The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-10-15
JENNY WREN.

nnu dainty lace, with eyes of deep, lus-
trous, golden browS; skin II triile dusley,
like sunbrowncd Neapolitan, but with n
ruddy, pomcgranate redness OF the checks
and lips and great abundance of fine
brown hair that shonu like satin, it was
SO smooth and bright Her name was
Etoilc North, but nothing could have been
more inappropriate, for she was not i'm the
least like star and Of all stars she was
most unlike the North star except perhaps
III certain steady, unchanging attributes
OF character but dinrly suspected even by
her most intimate friends.
Besides having brown eyes, brown hair
and brown complexion, she had a great
liking for brown in color and nearly nil her
costumes, especially i'll the autumn uf,l
winter time, were made OF various shades
Of brown and for that reason somebody
once compared her to n jenny wren. Tine
name chung to her. 1t WAS one of those
lucky hits that seem Kind of inspiration,
and before the end of the season pcopc
had half forgotten that shu was called
Etoilc North l.ven To strangers she was
often playfully introduced as jenny Wren.
with u few laughing words Of explanation
and the addition Of her full name With
her own sex Jenny Wren was Il universal
favorite. Among the other she was grcatly
liked, ana young men who had no sisters
often wished for II sister like her But
was engaged to marry Clement Thornc
There was almost an cutlery of astonish-
mcnt and something like indignntion the
latter sentiment being occasioned by Il
1ccllnS OF personal interest, almost amount
ing To possession, which nearly every one
unconsciously experienced in regard To
Jenny Wren
CienonL Thorne was Il poet-handsomc,
talented, impecunious as poets are apt TO
M lht1
North's set to pitch of enthusiasm sell
dom reached except for men OF ht, st;LLip
Unusual, magnetic, personally beautiful
ana therefore for variety of reasons
quite the rae" at least for IL season or
two.
our jenny, or charming, sweet, de-
murc, little brown Jenny, that we are all
in love with more on less carried oil by
this brilliant bird OF paradise" s,ld TIE
yoInG men among themselves. We'll,
but why not? since we all admire her who
should not? Who would have supposed
1t, though and low will it turn out eh.'
And with IA few more wondering c&clil-
nations this unexpected turn in the little
brown niaiden'a affairs was quietly ;,c-
ccptcd, for though all these young men
really cared for Jenny and loved her-is a.
kister-not one OF them WAS in the least bit
III love with her, and rs Il rule tho most
ancctionatc brothers are quite philosoph-
icai when it Is only sister who prefers
another man.
But with Jenny's Sisters" it was quite
another thing.
What in the world can he see IN herr"
SHE is quite unsiiited for the wife OF
such IL man!'
He will tire of her in n weekp'
She will die of neglect and ennu before
the honeymoon is ovcr!"
lie will break her heart flirting with
other woncn"'
among those of her own sex that greeted
the announcement of Miss Norths engage
aent to Mr.. Thorne, and when the first eX-
citcnent had passed away one out OF the
Ee"y Of girls who had been discussing the
news was observed to be paier than usual
ami when She spoke in II low, concentrated
tone her words attracted immediate at
tcntion, for it was pretty generally under
stood that the cold proud Miss Hammer
ton had at last lost her heart while listen
Ing 10 the handsome poet reading his own
passionate love verses, not Il few of which
had been inspired by her beauty and royal
bearing.
"There is no such need for astonish-
ment," she said, with a slight touch of
scorn "Mr. Thorne's choice only proves
that he is human after all, though we
nave Deen accustomed TO regard him as
being belonging To Olympus. Like most
men o! genius, though he writes SO beau
tifully OF poverty and the stings Of adver
sity, he does not pine for personal expert
ence in such matters. He is Il poor man.
and he is determined to marry money We
ali know our dear littLe Jenny's worth and
Sweetness, but She is not mans beauty
and her charm for Cemcnt-for Mr..
Tlorne, lmean-lies in the fact TINT she
is thc sole heir TO her uncle's millions"
"Oh, Thercse, you are too cynicalp' ex-
claimed Kate O'Hara, Il warm hearted
girl in whose veins still flowed the blood
of her faroif Celtic ancestry. "Why
shouldn't Mr. Thprne love Jenny for her
selfy Don't we all love her. and which of
us cares one pin about her unCae's NIL.
lions:"
Yes, we all love her, quite as matter
of course" replied the youthful woman of
the world, "because in a way she belongs
to MS, and she has not one quality of mind
or person calculated to excite our envy or
rouse our jealousy. Believe me, my dcnr
Kate. when Il girl is universally beloved
and admired by her own sex it is but II
very left handed kind Of compliment
and simply means that she can never be
thought OF III the light of II rival"
"Ohl Oh"' and "Oh, Therese!" were the
EXPLANATIONS, half laughing. half indig-
nant that greeted this speech. but inas-
much as nearly every one present felt Il to
contain at least grain Of truth no one
openly contradicted it., and Miss Hammer
ton had the triumph OF feeling that she
was mistress OF the situation outwardly,
whatever the wild tumult OF her feelings
might be within.
And within there WAS wild tumult, for
Thercse Hammcrton was in love with
Clement Thorne, end MS she had never