Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-05
CHAPTER Ill

SCcTs so much amused
Thus were the gates of social paradise
opened, and thus did the Peri enter in.
But in short time the Peri discovered
that she was Let entirely happy. 1t is
fact; was not satisfied. For l had deter
mined not TO be careless enough TO presume
upon the Hathorne patronage. | knew
that the stamp of Mrs. Hathorne's approval
would enable me to pass current, but I
wanted to be at a premium on my own ac-
count. l sacrificed myself on the altar of
character Never did l knowingly offend
anybody; never did indulge myself in any
o. those little sarcasns, TO intl!ct which on
some Of my female acquaintance my
tongue at times fairly ached.
The mannaS and maiden auDts in CON
gress assembled must have voted that
was fresh milk and pure Canaan honcy-a
model and delight From Miss MayDurn
and Mr.. Temple 1 obtained quite char
acter for cleverness; but I never allowed
myself to outshine other folk, unless was
talking to somebody who would detect
politio restraint on my part. Macy Tenn
pie, though he always assumed that dread
ful and wildly aggravatng masculine tone
of superiority and spoke as if he had con
Guided to exhibit the truth to his female
friends, but to suffer il silence IL they Of
Tended against It, was never jealous OF
other peoples talents, and took care that
no one should estimate my abilities Ut a
lower value than he himself had decided to
put on them. He often did me the honor
10 bring mo little poems and literary
sketches Of which he made Z great secret,
and he sometimes did nc the much greater
honor "a beg for my opinion.
We became great friends; he told me
what Miss Mayburn had said TO him about
the ehnr.Cter of my mind, and pointed out
TO me what he considered the mistakes in
nee estimate; he suggested several courses
VI reading for me, aud took most kindly
interest in my intellectual welfare. But
let nobody suppose that he was an aIsthete.
He discovered no signs Of Btheticism in
the composition Of bouquets; If he pre-
ferred srndowers 10 jacuuemiuots he took
very good care 10 hide his taste when he
wished 30 compliment me; and though he
was very well upin the stained glass poets,
and nearly made me weep by reading TO
me -Slr Peter Esrpdon's End l don't
think he csred Us much for Ferugino or
Eotticeil rs he aid for the cartoons in
Puck. Whenever we INDUCED in An occa-
stonal bit OF Irritation I could not help
thinking OF Mc Soullter, with whom very
few men compared t&yorahly. l must do
Mr. Temple the Justice TO say that in his
own way he was charming lie had very
attractive wayuf limiting compliments, en-
trapping YOU IN pleasing pItfall of COM
pliment 20 which he would lead you care
fully through ways Of apparently barren
commonplace. But he was not sufficiently
exciting. His method was too colby liz
eellectual; there was not enough warmth
J. rrria :.
his glance.
Then. TOO, did not care TO see too much
of him, fer | thought it best not TO be
supposed TO be intimate with any man
during my first winter and as he was ac-
customed to having his own way he was
displeased at being frequently put off. For
the same reason | took care not to encour-
age Mr.. 3 utter too much; in a word, nv
policy was to bring all the men to my side,
but not TO keep any OF them there TOO long.
And oh, heavens when | remember the
snnui which l endured during the sessions
of those awful sewing classes and Bible
Glasses which l servilely joined when in
vited so to do, ! blush 10 think that could
ever havs been 50 hypocritical
/ remember tha6 Sunday afternoon at
the Grenes', while Mrs Greno was care
fully explaining to Us text out of Jere-
eniah or Deuteronomy (she had peculiar
prediction for the most dismal parts of
the Old Testament, and once suggested
that we should have a week day class 10
read JosePhus(-I remem Der that l was sit
ting in the window, when suddenly saw
Bran Boullter walking with Susy Prague,
the most giddy pated little bud in town,
who had been rushed into society by five
Or six men, and had Immediately assaulted
every respectable prejudice therein with
awful audacity and success. bitterness OF
vexation and jealousy suddenly flllsd my
soul felt as II l should like to jump out
Of the window, tear Susy from the side OF
Mr. Raullter, carry him off triumphaatiy
scross the frozen river, eclipse her in her
own sphere and dazzle the city for-for
how longf
Here paused. l said to myself: Ethel,
Susan Prague Is q comet. Do you wish to
be coret?' And to such sensible ques-
ton there was only one answer. It was
pleasant enough to read Shakespeare in
Iotty's little class, but it would have been
ten times more fun to have Essd some Of
the delightful French plays that sdEmed |
with one eve at the library when no one |
was looking. and q hundred times more
fun TO hare acted something. As It was
few of US could make prateasions TO read |
- -rall Seenr shall ] fcrzes Ar. Charter /