The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-04-30

pair of slippers, and ts1 covered them
with scraps of silk like her dress
the toes were ornamental with big
pink bows and pair of old paste
buckles. In fact, they were as pretty
end dainty pair of shoes ms girl
could desire and if they lid show on
close inspection traces OF their home
manufacture as Marion AMI her
mother agreed who was going 10 in
| spect them?
We will pass over Marion's ar
rival in New York and she warm
welcome which Mrs Hardness gave
her. Marion was too well-bred to
feel out of place in the beautiful city
house, although there was much that
| excited her admiration and surprise.
In few days shs fci. thoroughly at
home, a2l SIZE seemed t. have so
many Thoughts eal tastes in common
with Mary Hardness, that the two
girls bid fair to establish frien iship
which would rival their mothers.
The dictator Of New York Society
was once heard to say that if girl
was sufficiently beautiful and had the
proper people TO Introduce her, she
might go triumphautly through the
season, an acknowledged belle, though
she had not penny of her own and
but one evening gown to her back
and he cited IN support of his theory
several notable ladies, now million
airesses and members Of TITLED Eng
lish families, who in their girlhood's
days could highten their chnrms with
little more than the one black lace
dress of genteel poverty.
Marion's rich, statuesque beauty,
Der freshness and her perfect simplici-
ty, made her n fayorito at once; and
although her appearance at the Horse
Show was scarcely greeted by that
storm of applause with which the
popular novelist is wont to announce
the appearance of his heroine as
reigning beauty, she did not pass un-
noticed. As the winter festivities all
vanced, Marion felt that she was liv-
ing in perfect whirl of gavety, and
the rectory Mt home was kept on the
QuI vivo OF excitement over long let
ters concerning her wonderful doings.
Yet TO many New York girl Mary
and Marion woHld have scarcely been
going out Mt all; for Mrs. Hardness
was judicious woman, and would
not allow them to undertake six or
seven engagements, as so many girls
do all through the winter. Then
there were distinct visiting and sew
ing classes and other things to be done
during the morning, 50 that Marion
in many ways was quite as busy with
doing for others as though she wei @
still at home.
When her visit was about half over,
Mrs. Harkness's only son Jack cImc
back from IA trip abroad. Although
never much OF society man. he did
not seem averse to sharing the girls
pleasures. The night OF the first Pa
triarch's ball came, to both of the
girls an important event, as being
their first ball. Mrs. Hardness, with
ready kindness, was anxious to pro-
vide Marion with beautiful new
toilet a handsome n her own daugh-
ter's; but it hal been Mrs. Leslie's
one stipulation that Marion should ac-
ceEt nothing more than the love and
kindness that made her visit 50 de
lightful.
There was pGng, such II pan3 in
Mnrion's heart when she saw Marv's
beautiful tulle dress; her own silk
seemed old and shabby, and the little
pink shoes she hld been so proud of Mt
nome seemed shapeless AMI ugly be-
side the tiny white ones that her
friend wore. She stihed her covetous
lonSings very quickly, however, and
took herself well to task for finding
one thing amiss when she had so
much; and by the time they reached
Sherry she had quite forgotten all
her bal feelings, md her face was
bright with anticipation of the pleas
use before her.
When tho Hardness party entered
the ballroom Marion was observed
from every side; there were plenty OF
tulle dresses and plenty OF pretty
girls there, but Mariou's beauty was
of such u remarkable styl, anil was so
heightened by the rich simplicity OF
her gown that she soon found herself
surrounded by court OF admirers,
and, indeed, hal the greatest difficulty
in saving the two drnccs which she
hal promised Jack Hardness
How late it was in the morning be-
fore they returned home ! will not
shy city people keep very strange
hours anil Marion was terribly
shocked to find how nte-or shall (
say, how oarly-it was 1t took her
some time TO get over her excitement
sufficiently TO 90 o. sleep, and 1T
seemed as ,hongh nhe had scarcely
1.ossi her eyes when sh1 awJke to
End The sunshine streaming into her
room end MIS-. E1rkuc.s standing be
side ker Det She folded Marion ton
derby IN he- notherly nrms; there
Vas something SO gentle in her voice
thet the girl felt act once that some
timing was wrong.
We will draw veil over tho next
few minutes tho saddcst aud most
terrible of the girls life. A telegram
had come the evening before while
they were ut the ball, and hal lain
uunoticed ON the tubleuutl tine morn
ing Mr. Leslie had had shock Of
paralysis Everything that kindness
could do was done To- hasten MariJa's
departure for home AMI C., save her
every anxicty and strain. She scarcely
remembered her partug with her
kind friends home, home home, was
her ono Thought, tlqt sue might
rurrh thnra in finn. O., I. with L.r