by Mrs. COnway-HOpe, and
| Malcolm Fraser was obliged to offer his
| arm, with a somewhat lowering brow, TO
one of the pretty English girls. But there
was suppressed wrath in the young High
lander's blue eyes, and anger and jealosy
in his heart, when he saw Nora Stewart
(as the Fraser family always called herr Sc
lect Mr.. Biddulph to take her in to dinner.
In point OF etiquette, Leonora was quite
! right for Mr.. Biddulph was the greatest
stranger present; but this did not make
the matter any better to the young man
! who was certainly in love.
Leonora was good hostess, for bright,
clever woman ever is one. Still the un-
happy Rev. Andrew Macdonald did not
enjoy his dinner. He was taken to task
during the soup on various occult and
| theoretical subjects, on which it must be
admitted the poor Scotch minister was
not conversant; his tormentor, for that
matter, being equally at sea. But Mrs.
| COnWay-HOpe was one of those women
who make few terms try to pass for
knowledge, and the Rev. Andrew had not
presence OF mind TO perceive this. His
rosy face grew hot, his stalwart form
shrank visibly away from the searching
H..