Nevada County picayune., 1890-04-09

dinners and comforts were looked af- ter as well as they had always been, and he was as captions and fault finding as before, even more so, for now he was in the midst of a great senatorial election, which he hoped would result in his election.
 At last there came day that it was necessary for him to take Hctty to reception and grand dinner party, at which also would be his rival and his wife, who was large, handsome woman who always man. aged to attract attention, and capti- vate the people with her showy ac- complishments. She was a born pol itlcan, and Horace did not lose this opportunity to humiliate Hetty by comparison, and by saying that she would doubtless make some blunder i that would cost hlm his election, and 1 he sarcastically advised her to look as pretty as she could. and to do nothing but smile, and to say yes or no, and not to cause him to blush ] for her ignorance.
 Hetty did try to make herself as pretty as she could, and her dress was a miracle of becomingness, as we'll as of elegance, and even Horace was obliged to soften his harshness, as he looked upon her. with her vio- let eyes ablaze, her cheeks delicate wild-rose pink, that lluttered and faded with each breath to bloom anew, her lips like threads of scarlet, and her hair like bronze, and her beautiful figure, she was, by all means, the loveliest woman in all the crowd, and every one looked twice at the wife, now seen for the first time Tn public.
 Hetty's friend had taught her ev- crything, and now there was neither awkwardness nor hesitancy. She had all the grace of the finished wo- men of the world, without any of their faults, and she made a sensa- tion wherever she passed. She had nerved herself for this ordeal and went through it triumphantly.
 Horace watched her in surprise, admiration and fear, lest she say or do something to mar the favorable impression she had made so far, but he went from one surprise to another.
 When he had feared that she would hesitate or falter, she had a few ready, well-chosen words, and her gracious smile, which showed a glorious range of white teeth, and caused many to gather around her, and he found himself eclipsed by his beautiful, but hitherto despised, Hetty.
 He fingered near, in anxiety, which was half jealousy, half fear, and watchtd q the play of her features, as she answered one and another, al- ways with q perfect taste, and frc- quently with a witty rejoinder.
 By and by some foreign ladies and gentlemen were announced, and soon one was presented to Hetty, and he began to lament in French that he could not speak to her, when she re- piled to him lluently in his own Ian guagc, as if it was the most natural thing in the world; and soon she was the center of the group, and they seemed delighted with her, and she received compliments enough to turn a wiser head than hers.
 Her husband was stupeled, but still more so when he discovered later that she was conversing in Ger man with a gentleman and his wife, who were both renowned in their country and this, and thus it was until dinner was announced.
 He was separated from her the whole length of the table, and his eyes kept turning towards her, and and his attention wandering, until his friends were surprised, and his opponents glad, for he missed sever al opportunities to get votes.
 Hetty was social success from the start, and in spite of the older experience of the wife of her hus- bands opponent, and her more showy talents, Hetty was the star of the evening, and before it her hus- band dimmed almost to extinction, and he was so surprised that he did net even know it.
 But Hctty's crowning triumph did not come until after dinner. Her rival. so to speak, was fine singer,