The Democratic advocate., 1894-08-18

| VI oiilOib lihO AApS
apricots newly gathered. She had arranged
as a row of footlights beneath her many
fiower-pots holding calceolarias and tufts of
the little creeping plant Familiarity known
as 'screeping Jenny" Above Kitty's fair
head gigantic bunch of sun-fowers stood
on shelf, with attendant satellites in the
shape of golden and bronze dahlias and or
ange lilies. Miss Malone shook some Of the
pollen that had fallen from the last-named
plants off the creamy lace at her wrists;
and then, after pinning one small nosegay
of forget-me-nots among the pale-blue folds
of her dress, she sat down, like queen Of
the May among the garlands, and waited
for customers.
The large hall was very empty, although
the church clock had rung out four half an
hour ago A sense of disappointment
weighed down the spirits ofsome two dozen
ladies, who, with business-like muslin aprons
and scissors fastened at their waists, cast
impatient eyes at the great doorway, and
over few aimless strollers who had passed
through it.
"It's ten thousand pities," said Miss
O'Shaughnessy, who presided over pincush-
ions and pho:ograph-frames under canopy
next to Miss Malone, "that the lord lieu
tenant found at the last moment he could't
open the sale" She spoke with suspicion
of brogue, and pronounced her ems like
uns. Then she looked sideways and not
altogether agreeably at Kitty.
Miss 0'Shaughnessy had been a reigning
beauty in her beloved native city until the
last season, when Miss Malone had come
over to stay with barrister uncle in Mer-
rion Square, and had calmly taken away
most of Miss O'Shaughnessy's favorite
partners, and also her reputation as the
prettiest girl at the balls and race-meetings.
It could not be said that Kitty seemed
elated overmuch after her triumphs; on the
contrary, she received all admiration with
placid sense of its being no more than her
due, and never exerted herself to win either
attention or praise, Miss O'Shaughnessys
bitterness had reached its height month
or two ago at small dance when she had
seen her rival led through quadrille by
the lord lieutenant, and taken in to supper
by the commander-in-chief.
And just towards the close Of that same
memorable evening, slangy Col. Haldane,
who had formerly been Miss O'Shauhnes-
sy's most devoted admirer, had lounged
across the room, and merely said, "Heard
the news p
"No, what is it?"
"Well, the lovely Miss Malone has set
tied to make some fellow happy at last,
She's accepted Vincent Pelham Thun-
dering good marriage, amt it? Capital
soldier, old Vincent, though bit dull.
But his father amt likely to hang on long,
and then he'll come into no end of 'oof.
Are you surprised? ?"
Miss O'Shaughnessy was dressed in sea-
green, and her draperies just then were too
much like the color of her skin to be be-
coming. She spoke after second, in a
very hoarse voice.
II wonder how Lord Ryde will like his
sons marriage AS he's so i'll, am afraid
it may upset him good deal. Because,
though dear Kitty is, Of course, charming,
some of her relations are not quite-quite,
don't you know And of course there
was that rumor about her and an army
doctor, you remember
Miss Malone passed the pair just then
on her fance's arm. He was tall man,
undeniably handsome, in spite Of too long
neck and head of sugarloaf shape. He
wore heavy moustache, closely cropped,
his eyes were gray and little unsympa-
thetic. His smile, although at first sight
pleasant, clearly expressed consciousness
of his own personal uprightness, and Of his
perfectly unblemished and prosperous ca
reer in the past, together with the least
shade of contempt for other people who
might happen to have stumbled or fallen
on less easy roads. Miss Malone looked
as usual perfectly calm and unelated. Her
soft cheeks were hardly flushed, her dark
lashes did not rest upon them with newly
acquired sense of shyness; on the contrary,
her blue eyes gazed frankly and uncon-
cernedly at her many friends and acquaint-
ances. Her rfull red underlip did not quiver
with emotion, but was merely parted from
the curling upper in quiet smile. Kitty
Malone was clever enough to ignore the
envious or admiring glances that ran like
lightnings over her slight figure, and, ap-
parently all untouched by them, she walked
up the whole length of the ballroom, with
the confident and erect Capt. Pelham at
her side.
Now, sitting behind her barrier of pin
cushions and pen-wipers, Miss OShaugh-
messy thought bitterly over this past scene.
And the unconscious object of her gloomy
meditation was smiling among mass of
ferns and blossoms, and giving little girl
directions about how she was to take but
tonholes round the room and try to sell
them to any gentleman she might see.
Mrs. Dowse, who presided over the tea and
buns, and the weak claret and champagne
cups, crossed over to the fower-stand for
a minute. "And are We expectun Captain
Pelham here today, my dear ?" "No, Mrs.
Dowse, he has had to 90 over to England
to see his father, who is ILL., See, there is
some one looking at your stall They will
pass on if you don't go back
Mrs. Dowse, fat and smiling, was behind
her jugs and glasses in an instant.
"How wish, said Miss Kitty to one of
her helpers, "that some one of some slight
interest would GOMEZ We are selling for
such good object. Think of the poor
soldiers having to leave their wives in few
days, and probably nearly all to be killed,
or to die of fever in the horrible deserts !
You see those married without leave will
BET = Oh Jenny, there are some
soldiers coming in now They are stop
ping at Nora O'Shaughnessy's stall. What
use can an antimacassar or an illuminated
text be to a soldier2 ?"
swell, they are not allowed to wear but
ton-holes, and as they sail in four or five
days, plants in pots won t be much use to
them either"
perhaps not. What good-lOoking
man that tall one is, with the three gold
stripes on his sleeve, and the crimson sash. "
ayes, a sergeant. And the fair man is
a corporal. OH Kitty, how sad to think