The Sunday morning news., 1891-12-27

gotten that NJ. Vergniaud will be here"
II am under no obligations to enter
tain Mme LIE Forts callers"
f'But you know, Helen, that he comes
for your sake. 1t is well for you to con-
slider that the future Nine. Vergniaud
will have in some respects more brill
liant position than perhaps any man in
our country could offe- you"
"T know all that, o. don't pretend
to say that should not like it. I am
ashamed of being SO worldly, but to
have a superb establishment and all this
charming Partisan society, and give a
grand ball whenever 1 liked, would be
Just paradise. And to have it all in my
grasp, and not be able to take it, is too
aggravating. 1t is SO vexatious that the
right man never has the right things"
We went to church. M. Vergniaud
called, but recollected an engagement
which took him away early. Monday
evening he dropped in again just after
dinner: ''Do not let me derange you in
the least, je vous en- prie, madame. l
come early because l am engaged to three
balls tonight"
Miss st. Clair could hardly have been
more mute and statue like if she had
been born and bred in France, where, in
the presence of gentlemen, young girls
silently adhere to their brilliant mothers,
whose wit and grace and social tact
make the charm of the Partisan salons.
Apparently, the French consider that the
combined attractions of youthful faces
and sprigntly conversation would be too
much for any man, and mercifully di-
vide the two. And this leaves them help
less before little American girl, laugh
ing, talking, jesting, teasing, till, bewil-
dered by such phenomenon, they are
swept down so easy that one is reminded
of Attilas taunt to the Romans, 1.-The
thicker the grass, the quicker it is
moved"
to my little FREELY, who seemed always
opening and shutting her wings In the
course of the evening NJ. Vergniaud
slipped into her hand. unperceived by
any of us, closed envelope with the
whisper: PUT it in your pocket Do not
let any one see you"
She opened it deliberately: I'M. Vergn-
iaud is SO kind as to give me his pho
tograph, Nine. Fleming. Do you think
it good ikeness?"
The mystery which French people are
fond of attaching to harmless trifies is
inconceivable. One evening, in the ear
ier part of our stay in Paris, cousin of
Miss st. Clair's, who was in the same
hotel with Mr.. Denham, called on us,
and when he was taking leave she held
out an unsealed note: 'sWill you give
this to Fred? Don't forget it."
Mime. Le Fort was thunderstruck: sis
it possible? Send a note to y1ung gem
Neman right before Nine. Fleming and
all of us!"
"Why," said I, edo young people
never write notes to each other in
Francew
'sNot openly like that-little three cor
nered notes to slip into the hand while
dancing"
''This is the way to fold them," said
Clarice, taking up small sheet of paper.
"You see that will just fit into the hol-
low of the hand, and nobody could ever
see it,"
'I like our way much better. What is
done openly is not half'so mischievous."
Nor half SO interesting" rejoined
Clarice.
The nimble hours danced on. as they
had trick of doing in Nine. LIE Forts
salon. 81 am afraid you forget the three
balls, NJ. Vergniaud."
''How can you be SO cruel, mademoi-
selle? shall only make my compliments
to the hostess and dance one set at each.
/ never do more except when / come
here
A few days later asked Helen, "Have
you made up your mind what answer to
give M. Vergniaud? He intends to write
to your father. He was speaking to me
about it again today"
81 won't have him writing to my faith
err she replied with her wonted impetu-
osity. II will not have my father wor
ried about nothing. 1t would be month
before could set it right"
HE seems to be very much in love
with you. He says he shall be in despair,
wretched forever, if you reject him."
$50 they all say. | don't believe
word of it, and can't help If they are.
i can't marry more than one of them,
and don't believe / shall ever marry
anybody. Iwontbe prosecuted to death.
The little princess was irritated. Some
thing had evidently gone wrong. 1t soon
came out: II had letter from Fred this
morning-a very disagreeable letter"
''Indeed! You have not yet answered
it, l suppose"
'tNo; he will have to write differently
from that before he gets any answer from
me. am not going to be lessoned and
Ecolded as if were little girl. Father
peyer does it, and will not submit to it
fsom him. After a pause: "He is not
so much to blame. 1t is that odious Mr..
Wilkins, who keeps writing to him how
much attention receive, and all that.
As if l could help it! Poor old Fred!
We have known each other ever since we
were children"
That explains it. thought. "Helen,
If you have decided to say no to NJ. Vergn-
iaud. the sooner you say it the better"
II have said it and he doesn't mind it
in the least. I wish you would tell him;
You always speak SO that people know
you are in earnest and can't help believ-
Ing YOU"