The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-01-14

the sea. The disposition of the arms,
too, caused some trouble, and it was a
long time before the ladies could
decide on anything quite up to the
widows notion. The French maid
was shrewd enough to know
that her mistress would not be
satisfied until she had her own way, and
waited to hear all she had to say on the
subject before speaking conclusively.
The lady finally remembered that she
had seen picture, in an art gallery on
Fifth avenue, of, she thought, Cleo
patra, and that one hand was bent and
resting beside the head, the other cast
across the form and holding fan made
of the feathers of rare birds. The widow
desired the hand up by the head, as she
had really exquisite arms, and the sleeve
of the lace dress was flowing. With
one arm like that, and the brilliant
whiteness Of the other peeping through
the meshes of the lace, there was hardly
O man in existence who would not risk
a limb to have both around his neck.
The widow was at length set out in
that matter, with the head gently lean
ing back on a gold and crimson pillow,
the chin slightly raised to bring forth the
whole swan-ike outline of the throat.
Little white-satin shoes that looked like
toys were placed on her feet, and the
French maid retired several times to adj
mire her work, and fell into ecstacies
over it. The widow was complete at
three o'clock, and the young ladies
took their position in the front
room. The maid went upstairs to recon-
noitre from the front window, and calm
and peace reigned through that anxious
house. The lawyer delayed, and the
widow became uneasy. She called her
daughter and asked if she was su;e he
would come. The daughter was quite
sure. The French maid was summoned
and asked her opinion. She was certain
he would not fail. The widow was not
comfortable, and wanted drink. They
gave her lemonade, the maid holding
the glass to her lips with a napkin under
it for fear of. drop falling somewhere.
She had then to carefully wipe the lips
with the corner of lace handkerchief,
and add a little rose salvc to keep the
ruby glowing.
All then returned to their posts, and
fifteen minutes elapsed. They seem like
years to the widow. She was not only
in state of high expectation but get
ting hungry. The daughters friend was
a noted harpist, and part of the perfor-
nance was that, as soon as the lawyer
was seated in the back room she should
play something soft, suggesting moon
light and fairies. When the lawyer fell
before the shrine she was to change the
music to the old French song, "Comme
iet'aime," so as to give the widow
chance to say ''That music speaks my
heart" The maid advised that the
sing the song, as she had asweet
voice and could give it feeling, but the
widow said "No," her daughter singing
the song would remind him of the
daughter, and that he was ABOUT to be-
come step-father. 1t would not do
at all.
As the young friends fingers swept
the harp the widow called out to stop,
as the sound vibrated on her nerves and
irritated her. She had fixed upon a
smile, ard did not want to lose it. She
needed something to eat, and the maid
placed an olive between her lips and
af.erward removed the stone. The
widow was growing tired and beginning
to feel that the whole business would be
a failure, when sharp pull came to the
bell. The ladies rushed to their stations,
and the maid upstairs. The butler
opened the door and called the maid.
He did not know whether the lady was
in or not. The maid came down and did
not know either. She requested him to
90 into the back room, as the young
lady had friends in the front, and she
would 90 and see if her mistress were at
home. She had a long hunt.
In the meantime the lawyer became
accustomed to the light in the room
and could discern objects. All of sud-
den his glance encountered the lounge,
and he fell back-.what revelation!
His movement reused the lady, and she
turned with a little cry. At the same
moment as tiny foot stepped to the
floor, and the lawyer was en-
tranced. The widow sat up and recov-,
cred her surprise at seeing a gentleman
in the room, and being discovered in a
moment of dreamy forgetfulless. She
rang for the maid, and when that person
chided her for not knowing
she was there. The maid excused he:-,
self and went away. Then the harp rang
out in the front room, and the lawyer;
fell at the widows feet, declaring he had
been blind up to that instant, but the
whole fragrance and beauty of creation
were revealed to him, and he would seize
it on the spot if he dared.
The music on the harp changed under
the direction of the daughter and the
maid, who were watching through an
opening between the folding doors. An
easy chair had been placed carelessly by
the lounge, and the lawyer accidentally
took it. As he did so be touched the
widows hand and inquired how she felt
toward him. She answered according
to agreement, and laid her head upon
his shoulder. He was detained to din
ner. On returning to the drawing-loom
he took advantage of moment con-
trivcd by the widow when they were
alone. He approached her slowly and