St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1896-11-07
her til hrolghth he crack OF the door. That

the nest room as the Opposite door
opened to admit the visitor; through
the slit Andrew could make, out the
graceful silhouette Of a young girl
How do you do, Mrs. Harmon ?" said
the girl, as she entered the room. Il
have brought back the little books OH
the orphan asylum that you lent
s1namma.g May stay moment with
you?''
she continued til Keep her back to.
ward, Andrew mand he, nowsbeginning
togettire of theaganne, had a bout con-
efudea that she must be frightfully
ugly. 'es = ssS y. = = = sss
"Sit down here, dear, beside me- and
Mrs. Harmon easily contrived to place
the girl just opposite the small room;
and the young man, approaching his
eye to the crack, was struck by the
pretty face he beheld. IfeasS
tsWell. Rosamond, what are you dcir.g
nowadays? Are You going out much ?''
No, very little. had d card for Mrs
V4aton's tea this afternoon, but I wrote
/ her ] was I'LL. You will not betray me,
viii youf" and she laughed merry
laugh, that ~ Andrews heart to Vi
lbrating. er.
DO yoa not care Tor sueA lahalrse ?"
asked Mrs. Harmon.
Surely, Mrs. Harmon, you do not
think it would be amusing 10 spend an
hour or two watching Mrs. Laton's fir
tations, with no one to talk TO but the
insipid woman and stupid men of her
set?"
| . You are severe, my child"
Severe? Well, with O woman like
Mrs. Laton I do not think one can be Zoo
much So"
Instinctively Mrs. Harmon raised her
eyes to the door that concealed Andrew,
and, under pretext of arranging the
portiere, she crossed the room, and. as
she rearranged the drapery viii spereds
to her nephew: cts nearly five-you'll
be late for your tea
i But, her warning was .unheeded; An
drew didnot bulge. As.for the girl by.
the fire, she was sstin fu1Iof her idea.g !
"Do you know Mrs. Lator, Mrs.
Harmon?" she asked
sYes, yes," the old lady FASTENED %,
reply; and to turn the converse ton she
went on: "But you are wrong to de-
clare that all men afesstupid. There.
are some who are quite >sensible." -
Sensible? Well, don't know them.
I do not mean that they are oil stupid,
but they think themselves SO superior
that they ARE Wearisonle:. They are.
vain, insufferable bores, with their
b1ase airs and their idea that they are
irresistible because they can firt with
Mrs. Laton, who has bleached hair,
srnesrs paint on her face as ifgits
a palette, and whose brains are good
for nothing but to devise outrageous
gowns"
Again Mrs. Harmon cast an uneasy
glance toward the little room, in Which
Andrew was fast waxing angry. lie
would have liked to strangle this girl,
whose superb health and triumphant
beauty irritated him.
..s.And when will you get married, my
dear? Suggested Mrs. Harmon, again
throwing herself into. the breach. =
"Islall never marry
sInsieed? Why not?'' H#N#R ~
aWhy not2'' repeated Rosamond a
shadow of melancholy coming over the
face. that Andrew admired in spite of
himself. 'Becanscs I am a little fool
who cannot do az the rest do. would
wish to loye my husband and toshaye
him love me. I would wish 10 marry
a man whom I should single out from
among The rest for his goodness and in
telligence. sIsworld wish to have con-
fdence in him. and above all be proud of
him"
As the girl spoke she had become ami
mated with gentle exaltation, which
ssNsasnot withoutits effectronsthe'young
man behind the door. 81 ss.5SE
"Well, Rosamond, !" said Mrs. Harmon,
"why do you not realize your dream?"
y g Because there are no young men
snowada Us gWho care to look for a girl
who pfeases them. Marriage for them
is a matter of business, nothing more,
and the woman herself does not count.
They marry when they have lost their
money, and the little heart they pos
sessed has been frittered away on some
Mrs. sLaton or another" gs43#
Again Mrs. Harmon arose, and, pre-
tending she had an order to give, ex-
euged herself and hastened TO her
nephew. Ssess II
"Well, aunt. she has given us h nice
dressing down. Ell? For Charming
girl would back her against tile
world" H. -. ..1ss,.-sss
s'HurE. Andrew; ii IS late. and you
have almest missed yourtea.a Y
MY teal" he repeated. Bother my
tea! Is there nothing else in the world
but my tea? Now, you must find an
excuse to bring me into the room. and
I'll show that young shrew whether
all men are fools. Oh, she need have
no fear, + shall not try to marry her,
for I still have all my hair, a little
money, and a heart still intact
Mrs. Harmon could not refrain
smile at the young mans vexation, and
Eve minutes later Andrew entered the
drawing -ruoms 8 - s a9ea
But, contrary to expectations, the
conversation did not become ae ewar of
words; ON tie contrary the girls fresh
gayefy disarmed Andrews anger att
once. His preconception fed before her
dimpled. smiles and her gentle voice,
and he soon fell under her charm, for
getting his anger in his admiration for
her graceful mosenaen is, the pcnetrat-
ing timberSof her voice, the sparkle of
her wit.
95ssfsts @, t,,a 400 Il, III I'm D. n;s5fssed