The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-08-09
LOVE is BEST.

Dusk had come in the drawing loom,
but the lamps were not yet lighted,
and the young women in the plctur-
esoue hats clustered round the little
tea table as closely as their huge
sleeves and illimitable skirts allowed,
and slipped their Assam Pekoe between
the bursts of confidence proper to the
half hour. They had discussed the
reigning tenor, touched delicately on
the last scandal, and were now busy
with Jack Rodney's name and money.
Alas he had no money. A decision OF
the court had given his great inheri-
lance to another heir, and then he
had gone into Wall street and been
caught on the wrong side of the mar
ket.
Il can't picture it,, said Sally Lit
tleiohn. balancing her little gold
snoon. What will become of him?
The spoiled darling Why, he will
have to go to work ~
Work ."said Julia Montressor
with those aristrocratic hands!
What sort of work.
Poor. Jack ~ said Arabella. He
wouldn't know himself out of his hab
it's How is he to go without MS
horses, his club, the opera, his London
tailor?" ),
II don't believe he will try to, ;"
said Felicia.
why, what will he dor
The only thing he can do-stop liv-
.Oh. Bah - How horrid of you !!
lack Rodney, the dear, splendid, fell
low Has any one seen him. ! won
der what he is doing now,' said Sally.
Walking on his uppers, don't they
call it," said Bah.
"Such a shame. and he has lent
and given away a fortune to other PEG
pie. He never seemed to care about
money.
mo, indeed suppose he has drop
ped a modest fortune in cards before
this
why, Bah with the poor fellow in
such strait. He only does what all
other men'do p"
And he does a great deal they don't
do" said Arabela. Every one else
was letting Will de Luys reap what he
sowed, but Jack made good all the
misappropriations isn't that the new
term: and gave Will fresh start.
And it was Jacks yacht that went
cruising up the Mediterranean and had
Princes on board for guests, 1t was
his steamer that took those children
from Seven Alleys down the harbor
every afternoon all the hot summer
You always had a specific talent for
turning a telescope on microscopic sub
iects,' said Bah
NO thanks, | don't drink another
drop of your tea, Felicia, though | de
clare it does put the spirit in you,
said Julia. "Well, Just one cup
lemon -yes,'' as Felicia's jeweled
hand suspended the sugar. What a
perfectly lovely cup. Did you know
that one Of Dolly Van Denis engage
ment cups was a tiny thing OF gold,
crusted with peridots?''
MOI
And who do you think gave 1t to
her? Well, Jack Rodney. And she cut
him dead last week "
..She ought to- said Felicia, for
doing such an utterly silly thing"
Il suppose he paid for it, SAID
Bah.
.sWhere is Jack; does any one
know" said Sally
Going to Texas, ranching. He has
cleared up everything and starts at
once, some one said. He'd like 1T II
it were play, poor fellow ~
''Oh, it is really getting dark, y eX-
claimed Arabella, as the maid stole
gently into the room, and the great
lamps fared up like moons dressed in
the fashion. And she pulled up her
ermine cape. well must be gong;
Why, Felicia, how white you are!
should think you were ready to FAINT
YOURSELF"
ssThe sudden light murmured
Felicia And then she saw herself in
the glass, and passed her hand quickly
over the shining olive eyes that glit-
tered there for half moment ike
points of steel.
Years afterward Felicia had only to
make that motion with her hand across
her eyes to call up the whole scene,
the lovely, lofty room, with its old
Gobelin hangings, the great mirror
framed in alabaster the moony lamps,
the high vases heaped with red roses,
the lounges heaped with silken cush-
ions. the Dresden and silver, the beau
tiful girls getting into their princely
furs, talking scandal like dowagers,
her sister Babs face with the scarlet
on both cheeks, and her own, white
and angry, in the glass, as the marble
behind her.
1t was while the last dinner guests
that night were still saying tender
nothings to Bah, as she leaned against
the mantel and the low freight played
on the satin sheen of her white gown
till she looked as if taking life from a
flame tinted jewel, that slender shape
slipped swiftly along down the steps
and passed along in the shadow OF the
houses like shadow herself.
The girl had never been in the street