The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-12-06
A COQUETTE.

L tdlllON my NpuSlh, ohiu
Albert to his grandmother. 1T is i'm
possible. | know the pain give you in
making this declaration, but neverthe-
less if you wish Therese and to be
happy You will not insist. You know
Therese, too much of coquette just
now to be marriageablel She is 20 years
old. am 25. We can both afford to
wait.
"Onco you have married her she will
reform.
Il fear otherwise. Therese is a CO.
quette. She will always be a coquette.
Marriage will only stimulate her coquet-
fish instinct "
But she is in love with you, and you
are in love with her, are you not? Each
of you has conflded in me. Love will
bring more wisdom to her. -
"With love ON one side and the de-
sire to flirt on the other, " said Albert.
"With love and the desire to be well
dressed and to appear fascinating and
bewitchiug. think no woman can re-
sist. "
"What have You against herr" insist
ed her grandmother.
"What have l against her? Capricel
Love Of display! Love Of fine dresses,
jewelry, adornment. Love Of adulation
and fattery, which give me a cold shud-
der down the back.
You are too jealous"
"Say rather too reasonable. Now that
I'm a full fledged lawyer l have be-
gun life in earnest. | have learned in
my profession to know traits of human
nature that | cannot now mistake.
have learned the secrets of seductions
and betrayals and there is nothing like
the misfortunes of others to teach one to
be on ones guard. Therefore l will not
marry my cousin. l will wait awhile.
Later, when she has been proved, and
when | know that she loves me as
wish to be loved, then l shall make up
my mind, but not before.
"What test do you ask for?' demand
ed the grandmother
"That is my secret. Do not ask mt
any more questions "
1t was the eve of ball where he wa
to meet Therese that Albert had thi
conversation with Nine. de Versac.
Therese was an orphan. She livet
with her grandmother and was aioreC
by her. She was spoiled by her ant
had her own way in everything. A wisl
was a command, and everybody CAV
in to her.
She was decidedly pretty, with superl
coloring, large, speaking eyes, ros!
nh
was that of Greek statue.
She had been on the watch during
the conversation and waited till hel
cousin had LETT Then she came in tC
her grandmother, humming airs from
the opera, and spread out on the OLD
lady's lap mass of red roses she had
bought earlier in the afternoon at the
florists.
"You will not refuse me, grandmoth-
err" she said. 1--WE are to go to hear
That's this week at the opera. Tomor-
row, with Leonide, my companion, /
am going down to the Boulevard Hauss-
mann to try on my new dress.
You won't forget the ball the day
after tomorrow"
Certainly not. On the contrary,
have been thinking Of it great deal
and have "a surprise in store for you. l
shall look so pretty that you will not
recognize your little Therese.
"Some new little coquetry?"
Exactly. Some new little coquetry, I"
replied Therese lightly, land why notH
1t belongs to my age, in keeping with
my position, and almost part of my
,I, -, I 70 baN-a m, w o,,a Jrosc
only one way of doing my hair, only
one sort of jewelry to wearF What
would you think Of me if / were like
that?'
"Ohi l always make excuses for you.
! am on your side. But-but how about
others, for there are others? How about
Albert, for instance?"
albert? He loves me. He should
think all do good and beautiful.
Are you sure of that?''
"Why should he blame fiirt? 1t il
not for me to make sacrifices for him.
He is paying court to me, and paying
court to a girl involves letting her have
her own way in all things. He plays
his part. play mine. | am flirt anC
shall always remain one. But wait til
the day after tomorrow and see if yor
are not proud of mer'
"Be careful" returned the grand
mother; this coquetry will ruin you. ,
On the day of the ball just at tn,
hour when the festivities were to begin
young girl in lovely white dress ant
with golden hair walked with Leonid'
into the grandmother room.
A mass of roses nodded their head
gracefully at her waist, and the white
ness Of her matchless shoulders was s.
pure that it almost reflected the colder
simmer Of her hair
The young face was all smiles anC
happiness, and the light of frivolity anC
coquetry flashed from the large, veilec
eyes.
Nine. de Versac, lost in amazement
advanced to greet her pretty visitor witt
TrOddeu ON nv Hundreds.