The Opelousas courier., 1891-01-10
Mr.. GILFORTH'S. TASTE,
BY EMMA A. OPPER.

Wallace parted from Mary Henderson,
and from her small second-cousin, who
was her constant charge, and walked
back to his hotel.
But he did not seem to be alone. Her
presence fingered with him. He saw
her yellow head and her clear gray eyes,,
and her SHINY tall form. And he knew
why the thought of marriage had always
reused a sarcastic spirit within him-he
had never seen Mary Henderson.
When he had set off for the Catskills
a month ago, he would have scofed at
the notion Of losing his heart there.
Well, he had, and he was blissful in the
knowledge.
He should see her again that evening;
che was to give a little dance at their
pretty cottage. But his thoughts were
full of her. When he sat down on the
hotel piazza, he found it hard to get his
mind on Mrs. Morgan, a young matron
doing fancy work in a willow chair.
YOU'RE always out, Mr.. Oakley" she
ERECTED him, sand.we old married peo-
pie stay at home and crochet. haven't
got around a bit, and ! don't know a
soul. The Hendersons, now, I ought to
know them; they're old acquaintance of
my friend Mrs. Berdan, in the city, and
/ saw Miss Henderson once. Do you
know them?"
Yes said Wallace, with happy,
boyish shyness.
MRS. Berdan," said Mrs. Morgan,
having paused to count ten stitches.
s'thinks it's a pity about Mr.. Gilforth
Miss Henderson's cousin-in-law, you
know. She says he's an elegant gentle
man and all that, but that she doesn't
like the idea of Mary's marrying Q
widower anyhow. But his wife, who
was Mary's cousin, and an orphan, died
four years ago-little Alice is six now
and the Hendersons took the child. And
Mary has been a second mothor to her.
/ suppose that wa the way it began.
Anyhow, lisa settled thing now, though
the engagement hasnt been formally an
nounced, Mrs. Berdan says. She says
t.ley do make such a fiue-looking couple!
He tall and dark and she tall and blonde.
He's so digniied, and Mary is, and she
suits his taste exactly. Mrs. Berdan says
1t was almost inevitable, and everybody
io1esaw it from the first. | know all
about them, you see" Mrs. Morgan
laughed, tsthough ! don't know there.
Ask Miss Henderson to come and see mes
won't YOU? I'd be delighted ~ said Mrs.
Morgan, cordially.
Sue recalled afterward that Mr.. Oak.
ley had turned q rather pale face away
from her, and passed his hand across il
once or twice, and sat in odd silence, and
excused himself abruptly. But she did
not notice it at the time, because the
nurse arrived on the scene just then with
the heir to the house of Morgan, IN short
clothes.
The Hendersons' trim lawn looked
fairy-like that evening.
stJust a sort of evening garden party
for such people as we know" Mis-
Henderson had said to Wallace that
morning.
But the dancing pavilion on the side
lawn, gaily draped, and the scores OF
paper lanterns, starring trees and shrubs,
and the ifty-odd pretty women in pretty
gowns, and the orchestra from the city,
playing deliciously somewhere out of
sight was rather dazzling and i'm
pressive.
Wallace Oakley stood alone and list
lessly after the-was it the second dance
or the tenth? He hardly knew. He had
danced but how2 with whom2
He had said to himself a hundred
times that other fellows had gone through
such things and that he could. He was
saying it now, grimly; but his heart
ached.
lis it Mr.. Oakley?" a voice said,
~lightly-Mary Henderson's.
He had known it almost before she had
spoken. She stood before him in her
white gauzes, her big blue fan shading
her fair cheek.
There was a quizzical look ia her
pretty eyes which he understood. II
was customary to ask a charming hostess
for M early dance, and he had not done
it.
ut is IL he said, solemnIy.
do you know plenty ofYonna ladies3ns