Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1891-03-28


ence to comparative poverty, had the
Vandelours deigned to notice her so
cially. They had had meetings and in
terviews relative to certain legal mat
ters, but they had not invited Mrs. Bas-
sett to their home or visited her in hers.
So it was not strange she rather ques-
toned the motive of the present unusual
attention.
s'You are very kind she said. ''Come
in
She shook hands with the daughter of
her guest, and ushered both ladies into
her little parlor. 1t was the contest,
the daintiest, the most artistic apart
ment conceivable. Many fine relics Of
her former life had been retained. The
oriental rug, that almost covered the
floor, vas one; the bookcase of polished
rosewood, long, low, dwarf affair,
was a second; the oil portrait of a hand
some and gallant-looking man was an
other. The room was quite guiltless of
the hideous productions usually dcsig:
| mated fancy work. Instead, there were
some good etchings and magazines, for
Lavender Bassett was one of those per-
sons who feel they can better sacrifice
| a few of Gfe's neccssaries, or those
things that are ordinarily considered
such. than some of its lu3rrries. But
! the supreme charm of tho place was
! embraced in the bay window. That
| was vcritable bower of verdure. of
bloom, Of beauty. Such flowers! only
| one who loved them dearly could have
| brought them to their state of absolute
perfection. For. they all seemed to be
| in bloom. The tall oleander, with its
long, banana-lil<c leaves; the Storm
! King fuchsia: the veined, olive-leaved
and waxen-pink begonia; the creamy
Chinese primroses; the brilliant and
multi-hued spikes of spicy geraniums.
Most exquisite of all, the lilies! Of
those, stately, snow-pure, golden
hearted things, there were fully two
dozen. Many We're in full and splendid
bloom; others We're in bud; but every
one was exquisite, simply that.
| ''Oh," cried Mrs. Vandelour, bringing
her fat hands together with gasp of
amazement, of delight, Mrs. Delamcre
did not eXaggerate about your Lenten
lilies! They are magnificent.''
Mrs. Delamcre! Lavender Bassctt
could hardly repress smile. Mrs. Del
| amcre was very wealthy and flask
I ionable lady who lived in the pretcn-
tious green stone dwelling which over
shadowcd hers. She had called on Mrs.
Bassett, and been very kind. She went
Il great deal into society. She had
doubtless chanced to meet Mrs. Nande
| lour. and had mentioned the success of
her neig1bor as a florist. But surely Il
ldesire to behold some fine flowers
would not account for that lady's visit
! ''They are pretty shJ'aSsented with
pardona bic pride.
Pretty, They are superb! I never
saw anything like them. Did YOU
Oriole?'
Oriole, stoop-shoulGered, bilious
looking girl, over-dresscd like her
mother was regarding them with en-
vious eyes.
Never. Oh. mamma. if only
Her mother sent her a glance of
piercing rcproof. The time was not
yet ripe.
Half an hour passed. The visitors
| beamed on Lavender Bassctt. She
calmly and cOurteously entertained
them. She was such a contrast to them.
She was so slender, and gentle. and
grace ful--so quietly clad. Her gown.
of some thick. soft, black stuff, was
fashioned with absolute simplicity.
There were 4 few folds of Grape at
wrists and throat. Her face reminded
one of her own precious lilies. so pure
ly pale it was Her features We're deli
cately regular Her eyes, daril-browcd
and darl<-fringcd. had the dreamy, at
tentive. half brooding look of one who
is very near-sighted. And her hair
cleaning golden, was at once crown
and an aureole. But her expression
was one of sadness, the most controlled,
intense.
A rather curious story. that of Law
cndcr Bassctt'S. Married at eighteen
= T., ,,,l, ,,,a t.,11 lad ~,
a charming home of her own. with in
come sufficient to meet all proba bic re-
quiremcnts. she was the happicst of
women. Two years after her marriage
Jack Bassett was obliged to go west to
look up some land in which he was in
tcreSted. He never returned. Many
We're the conjectureS as to his fate.
great deal of advertising and searching
was done vainly. Four months after
his disappearance his baby girl was
born. a couple of hundred dollars to
her personal credit at the bank had
Mrs. Eassctt-that and her jewels
Otherwise she was unprovided for.
One day a lawyer waited on her, eX-
planning, or endeavoring to explain, i
very peculiar case. Some old trans
atlantic relative of her husband had
died. His estate. of stupendous value.
was willcd to Jack Bassett if he could
and would fulfill certain Crratic re-
quests and conditions. In case he was
either unable or unwilling to do so, the
property would pass to another rela-
tive, Hermann Nandelour.
The vanishment of young Bassett,
the queer complications now resulting,
and all the singular features of the af-
fair were popular newspaper themes
| for several months Then public in
tercst in the matter waned. The case
went into the courts, and it was gen.
| orally conceded that if Jack Bassett did
not soon materialize the decision must
be in favor of Nandelour. But Jack
Bassett's wife and friends had decided
he must be dead. No such steady and
| home loving chm as he Momld Millinglv