Cherry County independent. (Valentine, Cherry Co., Neb.) 18??-1896, 1896-03-12
mena the big form of Mrs. WilGaxer

| loOmed upon them.
'Can you spare me five minutes, Mrs.
SeyUonr?" asked she beamingly.
On, certainly! Do sit down" said
Mrs. Seymour, while Nell drew for
ward chair.
'I've come to ask you if you would
| care to help u.s." continued Mrs. Wild
over, as she proceeded to unfold the
scheme of the fair.
Mrs. Seymour and her daughter had
been at the Hotel de Flandres for over
week, but somehow they seemed to
have assimilated with none of the sets.
Perhaps their deep mourning isolated
them. as it prevented their joining the
cercle des strangers, but Mrs. Wild
over felt that it would be sweet and
cOndescending of her to take them un-
der her protection and to patronize
them.
"And now, what will you both do?'
concluded the good lady beaming on
them od-naturedly. "Will you take
a stall, Miss Seymour, or will you sing
in the concert, or play, or what!"
Miss Seymour hesitated and glanced
at her mother, I'm afraid my sing
ing and playing don't amount to much" :"
she began, 'but--''
But she dances nicely, Mrs. Wild
over. if that is of any use to you"
Mrs Wildover gave little gasp, and
then suddenly recollected that skirt
Il
complishments.
"That will be charming!' she eX-
claimed. ''And you don't think you will
be nervous?"
Nell shook her head decidedly.
"Then that's all right And won't
you help us at ALL Mrs. SEYMOUR
ooh, I'll sell programs, take tickets,
anything you like" replied the lady,
laughing; "make myself generally use
full, in fact"
"Well, anyway, that's something to
dO!' exclaimed the girl when their Wis
itor had departed
''Exactlyw
"But whether the game is worth the
candle; whether it's worth while vege-
tating here for fortnight for the
pleasure of showing ones ankles at
fancy fair, I'm sure l don't know"
Neither do as yet, my dear. Wait
till the time comes Well soon see
But you are certainly right in one
thing, Nell; black does not show you
off,
The girl gave something between
a grunt and a laugh and glanced at
herself in the long mirror, the invaria-
BILE adjunct to an apartment in for
eign hotel
She was tall and very slight, with
clear, colorless complexion and crisp
red hair; her eyes were heavily lidded,
and when she took the trouble to raise
them they were Of a curious changeful
tone In her black gown no one would
have called her pretty; yet to an OBJ
server there were great possibilities
about her. She recognized the fact bet
ter than most people, and therefore
there was some excuse for her petulant
turn from the glass.
Mrs. Seymour, on the other hand,
was short and plump and comfortable
looking, neither plain nor pretty, and
gifted with little appealing, helpless
ways which usually stood her in very
good stead, indeed.
81 wish you would not sit smiling
there like that!" calculated Nell, i'm
patiently. 81 can't see what you want
ad tO ooma to Sna for
81 am consumed with a desire to
make Mrs. Wildover's acquaintance"
quietly replied her companion.
''Then why on earth-''
"Hush!' said Mrs Seymour. 'Iet
us go down to the salon and talk about
the fancy fair
For week little else was spoken of
among the English colony at Spa. In
all likelihood Mrs. Wildover had never
been so happy in her life. She spent
her whole time in bustling and fussing
among her helpers, and the name of
Lady Lothair was scarcely ever off her
lips. Her constant companion and
right hand was little Mrs. Seymour.
Il really don't know what l could
do without you," she said on the even
ing preceding the eventful day. "You
seem to think of everything, dear Mrs.
Seymour"
''Oh, l am so pleased to be of use to
you in anyway exclaimed her COM
panion, eagerly, "and so is Nellie"
HAS her dress arrived?' asked Mrs.
Wildover.
eyes fancy she is trying it on now.
Would you care to see it 2"
With good-humored condescension
Mrs. Wildover agreed, but she started
back with cry of genuine amazement
when Mrs. Seymour threw open her
sitting-room and she realized that it
was indeed "that Insignificant girl in
black" who stood before her.
She saw a vision of diaphanous dra
peries, a maze of f1imsy silk and lace,
and face pale as lilly, but radiant
under glory of bright hair
"Why-why, my dear girl, 1 never
realized how lovely you were before!
exclaimed the good lady as she sank