The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-09-23

| girls were now at q premium in the
neighborhood of Dunwold; they were
all married and gone from home; so
that the kindly, happy widow was some
what a loss for young recruits.
She began to fancy that at one or
two Of her balls there had been q dearth
of pretty faces, that her charade party
had lacked interest and that there was
q want Of novelty in some of the scenes.
She was more than delighted when Mrs.
Morley introduced her to Hyacinth
Vane; here, indeed, was a QQVelty-a
girl more beautiful than any she had
ever seen; with q voice that was like
sweetest music, and a smile that was
like sunshine; a girl whose every move
ment a full of sweetest harmony,
as though she were following Q strain
Of hidden music.
Lady Rosedene fell in love with her
at once
Your father is a scholar and a gen.
tleman; they tell me he lives amid
his books, and counts this outer world
as nothing. To invite him to Dene Hall
would be an empty compliment-he
would not come; but I wish he would
let you visit me. Do you think he
would?" said Lady Rosedene to her.
Hyacinth raised her happy eyes to the
kindly, comedy face.
II think he would be delighted" she
answered. my father Is not quite like
other men; he does not seem to live
in the same world-I doubt whether he
would understand at all the kind Of
world in which you move"
| HprOhOh1u NOT - sold r o1r Doeo1o,o
delighted with the girls ea1nestness
and beauty; but you will understand
it."
She smiled at the fervor with which
the girl clasped her little white hands
and replied:
Il should love it, I think, more than
any other world"
A dainty flush covered her fair face,
her eyes shOne with the brightness of
stars.
'"Then," said Lady Rosedene, "you
shall see what it is like. Come and
stay with me for a month, if you can
be spared for SO long. I have no wish
to fatter you, but with q face like
yours, the world ought to be at your
feet"
Hyacinth Vane never forgot that day.
She had been accustomed to hear Lady
RESIDENCES name mentioned always as
that of one Of the powers of the land;
and now to find that great and mighty
parsonage not only kind to her, but alb
solutely asking for her society and her
friendship, was something wonderful.
She did not know that Lady Rosedene
was driven almost to her wits end for
pretty faces, and that she would soon
consider her prestige gone, unless she
GOULD introduce some new beauty. Hya-
cinth knew nothing Of this, and won
dered why the clever, dainty, exclusive
lady should be 50 anxious for her
friendship. She was delighted; her
charming face seemed to grow more
beautiful, her eyes brighter, her smile
sweeter. -,
The day Of the picnic was never to
he forgotten by her; ali the details Of
it she remembered; and In the dullest
hours of her life those details came
back to her with a torture all their
own.
When Lady Rosedene took her home
that evening abe said!
II shall take you Mt your word, Miss
Vane, and drive over tomorrow to
ask your papa If he can spare you for
a month. You will enjoy yourself at
Dene Hall, I am sure" =.
II know that I SHALL" replied Hya-
cinth, simply. :
Lady Rosedene was perfectly happy.
She would be able to introduce a beau
ty such as no one had seen in that part
of the country, and she should recover
the prestige she had almost lost from
O scarcity of beautiful faces.
When she reached home, Hyacinth
said nothing to her father about the
impending visit. For the first time she
realized in what a different world they
both lived.
Something of the deep silent mystery
Of night seemed to linger round her
as she entered the quiet house. She
went at once to her fathers study,
the ring Of happy voices, the sound
Of music, the silver strains Of compli-
ment and homage, (all sounding In her
ears; the, brightness Of fair faces the
sheen Of rich dresses and jewels, still
before her eyes. Her father, his work
ended for the day, was seated at the
window, his eyes fixed on the lime trees
beneath which his young wife slept.
She heard him mumur, as she opened
the door: -.,. .'
"How long, Elsie-how long will it be,
dear?' ~.
A great solemn hush fell, over her.
It was as though she had. suddenly en-
tered a grand cathedral aisle; the world
seemed to fall from her.
She forgot Lady Rosedene and the
promised visit, and went with a gentle
step to the lonely man, whose heart
was buried while his body lived on
| She put her arms round his neck, and
| bent her sweet face owe his.
Papa" she whispered, "shall you
never forget, even I've so little!"
mo, my darling, not even ever SO
| little. I live nor in that green grave
| than I do here. There is q shadow over
me to-night-a presentiment. Of coming
! evil-and in my mind I am going over
and wei again every happy day of my
| life spent with her. Sit down here
ut nv feet, Hyacinth, and let me tell
you how she lived and died"
Seated in the solemn, beautiful dusk,
while the trees moved and the wind
sighed III unison, she listened once more
to the story of how her mother had
been more like a spirit or an angel than
a Woman-hOw she had loved the white
hyacinths. and how she had died with
her little child clasped In her arms.
No wonder that the girl forgot the
coming visitor and the coming visit.
the last incident Of that cventful day
which she remembered was her singing
In a low, sweet tone to ne Iatner
until the look Of unsatisfed longing
faded from his face and he slept.
ri was such q different world this
from the bright, laughing NE tnat Only
that afternoon had been unroiied De-
fore her. it seemed stranger stu when,
8 d the day following, Lady Rosedene's