Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-28

|
! pretended he was doing nothing OF the
sort Ii was he who began. after all. to
! the inappropriate accompaniment Of the
| Barn-dance music.
80 YOU were playing In n little comedy
| down at Chcrrngton. and the Miss Bent
| knew was a purely imaginary person?
! Surely. IL must be pleasanter TO be the
Miss Bellheld. and to have all London
competing for your favor"
Major Farquharson had passed the open
door, and given a surprised stare al u.s.
as he said this. and l felt l hated him
/ for such rudeness
II was sick OF being myself: that was
/ why ] did II. People pretended to like me-
and made so much of me. and / knew
II was merely money. money"
And, were you successful in finding out
/ II YOU were charming enough 20 capt.
vate without itT' His manner was chilly
sarcasm itself. A memory of all the
/ things he had said and looked overcame
/ me-
You ought TO know" / whispered. 1t
was dreadful; but. you see. / saw now
that II he once went there would be only
misery before me.
He did not even smile. you sought
to break country heart for pastime ere
you went TO town." was his only re-
| joindcr.
/ Quotations are not in good taste made
| like that. He hurt me: he misunderstood
me. have my faults. but | am not
heartless. | have done only as other
! people do-in fact less than most of
! them. ] plucked up courage and tried
again.
II think, Or. Maydwell you were mas
| querading as much as l was or else you
really have become quite indifferent; you
! never talked like that when we were boat
ing on the Tarn."
"No: ! made a fool of myself by
talking nonsense; most people do when
1t doesn't rain in August
| Now. could anything be stupider? Here
was Hugh Maydwell-a man who had got
gold medals in physiology, or pathology
| or neutrality-suspicious. a sonversatio
as II he had not two ideas in his head.
! at any rate you were very much more
| civil TO Kitty Bent than you are to Sa-
rama Hellneld, yet they are one and
the same"
| Indeed, they are nothing Of the kind"
he broke in. hotly THE one twas a
simple country girl. full of pure thoughts
| and high ideals. She was as poor as !
am: We met on the same level. With
! Miss Rellheld. in her fashionable splen-
| doris. with her great fortune. l have no
| thing. can have nothing to do. Your
| trick was an unfair one; you took adj
| vantage Of my ignorance. Only woman
would be clever enough TO put on another
manner. another nature, with big hat
| and "A pink gown"
| Somehow. l was cheered by his re.
| Numbering the color 1t was Paris
! dress really. and had cost a frightful
amount. For that adorable simplicity
they know how To charge. / darosay h.
! thought that II ne married somebody
| IN nothing a year she would wear frocks
and hats Of that pattern. All the tim
| the dancers were in front of Us, and
that tune kept huzzing on.
| Il did not put on another naturc-l
couldn't II | tried. | think you are most
| cruel suppose you think | change my
! friends as easily as | do my clothes"
The way I'm which Miss Bellheld treats
her friends can matter nothing TO me"
lie was hateful, and yet every minute
| felt | could not. could not let him 90
| Quilc suddenly / knew that ! loved him
, that nothing else in the world mattercd
| because / knew he loved me. How ga
| know? on. | can't explain; but | did
! grew holder.
| "You cared once about being my friend
| or NJ any rate. you said YOU did"
Miss Bellheld. ! think 1 ought to offer
you my congratulations and to say good
night. That idiotic Barn dance is over"
"CongratulatiOns?' | said II with a
whole string of notes Of interrogation.
Il mean upon your engagement a.
Major Peile-F arquharson lie rose a
he said this and was turning quickly
away. when ] stopped him. He told III,
aftcrward | spoke quite passOnately
Il am not engaged 10 Major Farauhar-
son or TO any one else. People have 30
right 10 say such things. Down at Cher
rinEtOn'---
Down at CherringtOn the village COS
sips might have fancied that pennies
doctor had been indiscret enough to ask
"a penniless girl to wait for him for an
indefinite number Of years; they were
lust "a far from the truth, probably
much further"
All my security vanished. l felt wretch
ed-so wretched that my eyes were fun
of tears. one even fen on the roses In my
hand. lie saw that tear, but he was
Just as obdurate, just as angry appa-
rcntly not even relieved 70 hear | was
free. when / might have been Lady San
dellon but for him.
didn't care what [ did or what he
thought. she would have waited all
her life
How / got out these seven words |
wonder still More tears fell as / said
them. and there was an awfu silence.
Then he began In such a different voice
you cannot mean what you are say
ing" He was standing and lookne
down intently. He has the best eyes ]
ever saw. they are 80 honest, but | could
not face them after that deed Of daring.
II mean it with all my heart
you make. IL hard for me-" he CON
tlnued. when | let Kitty guess | cared
for her. I thought perhaps time might
come when 1 could claim the right t.
ask her 10 be a poor mans wife; you are
a great heiress, and if am poor | am
proud You force me 10 tell you that J
love you. not 70 put the foolish question
that has but one possible answer"
Then 1 revolted once for all against
the tradition of what is maidenly ana
right Hugh. can't you understand,
must I tell you that all my money Is
nothing to me and that l only want
you"
Ic told me later that it was too pa
thetic that he had always dreaded to see
a woman cry But he kissed me. and
somehow It was all perfectly right and
natural.
Huf an hour later. just as we were
co hanDv. that horrld Major Farquharson
came for his two dances. Take care OF my
roses iii No 70, Or. Maydwell." l said.
"ard come here then to find me- You
see I was reckless, and l wanted the
Major 10 see how things were. Hugh
took the flowers obediently and went
or Positively they had put in another
Barn dance. Major Farquharsoh waI.ea
IN Sir II out. but knew better. lie must
have been obtuse not to have guessed.
| felt so utterly content thought every
body would notice my face. we danced
There is something hopelessly unsehti-
mental about a Barn dance. was ia
mad spirits now. Mamma and papa are
dears and quite manageable; there Wouiu