The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-04-23


frowning and Tuning. 1.-The man has the
Whole year 10 choose from. lie might nave
pave picked any single week out OF the
whole twelve months; and vet ne must
needs pick this week, az II on purpose 10
annoy and torment me, The worst of It IS.
were TO give mamma or Aunt Julia the
very slightest hint that / cared mean
that cared enough-there would be SUCH
a fuss that could never have the face to
carry the thing through" Then the speaker
drew q breath.
Il do like Freddy Alwyn.D pause II
like him ell enough to-" Another pause.
"Bnt don't see that liking him has any
thing TO do with il" concluded Miss Hen
rietta. with a sudden burst of decision.
Ever since / was q child l have set my
heart on going TO a drawing room at Buck
ingham Palace. and this may be the only
chance may ever have of going In all my
lifer
How did she come to have the chance as
1t vast
We must now indulge in little peep be-
hind the scenes.
Henry West was an only child; her elder
ly parents were quiet and rather poor peo-
pie. Ii would never have entered into the
heads of either the one OF the other 10 sug.
gest that n daughter of theirs should go
through the ceremony familiar to many OF
our readers-that of being formally prs
sented TO CORTLAND possibly 1t would
never have entered the head of Kenny.
herself. had it not been that when q child
she had CHANGED to be present when the
aunt Julia already referred TO in these
pages, bad been dressing for drawing
room; and then and there her childish mind
had received an impression Of beauty and
grandeur never TO be effaced.
To be herself arrayed in simmer ne
satin with three yards of train upon the
floor, to wear diamonds and nodding
plumes in broad daylight, was hencefOrth
N en- hed al I'M
bition had received more than one subse-
auent stimulus. as each of her aunts young
daughters had made her debut and passed
through the thrilling ordeal.
Mrs. Brackenbury loved drawing rooms.
1t pleased her to think that her attendance
at them vas expected. And having only
been herself presented Of late years ner
constant appearance at Buckingbam Pal
ace was something OF an amusement TO her
friends. IL is to be feared, they told each
other aside. that had the eminent q. C.'s
wife been habItuated TO courtly scenes in
youth she would not have been 80 eager TO
frequent them and to salk about them now.
Mrs. Brackenbury's foible was, however,
Henry Vests opportunity. Mrs. Bracken-
bury was q good-natured woman TO whom
one could aay anything; and the secret as
piration OF a foolish little heart was one
day let loose when aunt and niece were by
themselves In the coy DoudOir OF the cor
ner house in Grosvenor street.
"Oh, dear. Aunt julia. / would give any,
thing to 20 to q drawing rOom." cried the
young girl with o passion of earnestness
such as would have made almost any other
nearer laugh. but which was only becom-
ing and commendable in Mrs. Bracke nbury's
ears. Mrs. Brackenbury's own daught tiers
never looked like that and never spoke
like that. They were heavy. indifferent
girls, whom society bored, and ceremonial
perplexed. When informed that they were
tn 20 to this thing or that they would either
look stolidly scquiescent or sulkily repel-
lent, according to the mood In which the
invitation found them. Then among them
selves they would mutter, IF mamma
would only let Us alonew just when poor
mamma had struggled and fought for. and
finally reioiced with q great JOY over the
card she held in her triumphant hand. 1t
was hard to have to toll for such ingrates.
Can it be wondered at that now, with
bright young face glowing and sparkling
by her side, and shrill young voice giving
utterance to such musical sounds In her
ear. Mrs. Brackenbury lost her head for the
She knew perfectly we'll that Henny was
talking nonsense-that Is to say. that it
would be nonsense To attach any serious
meaning 20 q mere impetuOus exclamation:
yet the words were scarcely out Of the
formed for carrying them into effect.
impressively. Il must take you. Why
noti You arc my niece and have every
in February~Ethei and but that
does not signify In the least. |
can 90 again-there is no reason why !
should not 20 again-and take you. EthePs
dress would fit you admirably; and no one
need know anything about it. l don't
suppose yonr parents would 0bjectV paus-
ing.
Not in the least, If 1t were done in that
way-I mean. dear auntie, IL you were so
kind as to manage IL all. and really and
truly take me with you from this house,
and TO let me wear EthePs dress and train.
Oh! l can scarcely believe itv' cried Henry,
her cheeks flaming with hope and excite
ment. 1T seems far. far too good TO be
true. And that you should 20 for mel"
-'Ob, we'll. i am always ready 20 CO. you
know, my dear; and now that am known
AS an old hand at these thinee am SO
often asked TO take girls that / get into
the way of it," replied Mrs. Brackenbury.
with an easy air. 1t is a mere nothing
to me- And shall quite enjoy taking
you, j assure you. Kenny. We must or.
der the hairdresser. and the bouquets.
and"
But. dear auntie. stop o moment. how
am to order a hairdresser. and bouquet
I-yOu know"
ION. L know. dear" her aunt nodded and
smiled. That will be arranged. Your
uncle will stand treat for that part of the
performances. l am sure. He is go fond of
You Kenny. and. he will think it quite
"But-but my father and mother. /
don't know that they would let him: they
are rather particular about money" muir
INJURED Henry family.
ltwas at this point that the happy idea
was originated OF not telling either the pa
rents OF any one else any thing about the
affair until it was safely over. Henrietta
was not an undutifui cbild-oertainly not
a disobedient ene-but the fear of having
the sparkling cup OF pleasure dashed from
her lips. inst as IL had been presented to
assent to n scheme involving subterfuge-
not TO say deception. Her amt
suggested, and she consented. that
the forthcoming ceremony should
I've kept q secret from every body-(Ethel
excepted. EthePs cooperation being neces-
sary, and her good nature to be depended
uponl-and all being so happily arranged.
IL did seem a cruel stroke of fate that tho
only available drawing room should pros
entity be appointed TO take place during the
Flights" week at Oxford. and. worse still,
Frederick Alwyn for arriving on the scene.
ment which would be- universally excited
by her DISAPPEARANCE from tho familiar
haunts during the great event of the Ok
ford year. That she should choose to go TO
London on vista visit which could he
paid at any time-at such a moment. would
seem more than extraordinary, absolutely
incredible In Oxford eyes.
Ii was still more to tho point that sbe
should persist In adberinR to her resolution
after the arrival OF Mr.. Alwyn's note. On
receipt of the letter even Henry herself
had wavered for the space of n full minute.
but can easily explain IL TO him after
VT a a he had fntA nd az I'D