Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-03-16
A COQUETTE.

Il cannot marry my cousin. said
Albert to his grandmother. "It is i'm
possible. I know the pain give you in
making this declaration, but neverthe-
less if you wish Therese aud l to be
happy you will not insist. You know
Therese, too much of coquette just
now to be manageable! She is 20 years
old. am 25. We can both afford to
wait
"Once you have married her she will
REFORM
II fear otherwise. Therese is CO.
quette. She will always be coquette.
Marriage will only stimulate her coquet-
tish instinct
But she is in love with you, and you
are in love with her, are you not? Each
of you has confided i'll Inc. Love wiH
bring more wisdom to her."
with love on one side and the de.
with love and the desire to be well
dressed and to appear fascinating and
bewitching. l think no woman can re.
sist. -
"What have you against her?" insist,
ed her grandmother.
"What have l against her? Caprice
Love of display! Love of fine dresses,
jewelry, adornment. Love of adulation
and flattery. which give me cold shud
der down the back. :"
"You are too jealous"
Say rather too reasonable. Now that
Pm a full fledged lawyer 1 have be-
gun life in earnest. l have learned in
my profession to know traits of human
nature that l cannot now mistake. I
have learned the secrets of seductions
and betrayals, and there is nothing like
the misfortunes of others to teach one to
be on ones guard. Therefore will not
marry my cousin. will wait awhile
Later, when she has been proved, and
when l know that she loves me as l
wish to be loved, then I shall make up
my mind, but not before. "
"What test do you ask for?' demand
ed the grandmother.
''That is my secret. Do not ask me
any more questions.
1t was the eve of ball where he was
to meet Therese that Albert had this
conversation with Nine. de Versac.
Therese was an orphan. She lived
with her grandmother and was a1ored
by her. She was spoiled by her and
had her own way in everything. A wish
was a command, and everybody gave
in to her.
She was decidedly pretty, with superb
coloring, large, speaking eyes, rosy
cheeks and fine features. Her figure
was that of a Greek statue.
She had been on the watch during
the conversation and waited till her
cousin had lett. Then she came in to
her grandmother, humming airs from
the opera, and spread out ON the old
lady S lap mass of red roses she had
bought earlier in the afternoon at the
florists.
"You will not refuse me, grandmoth-
er?' she said. "We are to go to hear
'Thais' this week at the opera. Tomor-
row, with Leonide, my companion, l
am going down to the Boulevard Hauss-
mann to try on my new Dress"
"You won't forget the ball the day
after tomorrow"
Certainly not. On the contrary, l
have been thinking of it great deal
and have a surprise in store for you. l
shall look so pretty that you will not
recognize your little Therese.
'Some new little coquetry?'
Exactly. Some new little coquetry,"
replied Therese lightly, 'and why not?
1t belongs to my age, in keeping with
my position, and almost a part of my
education. Am to have only one dress,
only one way Of doing my hair, only
one sort of jewelry to wear? What
would you think of me if 1 were like
that?''
"Oh! always make excuses for you.
I am on your side. But-but how about
others, for there are others? How about
Albert, for instance?'
"Albert? He loves me. He should
think all do good and beautiful.
Are you sure of that?'
"Why should he blame a flirt? 1t is
not for me to make sacrifices for him.
He is paying court to me, and paying
court to girl involves letting her have
her own way in all things He plays
his part. play mine. am f1irt and
shall always remain one. But wait till
the day after tomorrow and see if you
are not proud of meP'
"Be careful" returned the grand
mother; "this coquetry will ruin you. >"
On the day of the ball just at the
hour when the festivities were to begin
a young girl in lovely white dress and
with golden hair walked with Lconide
into the grandmother room.
A mass of roses nodded their heads
gracefully at her waist, and the whito-
ness of her matchless shoulders was SO
pure that it almost reflected the golden
simmer of her hair.