Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1890-05-21

W ~ Nis5 Magnolia carefully with
rr. one ress from the great ca.lar
ulp.mel ,he old damask table
a'l p enyeloped it. and spread out
aiaS folds for the Imiration of
lef III cc. Rosine, that young lady
led her pretty hands and quoted
Keats:
a thing of beauty is a joy forever"
she nj
Miss Magnolia nodded and smiled. She
was altogether unlike the large fair,
splendid flower after which she had been
clristened - almost grotesluely unlike,
in fact. She was small and roun and
brown. rs a maiden lady of a-decidedly
uncertain age coull be- Indeed she re-
min o ! one of nothing so much as a lit
tie ruse. apple But her heart. which
ha b.ea full of sentiment once was a
war.u and sensitive organ still An she
took a deal of interest in Rosine's ro-
nance.
~Yes. my dear, it is a thing Of beauty.
An % think | never wore it but twice.
Dear. dear and she went on stroking
the primrose satin lerly as mother
cuoles the hair of a clild.
You had lover, then, auntie:" asked
Ro-ne.
~Yes. pet. This was one of the dresses
go for my marriage. But he went
away-on business he said. And he
never came back.
Hastily she wiped her eyes lest a tear
shoull stain the shimmering stuff she
held.
It's Just the gown for your fancy
dress ball. hurried on Miss Magnolia.
~ trihe short. of course, but there is
cutie piece turned in at the top that
yol could let down. You shall go as
lady Of long ago.
"Not so very long ago protested Ro-
rine. with laugh. But really. auntie,
l cont like to take it. 1t is too lovely.
"Not for a raimelt of war. Remem-
Der you are going to conquer the
dragon
THAT is 50. And the master should
have written Thrice is she armed who
wears a pretty dress. "
The foe against whom Miss Rosine
Wilde purposed ar.aying herself was the
oldurate uncle Of her handsome lover.
,lost promptly and perversely had he OPP
pose the marriage Of his nephew. The
Young fellow would have ignored the re-
ilsal of his relative we've it not that the
Cd gentleman had always been very
lad and good to him had indeed taken
tlc place of his dead father To him, So
j. 'oui lel that Re- ne should meet his
u cle ana put his p.eiudice to rout.
He is coming to meet an old friend Of
his. Cyril had sa; Judge Chartreau,
You know the Chartreau family. OF
course you have heard they are going to
rive a fancy dress bali next month in
honor OF the coming ont of their daugh-
Ter. Lissette. You will receive card.
You will attend. You will meet Uncle
Albert. And you will take his heart by
storm,
Hopefully had he planned his scheme,
enthusiastically had he explained it. But
Rosine protested. 1t was to be a grand
ball and she had nothing to wear, Be-
sides she did not like the idea of plotting
20 make a person like her. And
rBless, YOU" cried Cyril, "he doesn't
dislike you. dol't believe he even
knows your nan His resentment is
general, not particular AS soon as 1
told him was in love with a Southern
eirl-he Il have to drop into slang. Ro-
sine.) he sat square down on me. 1t seems
a Southern girl Tilted him when he was
young. and he is bound to ave me from
n like awful fate But when he once
sees YOU he Is bound to capitulate. He
Is a regular old brick-Uncle Albert. "
But / have nothing to wear. And
what is more can't buy dress for the
Chartreau ball. We Aunt Magnolia
and I-are poor as proverbial church
mice.
But Just then Miss Magnolia came to
Rosines relief like a regular little fairy
godmother.
The very thing, she cried, "my prim-
rose satin. .
Rosine regarded her dubiously delight
edly.
Jealously she knew had her aunt al
ways guarded her trunk full of treasures,
her Jewels her laces, her rich, stiff, glis-
tening old brocades.
"Do yol mean it. auntie?'
Miss ,fagnolia's bright old eyes winked
gerry rapidly indeed.
Il do. my dear. was young once my
5elf.
And that was how Rosine Wilde camo
10 be the belle of Nine. Chartreau's fancy
dress ball. The proposed festivity had
been the talk of New Orleans for several
weeks. The night long anticipated was
cool. crisp. sweet. and pearly. Brilliantly
lighted was the broad-balconie1, old resi-
dence on st. Charles street. Many a car
riage rolled up, rolled off. When Rosine
descended from the barouche of herchape-
rome she felt a little nervous, a little
elated. and conscious that she was look
inc uncommonlv well-as. indeed. she
was. Quite a picture was the pretty
young figure. in the clinging gown of
pale. velowish satin, picturesquely pulled
and quantity fashioned. The corsage,
cut roundly, revealed the firm, full throat.
Dainty mousS<kin swathed the arms,
which. if slender, were also exquisitely
rounded. And the small, olive-tinted
face was lit to loveliness by pansy black
ewes. 4 flash of alteration succeeded
the serene nonchalence of Cyril Rodney's
countenance as he caught sight Of her.
BE made his wav io her side.
"Queen Rosine!" he murmured. Il
conder if you know that you're by far
The prettiest girl here tonight Poor
Uncle Albert, How complete will be
his surrender
She swept him mocking courtesy.
sAh." she said. smilingly, IF that