San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1890-03-06
R0SINE'S ROMANCE.

When Miss Magnolia carefully with.
drew the dress from the great cedar
trunk, unpinned the old damask table.
cloth which enveloped it, and spread out
It's shining folds for the admiration of her
niece. Rosine, that young lady clasped
her pretty hands and quoted Keats:
asa thing of beauty is a joy foreverr "
she said.
Miss Magnolia nodded and smiled. She
was small and round and brown as a
maiden lady of decidedly certain age
could be. But her heart, which had been
full of sentiment once, was warm and
sensitive organ still. And she took a
deal of interest in Rosine's romance.
"Yes, my dear, it is thing of beautyl
And to think / never wore it but twice.
Dear, deari'
"You had lover then, auntiep" asked
Rosine.
"Yes, pet. This was one of the dresses
got for my marriage. But he went
away-on business, he said. And he
never came back. 1t is just the gown
for your fancy dress ball." hurried on
Miss Magnolia. "a trihe short, of
course, but there is quite piece turned
in at the top that you could let down.
You shall go as lady of long ago."
"Not SO very long ago." protested Ro-
sine, with a laugh. "But really, auntie,
I don't like to take it. 1t is too lovelyw
"Nor for raiment of warl Remem-
Der, you are going to conquer the dra-
gon"
"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
obdurate 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 gentleman 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.
"He is coming to visit an old friend of
his" Cyril had said-"Judge Chartreau.
You know the Chartreau family. OF
course you have heard they are going to
give fancy dress ball next month in
honor of the coming out of their daugh-
ter, Lissette. You will receive a 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 plot
ting to make a person like her. And
"Bless you," cried Cyril, che doesn't
dislike you. l don't believe he even
knows your name. His resentment is
not particular. AS soon as
old him / was in love with a southern |
girl he--he q have to drop into slang,
Rosine)-he sat square down on me. 1t
seems southern girl Tilted him when
,e was young, and he is bound to save
ne from like awful fate. But when
,nce he sees you he is bound to capitu-
ate. He is a regular old brick-Unclr
Albert"
"But I have nothing to wear. And,
What is more, can't buy dress for the
Chartreau ball. We-Aunt Magnolia
nd I-are poor as the proverbial church
NICE"
But just then Miss Magnolia came to
)<os,n ,aIiaf l;lyn ranr,,lo,- l;tfIo fo,r
odmother.
1.-THE very thingl" she cried-"my prim-
ose satini"
Rosine regarded her obviously, delight
dly.
jealousy, she knew, had her aunt al
'ays guarded her trunkful of treasures,
er jewels, her laces, her rich, stiff, glis-
sning old brocades.
ado you mean it, auntier'
Miss Magnolias bright old eyes winked
cry rapidly indeed.
81 do, my dearl l was young once
lyself."
And that was how Rosine Wilde came
be the belle of Madame Chartreau's
Incy dress ball. The proposed festivity
I'D been the talk of New Orleans for
veral weeks. The night long anticipa-
d was cool, crisp, sweet and pearly.
lighted. was the broad balco-
ed old residence on st. Charles street
any a carriage rolled up, rolled off.
hen Rosine descended from the ba-
uche Of her chaperon she felt little
.rvous, little elated and conscious that ,
e was looking uncommonly well--as T,
deed she was. Quite picture was the
city young figure, in the clinging
wn of pale yellowish satin, picturesque
pulled and quantity fashioned. The
rsage, cut roundly. revealed the firm, :,
u throat Dainty mouse skin swathed
E arms, which, If slender, were also I,
quisitely rounded. And the small,
We tinted face was liz to loveliness by n
nsy black eyes. a fash Of alteration =
seeded the serene nonchalance Of
NJ Rodney's countenance a. be caught A
ht Of her. He made his vay 10 her
'Queen RosineT he murmured. 81 :,
Bder n you know that you're by far
prettiest girl here tonight Poor ..
cle Albert How complete viii be his
render- -
he swept hin q mOcking courtesy. ~
Al she said, snilingly, If that
.viriion uers bat nltne -