San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-01-30
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
By EFFIE W. MERRIMAN.
Copyright, 1895, by the AuthOr.l
Continued from yesterdays issue.

| combinations!
| 1T is not modern certainly" replied
Tom, trying not to sneer. II believe
there was time when all society Ladies'
dressed in that way. In these days of
common sense obedience to the laws of
beauty il hardly seems possible.
"Daisy has a perfect mania for col
Letting old things. They say it is a
characteristic handed down from a
grandmother, who would give as much
as would make poor family comforta-
BILE for a year to possess rickety chair
or a soiled head rest OF any equally use
less thing that had been owned by a
person of distinction.
"Do you know that to be a fact?"
asked Tom eagerly. 1t had occurred to
him that if such mania could be
proved be would have sufficiently good
grounds for breaking his engagement to
Daisy. The law was not meant to en-
force marriage with one who had so
questionable an inheritance for the COM
ing generations.
81 do not know Daisy intimately"
confessed Stella, although she is
cousin, but / have reason to believe it
is fact. A great many persons have
told me So"
"Can you give me the name of any of
themf"
"You seem to doubt me-" replied
Stella coldly. 81 ought to have remem-
bered that you would naturally require
proof of anything said against the young
lady to whom you are betrothed."
There was peculiar emphasis on
the word young" that Tom did not fail
to notice, but what troubled him most
was the very evident fact that Stella
was displeased. He felt that she had in
formation which might be of great use
to him, and that he must exert himself
to propitiate her.
II asked" he said quickly, mot be-
cause doubted you-please believe
could not do that-but for an entirely
different reason which should prefer
not to mention just at present.
81 beg that you will not mention it
at ALL" interrupted Stella. with an as
perity that caused Tom to wonder
whether there might not be more than
one of Sanders cousins who had bad
temper. Excuse me, please" she add
ed, with frigid politeness II wish to
speak with auntie." ..
Stella crossed the room and pretended
to button her aunt's glove while she
murmured: "Oh, my unfortunate
tongue I'm dying to laugh, auntie. I
came very near getting myself into trou-
BILE Just now"
1t was decided that evening that Dali
sy should attend her first reception on
the following week 1t was to be given
at the elegant home of the De Quin-
ceys, who were considered the wealth
lest, most refined and most benevolent
family in the state
"Will this dress do to wear?" asked
Daisy of Tom when the reception had
been planned by Mrs. De Quincy and
Endorsed by Mrs. Ridgway. II want to
please you," she added, "since it will
be the first time we shall appear in So
ciety together.
"If you will pardon me for saying
So, replied Tom coldly, II do not like
this dress at all. -
"Do you not like colors? see so
many ladies here in white.
81 do not like colors, and l detest
stripes and spots and checks and every
thing which tends to make a woman
look like peacock. +"
81 am so glad have a white dress,
replied Daisy as sweetly as if Tom had
not been in the least ungentlemanly in
his manner of speech. "It is of white
silk" she added, $50 stiff as almost to
stand alone, and it rustles when walk
like wind blowing through the corn.
1t has a train three yards long, and
there are no sleeves at ADJUST little
strap over the shoulder. 1t is trimmed
with passementeries which sparkle with
every movement, and have some beau
siful jewels which were left me by my
grandmother. Do not fear that shall
not make a sensation. Even you, who,
am told, have broken the hearts of so
many girls, cannot fail to be satisfied
with my appearance. 1t will be simply
stup-ing."
Think what that was to hear from
the lips of a girl to whom one was be-
trothed in a land where the perfection
of style was expressed in the words
beauty unadorned adorned the most"
where jewelry and beads and passemen-
teries were looked upon as relics of bar
barism; where only savages dressed
| themselves in colors where the natural
form and complexion were considered
most beautiful; where trailing skirts
were looked upon as an almost unpar-
donable evidence of untidiness! Think
how it must have sounded in the ears
of a man who was the acknowledged
/ leader in the art of beautiful dressing.
Tho faStidinna Tnrra cnnld NOT find