Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-08-24

Whlcn She, In common with almost
every other young woman In the room,
wore. Her kind, sensible face had
gained a pretty brown color from
mountain breezes; she certainly would
make perfect, happy, commemorative
clergyman's wife.
We were getting quite gay In talk
Ing over all that had happened In East
Lemon since the Wagners' departure,
when my attention was suddenly ar
rested by some late corners who were
just entering. There were several in
the party; an old lady, some young
men, | suppose, for l saw them often
enough together afterwards; but one
figure stood out so indelibly that every
one else in the room suddenly became
her background
l am not good at describing ladys
dress or at personal description; but
now, after this lapse of time, can
still shut my eyes and see Florence
Atherton exactly as she looked that
evening. She had on blouse-so had
every woman in the room, but not a
mischievous thing like hers--with soft
red frilling that futtered as she moved.
Over it was a delightfully."- chic little
jacket, and her plain, tight-ftting
serge skirt had little stripe of red
around the bottom that peeped out
here and there. Her hair, which was
curly and evidently not very long, was
gathered loosely on top of her head,
and the little curly ends strayed around
in way more fascinating than any
bang.
The only thing cannot describe is
her face. can only say that she was
a brunette with dark, velvety eyes,
and then l have left her personal
charm quite nnsaid.
Miss Wagner noticed my look of in
terest.
Isn't she too lovely" she said, en-
Enthusiastically, and without touch of
jealousy. "She is Miss Florence
Athertoni everyone is crazy about her
She and her old aunt have one of the
cottages; the white birch one Indian
Pipe they call 1t. We call her the
summer girl;' not the horrid summer
girl in the comic papers, bL because
she looks like a flower and is so breezy
and summary. l never saw any one
half so pretty, did your"
Although did not say so, certain
ly never had. 1t struck me as show
ing particularly large nature for
Miss Wagner to admire the newcomer,
when by contrast she looked positively
wooden. ] took pains, however, to de-
vote myself Enthusiastically to her dur
ing dinner, and when we parted to
meet later in the assembly-room of the
club for the evening hop, congratu-
lated myself that had we'll prepared
the way for my declaration.
By one of the meteoric changes,
that later | became used to in TIA
oma' (the old Indian name by which
the mountain settlement was called),
two hours later, when ] entered the
assembly-room, all traces of hannels
and blouses had disappeared, and, in
stead, crowd of fashionably dressed
men and women filled the room. Miss
Wagner was dancing when entered,
so ] waited beside the door for the
waltz to cease before crossing the
room to where her mother was seated.
by such slight action my fate was
sealed. Miss Anterior came in few
seconds after me and stood beside me
watching the dancers. She was
dressed in some soft white material
that showed baby-like neck and
small, round, white arms. | never
saw one look SO young, so ingenue.
She began to talk to the man beside
her; then my subjugation was COM
plete. lost my head; forgot Miss
Wagner; / got an introduction to her;
l, who never danced, performed wildly
with her country dance. which it was
these city peoples within 20 alternate
with the waltzes. An old fiddler who
played for the country people about,
and who had evidently great contempt
for metropolitan terpischorean pow
ers, called off the figures. No one
knew the dan ce very we'll, so my blum
ders passed unnoticed. East Lemon
was not a narrow-minded place,
and had often stood up in Virginia
reel; yet think my parish would have
been good deal surprised to see their
pastor flying through the unknown
figures of this romping dance.
That evening was the beginning.
called upon Miss Atherton next day,
and the next: ] rode with her, drove
with her, and, most fascinating OF all
walked with her through the green
leafy, mountain paths. ] learned bei
artless, transparent soul like a book
she was mere child, simple, easily
pleased, most amiable. | regretted
that noticed great laxity in her re
ligious opinions, and, in fact, the most
utter ipdi ference TO most of the vita
questions of the day. ! resolved to
lie ad her mind gently to these seriou,
things, and promised myself an easy
convert in one SO innocent and yield
ing, Somehow the conversation did no-
progress as rapidly as expected tn,
days of my vacation were drawing tc
close when realized how little prog
| tCoo 4 hdi MISS hbncFbOu WA
always polite when | mentioned seri
GUS subjects, but we always seemed t.
drift into talking of something else
Her rosebud mouth had way of puck
ering itself up into a little round naoue
and her dark eyes way of looking
down distractingly as she pluclSed t.
pieces some fortunate flower or drew {
blade Of grass through her white teeth
that made it very hard for man t.
keep his mind on any subject but tn,
grace of her childlike movements; SO
gave up her conversion for the present
II was strange how for months hat
delayed asking Miss Wagner, who wa
so evidently suitable wife for me
and here was this little beauty, not ,
| ehurch tvornau not half INV aua Rttas