Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-16
GREEK MET GREEK.
BY EMMA s. ALLEN.

Mrs. Winston's parlors were filled with
young people on the occasion of her third
party that season. 1t was bright May
evening, and the warm air, laden with
rose -breaths from the garden, came
through the open windows to meet the
sounds of music and laughter that tloated
out. Everybody was having good time
it would be impossible to have any
thing else at Mrs. Winstons. She was
the acknowledged leader of Springfield
society, Nobody had ever entered the
lists as her rival
Mrs. Winston stood between the por-
there's dividing the front drawing-room
frim the square hall, chatting with
her latest arrived guest, William Norman.
''You don't mean to tell me that you
have never met Miss Danaln she ejacul-
atcd.
at is true. l have never met Miss
Dana, although l have seen her very
few times. Since the family moved to
Springfield | have been away great
deal. She is very beautiful"
eyes; the men say so, and most of the
girls are jealous of her She will suit
you precisely-she is born hirt."
He laughed lightly as he threw back
his handsome head
"Oh, what an insinuation!n
Gone that you justly deserve" laughed
his hostess Don't waste time in thread
bare denials Come and let me introduce
you to Myrtle"
They crossed the room to where Miss
Dana stood listlessly carry on a common
place conversation with a commonplace
young man of twenty-one summers. She
was by far the headsomest girl in the
room, and the most exquisitely dressed.
Her beauty was of singularly rare type.
She was neither blonde nor a brunette,
having deep, violet t-blue eyes, a pure,
apple blossom complexion, and dark
hair the color of brown sea-weed
as full of natural ripples as the eddies of
stream. Her dress, although no more
elegant than dozen others, had pecu-
liar effect. 1t was a soft, lustreless silk of
pearly whiteness, frosted about her
white arms and throat with cob-weh
lace. She wore large corsage bouquet
of waxen snow-drops, and the cold
whiteness was lighted by the flash of two
diamond solitaires in her ears and a
thread-like necklace of very small bril-
liants close about her snowy throat.
"She is the Snow Queen" said Norman
to Mrs. Winston.
Exactly; but only in appearance.
There is nothing cold about her"
Five minutes later Norman had mon
opolized her society. 1t was always the
signal for other men to retire into the
background when William the Conquer
or put in an appearance. Not that he
was in the least degree overbearing and
egotistical. There was nothing in his
manner to indicate that he had discov-
cred what remarkably handsome fellow
he was. He stood erect and strong. a few
inches taller than any other man in the
room. His splendid form alone, and his
air of graceful self-possession, would
have made him king, socially, without
his fair captivating face. 1t was face
as striking in its contrasts as Miss Dana's,
and its exact opposite. He possessed the
unusual combination of dark brown ewes
and blonde hair--not a stiff, washed out,
fuzzy growth, cut pompadour-but soft
and glossy, with wayy inclination that
the barber never quite subdued.
Nearly all the girls in Springfield had
been in love with him, at one time or
another-some of them more or less VIC
lently. The majority of them had re
covered with only superficial scars
others had not. But as yet there had
been no early graves.
~ have heard great deal about you,
Mr.. Norman" Miss Dana replied.
'Tndeed Ihope it is nothing very
disparaging
She smiled very doubtfully as she shook
her head.
"That is vain hope. It's something
disparaging-something very wicked"
He took up long handled japanese
fan from the table, one of the many that
the hostess had scattered through the
rooms in promiscuous fashion.
81 wish you would tell me what it is, ="
he said, tracing with his finger the hide
ously distorted outlines of japanese art.
81 have never absconded with anybody's
valuables.n
Perhaps not in bank notes, but hear
that you have no mercy in stealing away
feminine hearts-that you are a most in
corrigible firt."
ooh, he laughed, folding his hands
behind him, " that is precisely what
have heard about you-the 'incorrigible
firt part of your sentence"
'Ts it ?"-laughing carelessly. "Then
1t is Greek met Creek
Exactly. Shall we measure swords
and enter into combat, to determine
which Of us is most deserving of the title y
For answer, she extended her white
satin and ivory fan, and he instantly
measured its length with the kindred
gutta-percha sticks of the Sunrise King
dom.
SIS it war to the knife 2" she asked
mirthfully
eyes, and the fork, too. We will GO
to supper together"
lie scarcely left her side during even
ing. She certainly was not out of hi
sight until her carriage had driven away
in the early hours Of morning. leaving
him standing half bewildcred ON the
sidewalk.