New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-12-07
A SHY AUSTRALIAN.
RS. Osborne, of Balmoral House. Anerlcy, was

Mrs Osborne, of Balmoral House. Anerey. was
giving u dance. 60,
Baimoral House, being a jerry-built suburban
villa of the kind advertised by houSc-agents as
A desirable residence. with t"o rcceptlon-rooms'
SIN bedrooms and bathroom, was hot emlncntN
adapted for that form OF enteltaMncnt. but
Mrs Osborne woman OF determination ana
resources, and her annual dance was usually, ana
with reason, considered by all concerned very
successful enterprise. She generally managed u
have, not only enough OF the male sex, Dut gOod
proportion OF pTesentable. 1u4l-Srown specimens.
Tonight she had achieved an additional tri-
umph. She had secured the presence oil her
cousin. Niscountess Langhone.
Lady Langholme was Wloow win I'VE poIttion-
less daughters, for whom il was her main object
in life to procure husbands. she went TO work
in very business-hke manner She was never
SEEN even in her own house, with more than Two,
and rarely with more than one of her girls ana
she had a marvellous knack of dlspoSlnS OF them
singly during the country-house visiting season
with friends who lived far apart and had dliieI-
mt circles OF acquaintance. But III vain. FRANCES
the eldest was four-and-twenly, and Ada, the
youngest, was nineteen, and nos one oil uhehi
ing so desperate That Lady Langhoime had
thought even the opportunities offered Oy Il
Suburban ball might be worth trying Tor Frances
who could not reasonably be expected 10 retain
her looks much longer. and who must therefore
he content with something less than might sNll
be hoped for ada. vino mad only had one season.
or Nellie who a beauty or even the twins,
who We're popular with everybody;
Therefore, mere was Lady Laneholme, sitting
with maternal hcT0lSin III a GIdu4ntS passage,
which was the only place afforded By the suburban
villa for chaperons, while Mrs. Osborne brought
up her incest men, one after another. 10 De
introduced 10 Frances.
Frances Scott was a tall slender, graceful girl,
With gray eyes, clear pale skin. soft dark l2II,
and touch of proud reserve III her manner, which
some peOnle called high-bred TcpOSc, ana others,
"od,ous airs Mrs. Osbornes " incest men In
clincd to the latter opinion, but the lew raw
yOnths whom the hostess was Obliged to lail
back upon 10 fill up Frances's programme hardly
Pm quite glad we came" said Lady Lang
lolmc when her daughter was beside her Tor
few minutes. 1t is all very nee ana NerS
amusing. , ,.
:. for Cousin laura's sake II is disgracefu! that
we should never have had the ciNilltY 10 come
before" ., l..
Laura coming up at this moment ISM your
1t IS quite full enough" answered Frances
brightly. Il can assure yon I'm not accustomed
10 have partner for every dance
oh. hut. nv dear You must. Let me see.
Mrs Osborne stood rejecting, with rather Gs-
ire. sod look There's that goung Nj. Fanshawe:
lies nm Australian sQIattcr or something; and
rich. J believe" she added in an UNDERGONE to
Lady LanghOlInc
But Frances caught the words, ana her FEATURES
Immediately stihened.
Introduce him to us, at any rate, replied
Lady Ianqholme, land then We can Jnd@e Tor
Mrs Osborne went away and returned in
few minutes with tall. handsome, athie'ic-look-
ing young maa, with bright, Keen due eyes, "
fair beard and . sunburncG SKIN.
'"i The introduction was made the hostess moved
away, and Mr. FanShs,%e IeanIns easIIy against
i haven't spoken 10 a woman for seven years.
so I'm rather shy.
Its as we'll you inform MS of the fact. as We
certainly should not have guessed H., replied
FTances dlew up her head and appeared 10 be
intent on watching the dancers.
FQQShNMc.
have never seen shyness before as exhibited by a
savage ,, u5 g.. ,o,r
r,;nutE. conversation between the pair nowcd
brigItly. From time 10 time tie young man
slanced az Frances's distracted face, but ne made
10 Nan don't dance. suppose - said Lady Lang
holme reading these glances with maternal quick
an sorry to say it is an art have quite
Nr osborne approached at this point, to take
Lady GanghOlmc in 10 supper MI fdnahaWe
then offered to conduct the young i9dy 10 the
,nomr-room NO. thank You. she replied.
II a.u going TO dance immediately
"Bnt Won need not fulfil supper dance engage
Perhaps not in the bush she rctortcd. ana
then checked herself vcXcd at be'faNlng tlat She
had been listening to his conversation VIII" ner
lie did not apparently notice either betrayal
or vcxa,on. Nor did he urEe m. bre,rlo o,s tc
ce,el chair. and fell 10 talking Of BOOKS, ana
music. and pictures AS easily as Il hc had hyed
all his lie in London but there was SpOhthnrHy
and simplicity in all his remarks that differed
widely from the conventional snFriicl.l arr
criticism t. which FRANCES was accus,oneHc S hc
left him, however WITH alacrt% Whch hcr ueN
PARTNER y most unprcposscssi ng-ioOkIng youth OF
about twenty. came to claim her
As Lady Langhomc and her daughter were
leaving that night, Mr. Fanshawc was standing IN
the hall. The elder lady held out her mana 10
Goodnight, Mr.. Fanshawe. Mind you come
any nnt Fianccs gave him only cold little bow
Charming person, Lady Langholme," observed
Mr., Osborne 10 the young man.
YES" he replied. Lady Langhome is charm
ing. but the daughter is either very stupid OF
WY she Is moi really either" said Mrs. Osborne
but She has difficult life with her She
slammed on the verge OF possibly lndiScTeet Ne
mark and moved away =.
noursnc 10 her daughter on the agreeable surprise
che nal experienced at finding that suburban BALI
werr hnt for few minor details, very like the
"'I And as for Mr. Fanshawe, concluded her lady.
ship. he is delightful; 50 clever and original
lie struck me as being very seltsuhcient, re
turned Frances; and then she resolutey composed
herself for sleep.
But when the carriage drew up, at their house
in Lower Berkcley-st.. Frances had not slept. and
uha:cyrr she may have done during the night
she rama her bell at O'Clock the next morning
N intimate that She did not desire 70 lie IN bed
la'I Ior he'll was answered by her four sisters com
,o Ia in their drsSsing gowns. all eager 10 know
~ ,nsrIt of the novel and interesting experiment
that had been tried the previous nla Hi,,o s,,n,
,.,, ~, tho he'd while the twins leaned over tht
Soo foot and Ada found herself omar rM w,
d;d nitv You last night. Were yon dr"adfullN
"' "Not more so than usual replied France;
calmly. ,o. ,ouob2 And could the,
dance - inquired Ada. =,
Il danced good deal more than am in the