Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-01-02

w
get that scarlet ribbon she is lingering
for herself grumbled one of the Sc
lect; Its just like Carmen Flowers
to pounce upon every good thing that
comes into the school"
.Greedyr' said Miss Candy.
..Vainr' sneered Miss Prime.
Stuck upr' chimed in Miss Waters.
By which it may be seen that Carmen
Flower-Spanish by her mothers side.
and English by her father's-although
she was strongly suspected of turning
out a beauty, was not much of a favor
tie at Pomona Villa
Whether on account of Ruthven's lib
crafty, however, or because some Sc
cret attraction drew the two girls to
gether, GARNER Flower and Margaret
O'Reilly were fast friends from the firsi
day of meeting. On Pegs side a vasi
deal of admirstion mingled with the
affection she conceived for her new
companion.
Carmen was only one year older than
herself; yet she appeared almost wom-
an by comparison with her, and Peg
thought she had never seen anything
more beautiful than her flashing black
abundant dark tresses with which her
head was crowned Carmen was an
orphan, too, who could not remember
either father or mother, and lived with
her uncle and guardian, Sir Frederic
Flower, in an old house in the country
called Abbotsville. twas rumored in
the school that Miss Flower was an
heiress, and would inherit all her I'M
cle's money, and Carmen was fond of
boasting to the same effect; but that
circumstance made no difference to
Peg. Her heart had known too little
of affection not to respond eagerly to
that semblance of it which school girls
exhibit toward each other, and which
has it's outlet in kisses, secrets and
terms of endearment. She mistook all
this gilt for gold, and before a month
was over her head she adored Carmen
Flower as a being of superior order to
herself, and was never so happy as when
she was running her errands, doing her
commissions, or waiting on her pleas
ure
Carmen liked this adulation; it was as
balm to her conceited spirit, and if sho
had ever felt an attachment to anyone
it was to Margaret O'Reilly. Inheritins
from her Spanish mother a haughtinesa
and thirst for admiration which had
rendered her obnoxious to her compan-
| ions, her beauty and wealth had not
met hitherto with the consideration she
thought they deserved. The British
| girl is almost as ready as her brother
| to put doWn anything like self-assur-
| ance and eoneeit, oand the butchers and
bakers daughters had been irritated
rather than a&ea, by the assumption
! of Importance maintained by Mis-:
Flower
But ee6f Peg had no dignity of her
own to keep up. She could not assert
loudly nike the Misses Prime and Candy
| that she was as good as others; she wes
only anxious to conceal the past, and le.
] it die ia silence. Even to her friend
Carmen Flower. she said nothing on the
! subject Her feminine instinct had al
! ready taught her that the confession
! would de her harm, added to which
{ Mrs. Garrett had especially cautieheS
+ her, en- her masters behalf net to Pc
veal anything of her past life.
So all that the young ladies diseov-
I cred was that she was an orphan and
] lived with her guardian, the same as
] Carmen Flower did. oThey thought
I her 6readfully vulgar at first, but nat
ural tifnidfty made her expose her de-
! hcieheies as little as possible, and nat
ural intelligence quickly taught her ia
remedy tkens Il was Easter when sac
was sent to Pomona Villa, and by mid
| summer no enc would have recognized
J her as the same girl. Her face and
Figure had filled cut, her cheeks bloomed
3 with health and her language was at
] least as correct as it is with most of her
age. Ia fact, Margaret O'Reilly had BE-
{ come che prettiest girl IN the school.
and, though their, attachment contin-
! ued uaahated, Carmen Flower was
more than disposed to be Jealous of the
Z atte9tien she attracted When Mrs
Garrett arrived On one Of her menfhiy
visits to see how the girf was progress
ing, she held up her hands in amaze
ment
s'Lor' bless nae, Miss Margaret, rev.
er did see such change. We'll, Black
heath must agree with yen, and these
ladies' must be doing their duty for you
& to laek % @ell9 t sheufa think you
must weigh double what you did whea
| you came here