The Washington critic., 1890-02-20
ROOlNE'S ROMANCE.
and lovers may marry at forty,
Aye, and live happy TO boot,
Though Philiis ho gray MS a badger,
And Cnrvlnn na hnld as COOt.N


When Miss Magnolia carefully withdrew
one dress from the great cedar trunk un-
pinned the old damask table-cloth which
enveloped It., and spread out It's shining
folds FOR the admiration OF her niece,
Rosinc, that young lady clasped her pretty
hands and quoted Keats;
"A thing Of beauty is Joy forever! -
she said.
Miss Magnolia nodded and smiled. She
was altogether unlike the large, fair, splen-
did flower after which she had been christ
ened-almost grotosquely unlike, in fact.
She was small and round and brown, as II
maiden lady of q decidedly certain age
could be. Indeed she reminded one of
nothing so much as a little russet apple
But her heart, which had been full of SEN
timent once, was a warm and sensitive or
gan still. Aud she took deal sof interest
In Rosine's romance.
"Yes, my dear, IL is a thing Of beauty.
And to think | never wore 10 but twice.
Dear, dear!n And she went on stroking the
primrose satin. tenderly as a mother touches
the hair of child.
"You had a lover then, auntie2n asked
Rosiue.
eyes, pet. This was one of the dresses |
rot for my marriage. But he went away
on business, he said. And he never came
back"
Hastily she wiped her eyes lest tear
should stain the shimmering stuff she held.
at is Just the gown for your fancy-dress
! bali, hurried on Miss Magnolia. "a triie
short, Of course, but there is quite a piece
| turned in at the top that you could let
down. You shall go as lady Of long
ago.
"Notso very long ago protested Rosine,
| with laugh. "But really, auntie, don't
| like to take it. II is too lovely!i
mot for raiment of war! Remember
you are going to conquer the drsgonli
"That is so. And the master should
have written, ''Thrice is she armed who
wears pretty dress' ~
The foe against whom Miss Rosine Wilde
purposed arraying herself was the obdurato
uncle of her handsome lover. Most
promptly and perversely had he opposed
the marriage of his nephew. The young
fellow would have ignored the refusal of
his relative were it not that the old gentle
man had always been very kind and good
to him; had indeed taken the place of his
dead father to him. So he decided that
Rosine should meet his uncle and put his
prejudice to rout.
"l1e is coming to visit an old friend OF
his,n Cyril had said-"Judge Chartreau
You know that Chartreau family. OF course
you have heard they are going to give Q
fancy-dress ball next month in honor oi
the coming out of their daughter Lissette
You VIII receive a card. You will attend
Youwill meet Uncle Albert. And you viii
take his heart by storm"
Hopefully had he planned his scheme
enthusiastically had lie explained it. Bu
Rosine protested. 1t was to be graut
ball. and she had nothing 10 wear. Be
sides, she did not like the idea of plottin.
to make person like her. And
"Bless YOU" cried Cyril, che doesn't dis
like you. / don't believe he even know
your name. His resentment is general, no
particular. As soon as told him ! was il
love with Southern girl he-he Il have t,
drop into slang, Rosine)-he sat squar
down on me. 1T seems Southern gir
Tilted him when he was young, and he /
bound to save me from like awful fate
But when he once sees you he is bound t.
capitulate. He is a regular old brick
Uncle Albert"
"But have nothing to wear. And, wha
is more, can't buy dress for the Char
treau bah. We-Aunt Magnolia and l.
are poor as the proverbial church nice"
But Just then Miss Magnolia came t
Rosine's relief Ikea regular little fairy go
mother.
"The very thing' she cried "my prln
rose satin''
Roslne regarded her dubously, delight
edly.
Jealously she knew had her aunt alway
guarded her trunk full of treasures, he
Jewels, her laces, her rlch stiff, glistenin
old brocados.
"Do you mean 1t, auntieS'
Miss Magnolia's bright old eyes winke
very rapidly indeed.
II do, my dear! | was young once m,
self''
And that was how Rosiue Wilde came t
be the belle OF Nine. Chartreau's fame,
dress ball. The proposed festivity ha
/ been the talk of New Orleans for sever;
weeks The night long anticipated WI
cool, crisp, sweet and pcarly. Brilliant
lighted was the broad-balconied, old res
/ dence on st. Charles street. Many ca
a riage rolled up, rolled Off. When Rosir
, descended from the barouche of her chap
rome she felt o little nervous, q little elatel
and conscious that she was looking uncon
monty well--as, indeed, sho was Quite
picture was the pretty young figure, in Il
t picturesquely pulled and quantity fasl
| ioncd. The corsage, cut roundly, reveale
the firm, full throat. Dainty mouseski
, swathed the arms, which, II, slender, We
u also exquisitely rounded. And tho smal
u olive-tinted face was lit to loveliness
q pansy black eyes. A flash of adoratio
: succeeded the serene nonchalance of Cyl
a Rodney's countenance as he caught sigl
of her. He made his way to her side.
''Queen Rosinel'' lie murmured. ''IwO
= der If you know that you're by far Il
y prettiest girl here tonight! Poor Unc
!, Albert. How complete will be his su
render!'
d She swept him mocking courtesy.
k "Ah," she SAID, smilingly, ''if that co
(. viction were but mue-n
The sentence ended in long, soft sig
ISL te pas gagne---" he began. Co
found it it, ! never could get my tong
around your creolismsl The saying
u however, that il there were no signing
10 the world the world would stiHe. No
u prepare TO face the music.n
r And oil ne went. lie soon returned
r his side was a sturdy old gentleman.
:. Rosine's heart beat more rapidly.
y ''Ihe dragon" she said.
10 Silvery hair had the dragon. a da
mustache hid the dragon. A tlerid co
plexion had the dragon. And a manr
y that was grave, dignitied, courteous.
n "Uncle Albert,n explained Cyril, wi
a. hoyish eageruess, this is Miss Rosi
Wilde.n
;, Wilde The old gentleman started p,
y ceptibly. He looked at the blushing girl
'e at the yellowish gown. He bowed.
4. "And,n avowed young Rodney, sendi
his sweetheart a swift smile of encoura.
S, ment, ''and-the young lady of whom
er spoke to you"
\ "Ohl'' exclaimed Albert Ellsworth. TIL
- interogatively: "Wilde? Was your fathe
name Clayton Wide?
Rosine assented.
"And Your mothers maiden name "
s. Magnolia Kingsley
is "Oh, dear, mol Aunt Magnolia was me-
s. married. My mothers name was Madel
Kingsley"
'Eh ~ cried the dragon.
M The lorid color had faded from his chee
-. He was tugging nervously at his dark III
VI ache He looked agitated, perplexed.
in "My mother died ten years ago. S
ROsine, "and since then have lived W
Aunt Magnolia
ln Mr. EllsMnrIh rnmnrl ed lnr mrimlN