Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1892-01-23
THE FOUR HUNDRED"
DR.. warden's Opinion, and What
Came Of It.


nished. In every part OF it the pride
of wealth was manifest. 1t was worthy
of the superb creature who possessed
it. She was the daughter of a million
aire. and for her there was naught in
this world that was too good. The
appearance of the room and the appear
ance of its mistress were in harmony
and Miss Chaworth surveyed it with
satisfaction as if it were a mirror in
which she could see herself.
The maiden reclined upon a richly
colored divan her posture careless, yet
graceful. Her dress fitted her perfec
ly and was eXquisitely becoming, but
it was easy to see that even in the
most unpretentious costume she would
look charming, SO beautiful was her
figure, SO Astounding was the health
which she enjoyed. Care had not
touched the blooming cheek, anxiety
was stranger to the sparkling eyes.
From childhood until this hour every
thing of a worldly nature which could
contribute to her comfort and happi-
ness had been lavished upon her. She
deemed herself one OF tho most fortu-
nate of mortals, and her friends were
of the same opinion. AS beautiful
exponent of the splendid materialism
represented by the wealthiest class
in great cities she could not be sur
passed.
Miss Chaworth's reverie was broken
by her brother Charles, who came to
the boudoir in search of her. He was
student in Yale college and had re-
turned to his home on Fifth avenue,
New York, to spend the winter vaca-
ton. He was unlike his proud and dig
nifed sister. He was unassuming ex-
citable and boyish.
I've something interesting to tell
you, Helen" he eagerly exclaimed,
after he had affectionately greeted his
sister, whom he had not seen for sew
eral months. ''The queerest fellow
you ever saw is down iE the library.
I've turned him loose there to amuse
himself among the books. He is a
young physician. Wardell is his name.
He's the one who set my chum's leg
when he broke it by falling from a
chestnut tree. A party of students
went out just beyond West Haven to
hunt for cnestnuts, and the doctor hap
pened to be with them, because one of
them was his brother whom he was at
that time visiting. OF course when
jim broke his leg, Wardell was at once
put in charge of the case. Before he
left New Haven l became well ac-
quainted with him, and took a great
liking to him; he was so original. He
went back to his home among the
Berkshire hills and did not see him
again until to-day. He came to New
York on the same train with me, and
persuaded him to be my guest for day
or two. He said that what chiefly in
duced him to yield to my request was
that he desired to see the interior of a
Fifth avenue palace and study the fam
lily life in it. Isn't he cool? He de-
spises fashionable people and people
who live in what he calls a luxurious
way
HE must be very priggish and
<lisagreeable creature said Helen,
coldly.
Not at all He is fine fellow, 1
can assure you"
Helen smiled in manner that was
both indulgent and disdainful. She
was fond enough of her warm-hearted
brother to tolerate his erratic tendency
to form plebeian associations
'.You will entertain him pleasantly,
will you not?" asked Charles, anxious
~.
II suppose I must make the best of
it," was the reply, in tones that re-
vealed that the aristocratic beauty felt
considerably vexed
Dr. Wardell and Miss Chaworth met
for the first time in the splendid par
1or of the lordly mansion. She adj
vanced towards him with that proud
and assured bearing which we look for
in titled lady of the old world or in
the daughter of an American million
aire. She had been accustomed to re-
ceive the homage of people whose rank
in life was less exalted than her own.
and She had no doubt that the country
doctor would be suitably impressed,
however much he might have culti-
waited contempt for those who lowered
above him socially. But she was
doomed to disappointment Dr.. War
desl's bearing, although simple, was
ps,s ,eas assured than her own She