The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1889-08-18


the shop. Ispant hours there, and papa
said / wasted great deal too much time,
to say nothing of money, while we were
in Paris, at the Magasin du Louvre, isn't
that what they call it? But this seems
pretty place, she added, as if to make up
for her want of appreciation for works
of art.
Pretty is scarcely the correct term
for Switzerland" said Miss Rogers with
rather contemptuous air. This woman
had many passions, and chief amongst
them was an alteration for the vast
beauty of nature To feel herself sur
rounded by mountains, to gaze across
that expanse of blue water, was hap
piness which she had never thought to
experience again. Her thoughts wan
dered back to days long gone by be-
fore the girlish ambitions and expecta-
tons in the wonderful world which lay
before her had given place to the wo-
mans sad realizations and bitter dis
appointments of the real world she was
now battling with. Who have not had
their dreams of brilliant future? After
all, surely there are some people who
seem to know no trouble, or only very
triffing ones; why should not also have
my chance2 But there's the rub; you
miss your chance, and then you drift on
with the hopeless cry: ''There is nothing
left! Whatever was put here for? Bet
ter never to have been born than to exist
as | am doing" On the other hand, per-
haps, you seize your chance, you gain
oil how 10 aaI
a contemptuous pity for your friend
who plods on in his dull existence, you
have grasped everything that life can
give you, and highest summit of all, you
are enyied by your fellow men, when
there comes that little rift within the
lutte which strikes dumb the music Of
your life, and which turns your greatest
successes to dust and ashes; and lucky
are they who can bind up their wounds,
and hide from the gaping crowd that
they also have found this life blank.
While Miss Rogers was bordering on
such ideas as these, her watchfll eyes
we're turned away from her companions
face, else she might have observed that
it had suddenly become brilliantly rosy,
and would have received warning Of
danger from a fleeing glance directed
towards herself from pair of very blue
eyes; as it was, awakening gradually to
the stern realities of every day routine,
she bent forward to help herself to salt,
and just caught glimpse of a peculiar
smile lowering around Alice's lips.
What is the joker" she demanded
dryly.
"Such q little one that it would not in
terest YOU" replied the other so sweetly
that it robbed the remark of all apparent
rudeness. would you mind much,
dear Miss Rogers, if left you to finish
your dinner alone? This room is SO hot
that could not eat another mouthful,
and think watching the boats on the
lake is preferable to watching these peo-
pie eat; so will you excuse me, and not
think me awfully rude?" And hardly
waiting for the required permission,
Alice left the table and sauntered slowly
down the room. More than one pair of
eyes belonging to the opposite sex gazed
approvingly after the slight, graceful
figure, robed in white, with such pretty
fair hair browning the small head and
giving her the appearance of being a
good deal taller than she really was.