Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-02-24

gray eyes and raven curls In the dowdv-
ish-looking woman, with red nose and
Agathus"
For shame. Harryl you ought not 10
judge OF her appearance at that time"
Perhaps not. but first Impressions are
the most durable, and | shah never see
any beauty In your cousin, FOR, even Il
she should hereafter appear TO advantage
when dressed for display. | shall never
forget how she looked in her traveling
deshabile; one thing you may he suro on
| Allie, you VIII never have cause TO be
Jealous OF your picturesque cousin.
u don't mean TO be Jealous OF anyone
Hairy, but ! shall be much mistaken II
| you do not learn to admire Cousin
Agatha"
Then you may prepare yourself for a
disappointment, Alice; ] do not think I
should feel perfectly satisfied with anyone
who had thus broken IN upon OUT Tranquil
happiness. ana even II ! were disposed to
| like your cousin elsewhere she would not
please me In our quiet home. Besides. l
| was disappointed In my idea OF her per-
sonnl beauty, and her manners appeared
to me abrupt and inelegant,"
Harry. you were never more mistaken
In your life"
''Well. weli--lt Will be difficult to con.
vince me Of my error" slight rustic at
| the door was heard as Mr. Wentworth
finished his ungallant speech. and the
next moment Cousin Agatha entered
II thought l would endeavor TO make
my way to the drawing-room instead OF
deprivify you any longer OF the society
/ Of your husband, dear Alice" said she.
as she iangudly sank into the softly
cushioned chair which Mr.. wentworth
drew forward for her accommodation, OF
course. the usual congratulations followed
aud as the invalid dropped the heavy
shawl from her shoulders Alice glanced
I towards her husband IN the hope that
I he would not fail 10 Observe the sym
metry OF her petite figure. He was too
great an admlrer OF beauty to fail In such
notice, yet still he could see but little to
claim admiration In her face. Her COM
pleNlon wns not clear; her mouth, though
well formed and adorned with perfect
teeth, was large. and her eyes were dim
from recent illness, while her curls We're
hidden beneath one OF those fairy fabrics
Of gossamer and ribbon which often dis
play the taste OF the wearer at the eS-
peuse Of a browning bonuty. But, ere the
evening had expired, Mr. Wentworth was
forced to acknowledge that he had formed
too hasty an opinion OF her manners. for,
whatever bruscueness he might have OBJ
served on the morning OF her arrival, he
was certainly struck now by tho easy
elegance and graceful dignity OF her de-
pertinent
From this time Cousin Agatha laid
aside the character OF an invalid and,
AAANNAg AhhAAlk nti' ptflAi az hlAt AlNA' anu
hreslde. seemed TO have no other wish
than to make herself useful, Devoted In
her attentions to Alice, she took little
notice Of Mr. wentworth except to re-
celYe his courteous civlllty vita profound
gratitude He was nothing more TO her
than the husband Of her friend. and while
she exhibited the deepest interest In the
development Of Allce's mind and feelings,
she scarcely seemed TO observe the flnc
taste, the elegant scholarship, and the
uohleness Of sentiment which character
ICED Mr. Wentworth Alice suffered no
small degree Of mortlhcnti5n from this
evident coldnoHs between those whom she
was 70 anxious 10 behold friends She
could not bear TO ind Agatha 80 Totally
blind TO the Projections II her beloved
Harry, and she was almost ms much au-
noyed at her husbands indifference TO
the Eraces OF her cousin.
"You are panied pecOuse do lot sum
clcntly admire your husband, Alice" said
Agatha ono day wheu 'hcy were alone,
but surely you would not have me eBtl-
mate him az highly az you dor''
II would not have you love him quite
as we'll, but ! would have you appreciate
his exalted qualities"
MY donr co1" said Agatha, with u
slightly sarcastic smile. do not. / pray
you, make Il one Of the conditions Of our
friendship that | should see through your
eyes. MIR. Wentworth ~ fine scholar,
u tolerahle amateur painter. and II most
ardent lover Of his pretty wife; is not that
sufficient uralgeg'
Alice folt uncomfortable. though shc
r could scarcely toll why, at this and Yim-
liar remarks from Cousin Agatha. She
had been accustomed 10 consider her
husband Of superior worth and cndow-
moits hut there was something In her
COUSINS manner Of uttcrlnE commenln-
ton Of him which ,ccmod 90 imply CON
tempt even while u expressed praise. In
the innocence Of her heart, Alice several
times rcpcntOd Cousin Agatha'R gayIurs
TO her husband, and they were not with
cut their eject on HIN, The gclf-loyc
which exists more or less, IN every
heart. was by no means q negative qlpn-
tity Ia tho character Of Mr., Wentworth.
, He know his wife nv-rrnted his talents,
but he loved her the better for her al
I foctlnnatc Battery, and Cousin Agathls
: apparent Ignorance Of his character an
uoycd nnd ycyod him, He began 20 think
that his prCiullcea had prevented him
from showing himself In a proper light
and his wounded vanity led him to re-
double his attentions to their guest Here
tororc he had uever thought OF hcr cN'
cept whom IN her company; but now, tht
certainty that she was as yet blind e
his merits made her an object Of inter
est. He was not very vain man, hui
his wlfe's idolntry had Erntihed ovor
while he was fully aware of its eXtrava
garce, and he was prnportionably an
royed by the perfect coldneas with which
Cousin Agatha regarded him. She seemed
10 think him q very good sort OF man
but not at all superior TO the common
herd, and he WAS determined 10 convince
nor Of her mistake. Agatha had sue
ceo1ed In her fret desgn--sho had
aroused him from the iorpor of indiner
croe.
Cousin Agatha was n most Invaluable
= assistant to a young housekeeper, for She
+ had a quick hand ready Invention ant
exquisite taste. so that whether pud
, ding was to be connected. q dres'
trimmed. or u party given. she wa,
? equally useful. Alice had learned The
duties Of housekeeping theoretically, nnt
was now only beginning to Put them In
. practice, as every young wife must do
, far whatever she may know in the home
OF her childhood she atill finds much e
= be learned in organizing and arranging q
new household. Cousin Agatha. on III,
Z contrary, had been trained from hei
childhood to do all these things. for III,
: dependent orphan had early learned "a
I earn her bread by her own usefulneEs
: In the course OF her married life she had
, been compelled to practice the thousand
ospedlentn which pride and poverty teach
: 10 a quickwltte1 woman, and II Is not
lsurprlslng, therefore. that her skill should
far surpaRH that OF the gentle and self
{ distTulting Alice. Doubling her owr
knowledge only because Agatha was near
: To advise. the young wife applied 10 hei
on ali occasions. until atNfSfsJ,h the regu