The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1894-09-21
miscellaneous.
THE OTHER GIRL.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.


Grace Burney "Why, l do think
she ought to be the happiest girl in
the world. | only wish / had a lover
to get letters from
She don't seem bit happy" said
little Ernestine Vaux, in an awed
whisper. "Oh, dear; how | should
like to read a real lovers letter''
And all the time Lesbia Field sat
quite silent, her ey es fixed on vacancy,
and a troubled curve to her lip.
The three girls were guests of Mrs
DelacroiX, an elegant elderly lady,
who liked to surround herself with the
society of attractive young people,
seeing that she had no daughters and
nieces of her own.
She had met Lesbia Field, one sum
mer, in a lonely place in the woods,
and had perceived her capabilities at
once.
THAT girl said Mrs. Delacrois,
has it in her to make success in So
ciety The idea of her wasting her
sweetness in a place like this ~
And she boldly asked Aunt Zilpah
Field to lend" Lesbia to her, for a
season.
''She hain't got no Clothes" said the
old woman, obviously, adjusting her
spectacles on the bridge of her nose.
That is, fit for the city. To be sure,
she's got little school-teachin' money
laid up, and could lend her fifty dol
lars out of the bank
"Oh, I'll see to all that ~ said Mrs.
pelaeroiX, joyfully.
OF course Lesbia was fascinated by
the charming city lady, and allowed
herself to be carried off without the
least protestation. And.t in the gen
eral novelty and confusion of things,
she never said a word about her en-
gagement to Thomas Tarbox.
Thomas was hard working school,
master in an adjoining country dis
triet, and Lesbia had thought it a
great piece of good fortune when he
asked her to be his wife.
They had planned a simple country
home and a lifetime of quiet happiness
together, and Mr.. Tarbox was rather
surprised when he heard of Lesbia's
abrupt departure. Nor did the letter
she afterward sent him quite explain
the puzzle.
''Lesbia is young" he told himself
"She will enjoy brief glimpse of the
city
Thomas will never understand ~
was Lesbia's impatient thought.
Mrs. DelacroiX had borrowed Lesbia
for only a few weeks at first, but a
year went by. Aunt Zilpah paid the
debt of nature, and still Miss Field re.
manned with Mrs. Delacroix.
Il couldn't spare her, any way in
the world,n said the fashionable lady.
She writes my notes, prepares my
menus and reads TO me in that sweet
voice of hers. My cousin, Grace Bur,
ney, is very well, and dear little Err
nestine, my husbands relative, is a
gem but Lesbia suits me exactly"
Yes, it was Il letter from Thomas
Tarbox. He had an opportunity tc
come to New York, he wrote, He
wanted to burrow among the treasures
of the Aston Library for some data
for an article he was preparing on can
oient Coins and Their Significance, y
and he looked forward with pleasure
to the chance of seeing Lesbia at last
How delightful ~ said Mrs. Della
croix. ''Of course, you're enraptured
DEAR ~
Lesbia looked up with a sudden
start-a conventional smile.
Was she enraptured
And in the same moment q guilty
pang pierced her heart. She felt like
an arch traitress.
ASK him to come here" said Mrs
Delacroix. There's the little room
over the breakfast parlor-just the
very thing for a bachelors den"
"Oh, thanks, it's very kind of you p
said l.esbia, feeling her color come
and go. But, II don't think he'd
like it here as well as a quieter place
He's rather shy and-and unaccus,
toned to society"
sAh ~ said Mrs Delacroix.
But she looked somewhat curiously
at Lesbia's burning cheek.
Little Ernestine crept closer to her
us it very nice to receive letter
from your lover p; whispered she.
''Oh, if l could only have peep al
it ~
Nonsense !' said Lesbia, sharply
But when she was in her own room
the tears gushed to her eyes,
Was she really ashamed of honest
Thomas Tarbox? and was it very
wrong of herr Why had she declined
for him Mrs. Delacroix's invitation to
her ball the next week? OF course
he was very worthy young man, but
she shuddered as she thought of the
clothes he would probably wear-of
his country-cut hair-among Mrs.
Delacroix's guests. Was she ashamed
of him?
Grace Burney was chatting merrily
with Miss Staats-Burgoyne when Les
hia came down to the dinner-table
that evening,
1.-THE handsomest man ever saw p
said she, Don't YOU think so, So
phy?"
"Oh, handsome-yes - said Miss
Stats urgoyne, who was a great
heiress and a little niece of Mr.. Stats
Won Staatsburg on one side and sole
daughter of the Burgoynes on the
other. But it isn't his face altogeth
er so much as his elegant manners ,
do invite me to the dinner" plead
ed Grace. II must meet him again
"There's not vacant seat for the
dinner" said Miss Stats Burgoyne
1.-The list is full But you're down
for the ball afterwards, dear"
"Oh, you darlingm chirped Grace
And Lesbia, too?''
Certainly-and Mrs. Delacroix to
chaperone you," smiled the heiress
graciously.
"Oh, wish was old enough to &C
into society r' said Ernestine, despair
ingly.
But" added Miss Staats-Bur
goyne, "there's no use. Imean to fas
| cinate him."
Grace tossed her head-one of the
Tennysonian heads, 'brimming ovel
with curls" like a veritable sheet Of
sunshine.
Il tlatter myself I've done some
thing in that way myself" said she
"Only give me chance, and I'll dc
more p
"Girls, who is that you are talking
about ?'' said Mrs. Delacroix.
Its Mr.. Evelyn, the Eastern trav
eler," said Grace. Hes to be at the
| Sto -Rnrrnuna dinnar hall ooh