The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-02-23
A VISITING CARD.
Embarrassing Results Of a Slight
Mistake.

1t was rainy day in January. Larg
drops were beating monotonously agains
the windows of a red brick house, who's
white stone trimmings and other heav,
architectural ornamentations wore that al
of having been manufactured by the thou
sand which characterizes the dwellings o.
those good people who have gained wealth
without gaining taste.
Behind the gupure curtains on the frs
floor stood handsome blonde looking out
with bored expression in her cold blue
eyes. This was Solange Tarvenue. the only
daughter of respectable bourgeois, who
having made his money in trade now lived
a gentleman of leisure in this fine new
house.
"Heavenw exclaimed Mile Tarvenue
show tiresome this rain is One can't &C
out to make any calls, and no one comes to
see one. It's enough TO give one the
spleen"
1.-THE spleenl What's. that'" asked NJ.
Tarvenue from The depths of his paper.
"Something you don't understand, papa,
said the young lady, impatiently.
''Suppose you practice little. my daugh-
ter" suggested Nine. Tarvenue. putting up
some stockings she had been darning. "That
piece, you know, you are 10 play at the
Paulpiur tonight"
.'Yes, it would be worth while, would il
notl' sneered Solange. "People who don't
know one note from another As though
there was any one In the Ville- -Abbe, any
way, who did. What is the use of having
any talent for any thing when one lives in
the provincesm
80. the provinces again. Solange is in a
bad humor. I'll get out of the way" re-
marked NJ. Tarvenue.
leave the child alone. The temperature
affects her. 1t is psychological" said Nine.
Tarvenue, who fiatterei herself that she
understood her daughter, and was upon the
same intellectual level, albeit the latter had
been educated in Paris.
She went down stairs with the girl, and
there Solange, with-one must be just-a
good deal of mere digital brilliancy, began
to practice one of thoSe snowy and utterly
hollow musical productions in which there
are technical difficulties in profusion, but
absolutely not one note that can speak to
the heart or the mind.
In the midst of these trills and chromatic
scales the bell rang
"Therer' cried Solange, stopping short,
''rm sure that is call You see. mamma,
you were very wrong to say that you were
not at home to visitors. Every Que is not
us much afraid of bad weather as you are -
my dear child. what are you thinking of !.
Such day as thisl Why, the parlor furui-
ture would have been ruined by peoples
wet clothes!'
peoples wet clothes 1t is to be hoped
the people we know would wear water
proofs, as long as they come on foot" added
the young lady, bitterly.
She rang the bell. A young servant girl
came in.
Bring the cards that were left just now"
The servant returned Sofange threw an
Indifferent glance on the bit of pasteboard.
Suddenly her face lighted up; she exclaimed
quickly:
Mammal 1t was NJ. de Prevarct! And
you didn't receive himp'
IN de Prevaretp walled Madame Tar
venue.
"Dear me! What pity, nowp' cried So
laugc, sourly.
III. de Prevaret was considered the very
best catch in Vile Able Young and hand
some and clever, and the possessor of large
fortune he lived with his mother, the dowa
ger countess, in one of the most sumptuous
residences in the town. And this young
man, on whom every woman of rank with a
marriageable daughter smiled, had rung the
doorbell OF the Tarvenues and left his cards
for them! Hebowed to them, because they
bowed to his mother, but he had never been
introduced to the ladies'.
'What can it meant' asked Nine. Tar.
venue, anxiously.
Solauge was standing before the glass.
"Why 1t seems to me that il is very
clear!" she replied, with deep complacency.
Haven't you noticed, my dear mamma, that
every time we 90 to hear the band play Nj.
de Preyaret is there, tool"
"Wn Wnat!-why-do you think-w Nine.
Taryenue did not dare finish, so audacious
did her thought seem to her
'tAnd why noti" demanded Solange.
throwing up her blonde head with a trium-
phant air that losde her really immensely
handsome.
"Yon are righv," m mirmured poor Nine.
Tarvenue; you are pretty enough},
1t was quite trle that Solange Taryenue
was handsome enough 10 inspire passion,
but she would never have had any attrac.
tion for fastidous man. This young per-
son, with her sculpturesque form, her opu-
lent contours and her dazzling cooring, was
absolutely lacking ia innate refinement or
distinction. 10 reflection of a gentle ma.
ture. an elevated soul. ever gave that in
describable charm TO her regular features
that such attributes only can convoy She
was clever enough, but IL was thoroughly
material sort OF cleverness, aud IL wa.
Joined TO most extraordinary amount of
egotlsm and vanity. She had played, in
childhood, behind the paternal counter; but
she had been educated in fashionable
Partisan school. from which she had brought
away all manner of ambitions. In her
dreams for the future she saw noblemen at
her feet, aud she would not have thought
crown misplaced had II been made to rest
'on her magnificent yellow hair. 1t was,
therefore, no wonder, that the Comte de
Prevarets visit had not much surprised
her: She saw in 1t simply the natural result
OF her beauty. She received her father,
when he returned, with superior smile OF
calm fatuousness. while Nine. Tarvenue,
svho was most unscphisticated in her new