Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-11-26

| ~~eso~t "As" iaNu'bo oySot cue o'oh
they could not admit that Belle was
decidedly more comfortable to get
along with" and Carrie, though hand.
some. accomplished, and well dressed
approached the age of twenty-five
without being even engaged, she nat
uarlly did not become any more ami
able or comfortable"
She had had lovers, of course, but,
like many girls, those who had thought
of marrying her were not the persons
whom she could think of marrying
She was "going through the woods, 4"
in very grand style, but it was a ques-
ton whether the straight stick"
which she sought would ever meet
her eyes.
She was not of an affectionate ma.
ture, and when she did marry il
would not be "love match" by any
means. AS Miss Underwood, her
position was easy and assured. She
had good home, and she would not
make any change that was not for the
better in a worldly way, but still she
liked very much that she remained
single only because she chose, not be-
cause she must.
1t vexed her immensely to see how
popular her cousin was, and Belle,
knowing this, and smarting from many
bravely borne stings and cuts that
Carrie had inflicted upon her, took a
mischevious delight in Haunting her
small social success before her. 1t
was this which had impelled her to. be
impressively gracious to Mr.. Ellsworth
as soon as she perceived that Carrie
was being pleasant to him, and thus
it was that the gentleman found him
self, as it were, sailing between (if we
may crave pardon for the comparison)
Scylla and Charybdis, with every
prospect Of being shipwrecked between
the two.
Dinner was over at last and a gay
party adjourned to the parlor. Miss
Underwood was asked to sing as she
had expected, but alas, for her antici-
pated triumph ! Mr.. Ellsworth re-
NAMED close to Bellies side, and one
of the girls took the place which Car
RE had expected him to occupy beside
herself. She sang only once and then.
rose, in spite of all protestations to the
contrary. The evening mail had just
been distributed and the clerk was
coming into the parlor with his hands
full of letters. Carries sharp eyes
might have seen her cousins color
deepen suddenly as she glanced over
the letters which fell to her share, but
Carries eyes were busy over her own
correspondence, and the flush was un-
noticed and uncommented upon. A
moment after Belle ran up to her room
latter handkerchief" she said, and
when she came down the young people
were starting tor the campground.
Mr.. Ellsworth was lingering little
in spite of the fact that Carries hand
lay upon his arm, and he frightened
visibly as Belle appeared. 1--WE were
waiting for you, Mrs. Julian" he said,
and Carrie smiled reproach that she
should have detained them, although
bitterness was in her heart.
To Carrie Underwood the Campers
Hop" was an undeniahle success, for
Mr.. Ellsworth, after one dance with
Belle, devoted himself to her, except
for duty dances" for the remainder
of the evening. Doubtless if she had
known that his close attention to her.
self was the result of an undeniable
"snub" from his cousin she would
have felt less eIated, but as it was she
grew fairly radiant over her usual
GOODNESS and dignity, proceeded to en-
joy herself quite as naturally as those
about her.
Belle, on the contrary, seemed un-
usually quiet, and this added to Car
rie's satisfaction, since she felt her
cousin was suffering the same pangs
of mortified vanity which had stung
her so often. And so Carrie danced
indeiatigably, and laughed and TESTED
and made merry until even she was
forced to desist through very weari.
ness, and then Mr.. Ellsworth led her
to seat just inside the pavilion and
threw himself upon the ground beside
her. They talked nonsense, of course,
that is the regular thing under such
circumstances, and then Mr.. Els
worth saw fit to become senti mental,
and Carrie, although she was not in
the least "in love" with the man, let
him to talk about kindred souls" and
"affinities" and the like, just because
she felt that every moment was max
ing her victory over her cousin the
more complete.
The music had ceased now, for they
kept early hours in the mountains,
and Carrie, looking over her shoulder
into the pavilion saw that they were
all making ready to depart.
1.-THE hop is over,' she said, rising.