Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-11-14

though do not like 1t as WE'LL" replied Isa-
bel. laughing.
"Out Of fashion, out of the world" smiled
Mrs. Dwight.
"Even in so small matter as gloves, /
| think sometimes a woman is perfect
| martyr to fashion" A rustic Of silks at
| her side caused Isabel to look up from the
kids she was examining.
Mrs. Hervey, a lady whom she had met
and liked Particularly, stood beside her,
and cordially held out her hand. Another
! lady stood by her sid, whose face Isabel
/ did not notice as she took Mrs. Horvey's
hand.
"My dear Mrs. Falconer; so happy to
meet you," cooed Mrs. Hervey. "Allow me
to present to you my friend, Mrs. Monteith,
| of New York, Mrs. Falconer."
Mrs. Monteith's eyes had been fixed on
| Isabers face in cold stare of recognition,
| and. as Mrs. Hervey pronounced the name,
she looked for the first time into the cold
face, and caught the unwinking stare in its
| perfection.
| Every trace of color left her face in her
| indignation as she met the look. and was
reminded by it of the insults this woman
| had delighted to heap upon her IN the past,
| but she controlled herself enough to &C
| knowledge the introduction by coldly civil
bow, but Mrs. Monteith tossed her head
scornfully, and gave no token OF having
| heard it.
Il have met this Mrs Falconer BEFORE"
| she said in an aside to puzzled, mortified
Mrs. Hervey.
Isabels face was a study, and Mrs.
Dwight, too indignant to finish her shop
ping, drew her away as soon as possible.
''For PHYS sake, Mrs. Falconer, do tell
me why that ill-bred woman should treat
YOU in that shameful way" she said, as
soon as the carriage was in motion.
sit is a very short story" said Isabel,
bitterly. ssMr. Falconer first met me behind
| a millinery counter in New York where this
woman was frequent customer, and
where she delighted in heaping insults upon
me as shop-girl. He fancied me, and
brought me here as his wife.
| perhaps. Mrs. Dwight, now that the
murder is out, your sympathies will be with
Mrs Monteith,'' and she locked sadly in her
friends face.
"You do me injustice, Mrs. Falconer," re-
piled Mrs. Dwight, warmly, laying her hand
on Isabel's, which was trembling with ex-
element 81 trust fashionable life has
not ossifed my heart completely. and you
may rely upon my friendship and support"
sBelieve me, your friendship is appreci-
ated," said Isabel, gratefully, returning
the pressure of tho friendly hand, ''and now
that you have heard so much of my history,
| perhaps you would like to hear more" and
she gave a brief sketch of the principal
events of her life up to the present.
.'Why, it's rell romance" cried Mrs.
Dwight, when she had finished; Il always
liked Mr.. Falconer, but am sure that he is
perfectly grand man now''
$50 am II said Isabel, with a sigh. eff
I could only love him as he so richly de-
serves"
"You will! Love can not help coming to
reward such a kind, unselfish character"
Mrs. Hervey and Mrs. Monteith, In the
meantime, had left the store.
spray tell me what you can have against
| Mrs Falconer," said Mrs. Hervey, coldly.
81 think you owe me an apology for treat
ing friend of mine rudely." She was
| not at all afraid of Mrs. Monteith's elegant
apparel or snobbish manners; within her
own recollection she had been forced to live
plainly, having only been so prosperous for
a few years. She had always visited Mr..
| Hervey's family, and his young wife had
never inquired upon what ground the &C
quaintance originated.
81 am not accustomed to treating shop.
girls as equals,'' replied Mrs Monteith,
with disagreeable haughtiness; "your
friend, Mrs. Falconer, was nothing but a
common shop-girl when Mr.. Falconer took
her up and married her, and made up my
mind when l heard the disgraceful story
from Nine. Arnot, her employer, that il
ever came to Philadelphia would expose
her."
"JVhat Gisgraceful story2" demanded Mrs
Hervey; she was still too indignant with
| Mrs. Monteith to take in the fact of Isabeps
low estate in all its terrible significance.
"Why, Of course, she must have inveigled
him into the marriage" replied Mrs Mon
teith; ''no man of his wealth would marry
a shop-girl unless unduly Influenced"
''Harvey Falconer isn't a man to be in
| veigled," asserted Mrs. Hervey, emphat-
ically. 1.-THE fact of her being shop-girl
wouldn't influence him against her mo-
ment if he fancied her otherwise
81 pity Mrs. Stanford" said Mrs. Mon
teith. sit must be terrible blow to have
such mcsa,liGnce in the family"
eyes, poor Mrs. Staaford!' cried Mrs.
Hervey, ironically. ''She came here and
made them o visit, appeared with Mrs. Fal-
coner in public, and went home perfectly
| charmed with her sister-in-law, as know
on undoubted authority" IN a triumphant
tone, 'and l would advise you, Mrs Mon
teith. to keep your knowledge of Mrs Fal-
coner to yourself, if you have no better
grounds to found your antagonism upon.
Mr. Falconer isn't the first man in our
American aristocracy who has married a
that can rise from a low position to a higher
one with such grace as Mrs. Falconer has
DONE" she added, significantly.
Something in the latter allusion seemed to
| touch Mrs. Monteith in a tender spot, foi
she tossed her head and said something
sharply about 'sarrogance' and "upstarts,'
which Mrs. Hervey did not catch.
"What do you think, Aunt Katy" said
Mrs. Hervey, an hour later, as she was
seated in a pleasant room at home, where
an invalid's chair was drawn up to sunny
! window.
"We met that elegant Mrs. Falconet at
| Cady's this morning, and Mrs. Monteitfl
gave her the cut direct in such an insolent
manner. / was mortified thought ]
should sink; Mrs. Harry Dwight was with
Mrs. Falconer, and her eyes fairly flashed
fire at Mrs. Monteith.'
"What grounds does she claim to have
| for such rudeness?" asked Aunt Katy, an
| elderly woman with white hair and a sweet
| pale face, sanctified and made lovely by long
years of suffering
She had been left childless widow under
circumstances Of peculiar sadness, and Hor-
| ace Hervey had taken her to his home when
he brought his young bride there, and she
had been the family saint ever since.
"Why, she says Mrs. Falconer was a
shop girl in New York when Mr.. Falconer
married her, and she doesn't associate with
shop-girIs," initiating Mrs. Monteiths AFRO
| giant manner.
How long sincea" said Aunt Katy,
| laughing merrily IN her low sweet voice /;
| ''lt seems to me have seen Mrs. Dolly Mon
teith when she considered a shop-girl very