Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-11-11
A SAD ACCIDENT.
- BY
JUsTiNA Moo7E.
JSTiNA Moo -
-~=

..ssss=======S-= ---- -
In t,ny boudoir. all pink and blue hang
inc, and decorated with as many pink
$50 as osonebeers famous "Pompadour,"
s,t Mrs. vansittart. Mrs. vansittart was
widow. and young. She was exceedingly
nretty in petite style. and wore cloud
Ike arrangemen, Of chiffon and lace that
was a veritaole masterpiece Of Doucets
art. She should have been the happiest
woman in London, and yet on that hot July
afternoon when the hum OF the long oay
throbbed on the hot air like the roar Oh
waves, the little lady was by way OF pos
ing as the most wretched of her sex. her
golden hair was ruled about her low
white forehead her small mouth was drawn
into a dismal droop. her slender, beringed
angern twisted and UNFINISHED themselves
amid the ribbons and laces Of her lap.
while her blue eyes. which her non-ad-
mirers always said were a thought hard
| and calculating, were brlmming with angry
| tears.
"lts too bad OF the man to threaten me
| like this she cried to the pink roses
and pale-tlnted draperes about her. TO
dare TO hint that II leave town without
making some arrangement to pay he VIII
make me a baukruptw--her restless fingers
,witched up a letter that lay beside her
'yes-a bankrupt--if / don't pay Moss
Is 900 before the end Of the month. Where
am to get it2 and besides I must go to
Goodwood and Cowes. Society would guess
that something was wrong If didn't turn
up there. OH why did ! ever get mixed |
up with these horrid money-lenders? 1t all
seemed so essy at frst and so nice to be |
able to settle with the tradespeoplc. and |
Lydia Mordaunt, who always gets her |
ready cash that way. vowed that they |
wouldn't bother me. or course. she has a |
fine allowance from her husband. and can
pay back what she has borrowed, but
+" she runG her hands out with
despairing gesture-"a bankrupt II | don't |
pay. Heavens, what a scandal there |
would be-though I'm sure | don't know |
why All the smart men go broke as
they call 1t. and nobody minds. but it's |
bad form for a woman; looks as though |
she'd no friends or something"
She sprang to her feet and began to pace |
tho little room. dozen times she passed |
TO and fro. and the swish and swirl of her |
snowy gown filled all the perfumed air. |
suddenly she paused. caught UP a silver |
framed mirror from a table and, running to |
the window. pulled lack the heavy draperlss |
and blinds and let tho fierce rays OF the |
setting sun flood tho room. She blinlted her |
blue eyes in the strong light then braved |
the searching beams and raised the dainty |
mirror.
With merclless fingers she crushed down |
the fluffy laces at her throat and pushed |
back the yellow hair from her forehead. |
and with every softenlng medium drawn |
from the outlines Of her face and throat she |
fell to a severe self-scrutny.
You're two and thirty next month. |
Marian Vanslttart." she said to her reflected |
likeness; lets see If you look It,"
She stared herself straight in the eyes.
Your complexion Is good still, my dear.
and by candle-light will pass muster for
another ten years Your teeth are sound-a |
great thing that-most men like pretty |
teeth-and your throat full and white |
enough to brave a Toby frll in the morning.
But there's a strained look about your
mouth, Marian. and tendency to look dis
oontented, which is a set-of to tho teeth
! And your eyes"-she paused, anxlously
peerng at herself and drawing nnger-tp
slowly beneath her lower lashes she shook
! her hoad--"your eyes are the tell-tales
They tell Of late hours. and hot rooms, and
| llttle worries IN the past, and big fears for
tho future They are anxious, and tired
and not very Innocent or trusting"
She laid down the cruel little glass with |
a sigh and as she did so, caught sight OF
tho money-lender's letter lying where her
gown had whisked it at her feet. The sight
gave her courage
But I'm not beaten yet. In three days
III have an annouu .Lhent OF my engage
ment to a wealthy man In every paper In |
| England. | believe | half promised poor
| Tom I'd never marry again. But there's |
n hal for All lsHn Nal i,Hs H..
| me for three seasons really like him; |
/ he loves mo; he shall propose to me at |
his mothers dance tonight All, ali! Mr.. |
! Money-lending Moss, | don't fancy you'll |
be SO keen on dragging the name OF Lady |
| Ciydesdale and future Duchess Of stan |
more through the mlre Of the Bankruptcy |
| Court
| And Mrs. Vansittart swept into her dress
| Ing room, there to array herself tor a din |
ner and half dozen subsequent routs and |
| dances.
1t was past midnight when Mrs. yansltt- |
art sailed up the great marble staircase |
| OF Stanm6re House. She had been home |
before going On there. and fresh waxen- |
| petsled flowers nestled In the Wilderness |
! OF her bosom. and her face was as fresh |
as a rose. The desire for conquest lent
| fire to her cold eyes, aud fascination to |
her smile, and she overheard a score Of |
men say bow lovely she looked She threw |
unusual enpressment Into her greeting TO |
the Duchess. in whose stead she already |
| saw herself reigning.
Once within the ballroom her ewes
/ quickly sought Lord Clydesdale, who came |
! to her side almost directly.
give me couple Of waltzes after sun |
per" he whispered. With his blond nous |
tache almost brushing her cheek and his |
brown eyes seeking hers. I've SO much 10 |
say to you. Wait Tor me in the consery- |
atory under the aloe tree in an hour She |
smiled mute assent, and he was gone. !
Through the tender green alleys az the /
conservatory he came to her at the an |
| pointed time. and as be drew near ana |
flung himself beside her, Marian Vansittart |
felt that she really loved this good-loolInr |
young man--even more than his Thousands
Of pounds and OF acres.
How good you arev' Lord ClydeSdaIe
eried-''you have the most unfeminine
virtue Of punctuallty TO perfection"
And no otheis, In your eyess" Mrs
Vansittsrt said. softly. letting an aIlurinr
smile play round the dimped corners az
her mouth, and a faint blush stain bsr
fair skin, For answer. he took her slender
cool hand into his broad palm.
Mrs. vansttart-Marlan-y lfno,, ,t,.,
10 NV eyes you are all that woman shoI,iS
be- My friendship with you has tawsh,
me what to look for. what 10 exnsr,
| in n trttp lady Yf,s ha..a N-NPEShs