Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1889-09-06
A COQUETTE.
How Ruby Howard Was Taught
a Severe But Valuable Lesson.

q Severe But Valuable Lesson.
"How absurdly disagreeable you can make
| Yourself Jack. But there-rm not going TO
quarrel with you How much longer are
you going TO keep me up to abuse me" and
Ruby laughed aloud in her usual saucy,
tantalzing manner. Jack looked at her,
| his face as black as q thunder-cloud, on
| which was written O stern determination;
but she was in no way appalled, by it. On
| the contrary, she looked at him gayly and
| carelessly, as il she were perfectly ndiher-
| ent to him or his moods.
"Miss Howard" he began.
MISS Howard" she mimicked, mocking-
ly; "since when, prayi How tremendously
we grow, to be sure"
He resumed, as If she had not interrupted
him: II will not detain you but q moment
| longer. While l am convinced that at the
present time you are perfectly heartless,
| owing more to the unhappy way of your
bringing up and to the influences and fash
| ion Of society than to natural hardness OF
| heart"--
"Oh thanks, thanks awfully, you are too
good" she broke in again, laughingly. 1t
| was all as good as burlesque to her, &C
| customed as she was TO lovers rantings
~ am as firmly convinced" he went on
in so calm tone that it should have warned
her that this meant more than an ordinary
tiff, 'that you love me, but, with your
natural perverseness, will neither acknowl-
| edge it TO yourself nor me-"
AS he said this-with an air Of judge
pronouncing sentence on some unhappy
prisoner-with his gray eyes fixed on her
| face with the sternest gaze they were capa-
| BILE of-in spite of herself the bloom on her
| soft, round cheek deepened to bright red
| and for an instant her saucy, mocking eyes
| fell before his. A transient smile passed
| over his gloomy face at this evidence Of his
| power, and left it even gloomer than be-
| fore. AS he regarded the lovely, half-shy
| face before him he commenced again bitter
| ly: "And why will you not yield to that
| love and make us both happyi will tell
| you. You do not wish to be tied to one; to
| receive the love and homage Of one is not to
| your taste. Oh, no, not for years to come.
| II would wait patiently and in the mean
time be always ready TO uance attendance
on all your whims, not noticing any one else,
and always keepingIn the background when
a desirable Irritation came up, then, per-
haps, If you didn't meet some one you pre-
ferred to me, after keeping me in suspense
all that time, you might gracously conde-
scend TO marry me. But l decline to be-
come the slave of any woman; and, as
forever"
"Ha, hap and her sweet, low laugh rang
out like chime Of silvery bells. "The plot
chickens. Please go on; it is as lovely as a
play"
"I know and feel,n said Jack, earnestly,
"that we are especially suited to each other,
and believe that in time you will realize
the truth of what say and will regret me,
even as regret you now-but no more.
I've already said too much-more than in
tended; good bye" and with deep bow he
turned and left
"Well, of all things' she murmured.
Forever Fudgel I'll see him tomorrow
ON the promenade the same as usual. He
is delicious do like him the best when he
asserts himself. He is grand when he gets
enragcd Helooks so stern and glares so,
and is so unapproachable that am almost
afraid of him the darling. IL don't look
out he will end in making me marry him
before the season is over or course l
shant marry any one else, but I'm not go
ing 10 hurry myself; there's plenty Of
time" After which sage conclusion she
went up 10 her room in gay spirits, thinking
OF the good time she would have in making
up with Jack as she had done a number OF
times before.
The next day Miss Ruby failed to meet
Jack as usual. In fact week passed, and
in all that time he had not called She had
missed his presence from ball and
opera, and every place that she had graced
with her bright presence, At last, making
few inquiries, she found that Jack was
out somewhere on the broad ocean on his
way 10 China 10 Join his brother, tea mer-
chant, and was likely 10 be absent term
OF years.
Although outwardly Ruby managed 10
conceal the shock she had received, she
could not conceal from her own heart that
something had gone from her that she
missed and longed for with an indescrihaole
longing aud wild regret II was all the
more maddening that no one was TO blame
for her sorrow but herself The old places
had lost their charm. Every thing and
every body was inslpid, HAT and monotonous |
All IL he would only return, how gladly |
would she acknowledge her love, and how |
gladly would she marry him at the earliest |
date he might mention. Had she known /
his address at that time she would have /
written to tell him OF her love aud peni.
tence.
-Four years after Jack had gone Ruby |
was at u fashionable watering place. She /
was still the belle OF every assemblage. \
Her indifference and utter carelessness,
combined with her rare beauty, brought
her scores OF admirers, whom she drove
almost mad with her coldness She was
still as lovely as ever, but in her big,
brown eyes there was n shade OF sadness,
and slightly absent look which gave
touch Of soul 20 face that had heretofore
sparkled with Wit, and glowed with gay
city and high spirits, but had lacked feeling
Now IT was perfect II Jack could only see
her now.
nna aax Sha MAS taking har unarning