The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1889-08-09
FEARLESSNESS.


lent" remarked Hall Balkan. When
she comes into the room l feel as If l
wanted to shake n secret out of her
perfect MOUTH but, as she is very
dainty and very beautiful. | don't
really do it."
The young woman who sat near
him as he spoke, painting fancy work,
and who could not quite compete with
a great beauty, thought that Balkan
was showing off, being irritated by
Genevieve's apparent indifference, and
was trying to console himself by
grumbling at her, although he would
have been very critical of any one
else who dared to do so. This young
woman, who could reflect intelligent
ly, was nevertheless perfect child in
guilelessness. She could stand in
Judgment over people, as child does,
and cause no antagonism, at any rate,
in nature Us generous as her own.
She was the sort of girl who would re-
main sweet and naive as an old
woman.
Nellie Featherly looked round at
Balkan in moment and responded:
Nov, there is nothing mysterious
about me-"
"You9 I should think not! You
are SO sfearless, straightforward and
amusing"
"You have notquite illusion enough
about me, think" Nellie pouted over
her satin scarf, which was bursting
into flower and leaf. "You have made
me out just one of the ordinary, use
full, toss-me-aside kind of women, and,
although you are right, l do hate to
hear the fact repeated"
II don't care what you think of
yourself or how you construe my APP
probation of you," answered Balkan,
saucily. II am perfectly content with
enjoying your traits and sitting where
you paint"
Nellie went On busily, with q dozen
pretty attitudes and motions and q
rather dissatisfied expression of coun-
tenance. Whether it was her work or
his words which annoyed her, Balkan
was not sure.
That's exquisite, and no mistake, !"
he went on, peering over at the draw
ing board on her knees, upon which
the satin was stretched
Nellie cried. Somehow, you seem
insincere todayr'
Il? Ny dear Miss Featherly, l
should not hesitate to tell the truth,
rather than prevaricate. To be quite
honest, would tell you the truth
about anything in the world you could
ask me; though with others l might
be as silent as Genevieve, instead Of
confessing to actualities."
IF l ever want to ask you anything
will remember this" the young am.
ateur rejoined. with the incest of
smiles into Balkans earnest face.
Cecil Morton sauntered across the
room during the little pause ensuing,
and said that the day was too good for
staying in the house. Why not go TO
walk before dipner2 The young peo-
pie. eight when all told. were visiting
some dear old country gcntlefolks to
whom Nellie was nearly related, and
who had asked them out of town for
week of sleighing, and other winter
fun, the snow being in better condi-
ton than for years past. That even
ing they were to GO sleighing by
moonlight, and it was super-energetic
for Morton to talk of walking. But
we all know how these restless people
of energy or muscle rout us out of
little lazy tete-a-tetes and fireside lux
ury. Neither Nellie nor Balkan wished
to be stigmatized as 10th to exercise,
and so they rushed out of the parlor
to find the others and get well
wrapped up against coolish ramble;
while Cecil Morton smiled to himself
in a mirror to think of the commotion
he could effect at will.
Nellie and Genevieve paired off, in
tentionally, as the group left the
hall door ten minutes later. Some
thing agitated Nellie's beautiful friend.
as the former was able to discover
through girlish intimacy, which is a
very deep thing indeed. Genevieve's
face looked calm and pale as she said,
in low, rather tragic voice, to the
affectionate girl beside her:
my heart is almost breaking. am
20 wretched and so surprised. To
think of It'll Never have I loved be-