Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-10-10
A LITTLE RIFT.
BY L. f. DESCOURS.

Sam to send Valerie's breakfast up,
Rex, or will she join us this morning?"
Eyes, she'll be down directly, Kate;
she's got ID new gown or something,
and she is delighted with herself and
everyone else."3
Mr.. Hamblin took up pile of letters
beside his plate and began examining
their contents; one in a delicate fem
mime handwriting caught his eye; it
had been left by hand at the club, and
sent on Immediately by the hall porter.
An exclamation of annoyance escaped
him as he cut open the envelopes; his
sister, however, was busy with the dis
position of the breakfast cups and did
not notice it.
''Was the party SUGGEST" she
asked; did Valerie enjoy herself?"
"a success? Yes, suppose So" he
answered without looking up; "there
was terrible crush, and the air was
positively suffocating with the scent
of the flowers, and the heat of the
lights, so of course, Valerie enjoyed
herself!' ..
''Of course she didl' said a voice
from the door, and Rex hastily put
down his letter, while Miss Hamblin
looked up expectantly.
Valerie came slowly forward, un-
willing to lose any of the effect of her
dainty costume even on this family
audience.
"How lovely" cried Miss Hamblin
with real enthusiasm as her sister-in-
law drew near her.
Tall, dark, with her soft hair fam
tastically caught on the crown of her
head by silver dagger, while stray
curls escaped in all directions, with
her filmy muslin gown clinging round
her in its studiously simple elegance,
she looked like some delicate pastel
which had just stepped from its frame.
''Isn't it charming?" she said, with a
laugh, as she suddenly dropped into
her chair at the table. Don't you
like it, Rex?" she asked coquettishly
of her husband; and then, without
waiting for his answer, she addressed
herself to Miss Hamblin: "You should
have come with US, Kate; it was de
lightful! Oh, did not think you Eng
fish could say SO many pretty things
as heard last night"
Miss Hamblin laughed.
II don't suppose many would have
come to my ears, dear, if l had beer
there"
Valerie glanced half involuntarily a
her sister-in-law, and could scarcely
suppress smile at the notion of those
middle-aged ears being the recipient
of such compliments as had reached
hers last night Had anybody evel
made love to Kate, she wondered
Kate could never have been pretty
even when she was young, ever so long
ago. Rex was not handsome, either
and he was fifteen years younger thar
his sister, but he had certain dis
tingue air about him which had fasci
mated her the very first evening sh,
saw him at the British embassy bal
at Rome. 1t had soon been all owe
and done; in just six weeks from tina
first meeting the Signorina Valerie de
Lucia had become plain Mrs. Hamblin
Valerie's thoughts were apt to rul
on by leaps and bounds, and, Will
Miss Hamblin poured out her coffee
she reflected with some complacenc,
that there were advantages in the mar
ried state, when it implied daint
morning gowns like this, and dream
: of loneliness from Worth's, in place O
the one party frock per season, t
which all the ingenuity of cleve
maid could not always impart look @
absolute freshness; besides, of course
there was Rex, who was charmin
and But she had arrived at thi
stage of her reflections when she bs
came aware that her coffee cup wa
being handed to her, and immediatel
she returned to the exigencies of tn
moment and set about discussing he
breakfast and her party with equa
xest.
do you know, Rex" she said, "yo
hurried me off, last night without gi,
ing me time to say good night
Guido?"