The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-11-15

him that II such mania could be
proved he would have sufficiently good
grounds for breaking his engagement to
Daisy. The law was not meant to en-
force marriage with one who had so
questionable an inheritance for the COM
ing generations.
81 do not know Daisy intimately"
confessed Stella, "although she is a
cousin, but 1 have reason to believe it
is fact. A great many persons have
told me So.
"Can you give me the name of any of
them:"
"You seem to doubt me-" replied
Stella coldly. 81 ought to have remem-
bered that you would naturally require
proof of anything said against the young
lady to whom you are betrothed.
There was a peculiar emphasis on
the word, young" that Tom did not fail
to notice, but what troubled him most
was the very evident fact that Stella
was displeased. He felt that she had in
formation which might be of great use
to him, and that he must exert himself
to propitiate her.
81 asked,' he said quickly, "not be-
cause I doubted you-please believe
could not do that-but for an entirely
different reason which I should prefer
not to mention just at present."
''I beg that you will not mention it
at all, interrupted Stella, with all as
perity that caused Tom to wonder
whether there might not be more than
one of Sanders cousins who had a bad
temper. Excuse me, please" she add
ed, with frigid politeness. 81 wish to
speak with auntie.
Stella crossed the room and pretended
to button her aunt's glove while she
mur1mured: "Oh, my unfortunate
tongue! I'm dying to laugh, auntie. I
came very near getting myself into trou
BILE just now"
II was decided that evening that Dali
sy should attend her first reception on
the following week. 1t was to be given
at the elegant home of the De Quin-
ceys, who We're considered the wealth.
lest, most refined and most benevolent
family i'll the state.
"Will this dress do to wear?" asked
Daisy Of Tom when the reception had
been planned by Mrs De Quincy and
Endorsed by Mrs. Ridgway. 81 want to
please YOU" she added, "since it will
be the first time we shall appear in So
ciety together.
eff you will pardon me for saying
So" replied Tom coldly, 81 do not like
this dress at ALL -
edo you not like colors? I see so
many ladies here i'll white.'
81 do not like colors, and I detest
stripes and spots and checks and every
thing which tends to make a woman
look like peacock.
81 am so glad I have white DRESS
replied Daisy as sweetly as if Tom had
not been in the least ungentlemanly in
his manner of speech. "It is of white
silk" she added, $50 stiff as almost to
stand alone, and it rustles when walk
like wind blowing through the corn.
1t has a train three yards long, and
there are no sleeves at ADJUST little
strap over the shoulder. 1t is trimmed
with passementeries which sparkle with
every movement and have some beau
tiful jewels which We're left me by my
grandmother. Do not fear that shall
not make a sensation. Even you, who,
l am told, have broken the hearts of so
many girls, cannot fail to be satisfied
with my appearance. 1t will be simply
stunning"
Think what that was to hear from
the lips of girl to whom one was be-
trothed in land where the perfection
of style was expressed in the words
beauty unadorned adorned the most"
where jewelry and beads and passemen-
teries were looked upon as relics of bar
barism; where only savages dressed
themselves in colors; where the natural
form and complexion were considered
most beautiful; where trailing skirts
were looked upon as an almost unpar-
donable evidence of untidiness! Think
how it must have sounded in the ears
of man who was the acknowledged
leader in the art of beautiful dressing.
The fastidious Tom could not find
words to express his disapprobation of
the gown she described. 1t seemed to
him that, in the face of such utter lack
of appreciation of the beautiful, nothing
he could say would have the slightest
effect He was reduced to state of
helpless speechlessness quite foreign to
him, but his companion chatted as in
cessantly as if she believed him to be
infatuated with her conversational pow
ers.
Tom could not but admit that her
voice was eXquisitely sweet and we'll
modulated. 1t vibrated most pleasantly
upon his sensitive ear, and it's charm
was not diminished by the use Of poor
diction and faulty pronunciation. 1t
would have been a delight to him to
listen to her could he have sat with
closed eyes, even though she talked only
of trivial things. She reminded him of
the characters portray ed in some of the
novels which were supposed to represent
society as it was between the years 1870
and 1856. In his fine condemnation of
that age, as represented by Daisy, he
failed to see that he himself showed
share of the inheritance handed down
by the parents of those days in that love
of luxurious ease which had been suf-
ficiently strong to tempt him to place
himself i'll his present unhappy position.
II think, Mr.. Wainwright, said
Daisy quite suddenly, THAT already you
rereDt your proposal. Am not good
enough i'll your opinion to help you
evade tax which every honorable man
should be willing to pay? Or do you
think yourself worthy of the best, no
matter what use you wish to make Of
/ her? Does yOur exquisite taste rob Won