The Opelousas courier., 1896-07-04

ing toilets; and I-who am not a beau
ty-had never been 50 becomingly
dressed before,
We really sa": very little of her dur
ing The first year, as she could never be
persuaded to appear in the drawing
o when visit6rs were present. She
ras always busy, coming and going
swiftly and silently, often laden with
large packages which she carried up
and down the steep back stairs.
Must I confess it'll was jealous of her
beauty, as well as offended that dur
ing all this time she had never taken me
into her confidence, nor showed me any
of her work. must do her the justice
to admit that she never guessed my
feelings, her own sunny disposition be-
ing Sc unlike my moody temperament,
as her charming face and figure were
unlike my own.
1t was during her second year with
us that John Rutherferf came On from
the west, for the winter, and became
our frequent visitor. With his advent
everything seemed changed. no long
err seemed to myself shy, awkward and
constrained, for [ found l could talk
and laugh like other girls, and [ was
glad to appear at my best before him.
Up to the night of our reception, he
and Violet had never met. But on that
occasion my mother overcame all Nio-
let's remonstranccs, and insisted that
she should take her place among us.
The evening was half over; John
Rutherford was talking to me when
suddenly his attention wavered, and L
saw him loking past me at some one
in the room beyond. 1 turned and saw
her then-tall, fair and graceful, clad
in the simplest gown Of gray, without
flower or lace or ornament of any kind.
1t was strange, but among all those
richly-costumed women she seemed
the most striking figure in the room.
"Who is she?" questioned Ruther-
ford, and there was no installing the
admiration in his tone. A sudden mis-
cradle jealousy came over me "Who?"
I repeated, sharply. "Oh, you mean
that girl in gray? She is a poor rela-
ton, my cousin, the dressmaker!
Mother tried to get her to give up
working when she came to live with us,
but she wouldn't, and it's so annoying!
Why, half the women here are in Violet
Tredwell gowns Ridiculous, isn't it?
She made this one Of mine-do you like
it?"
"Exceedingly," he replied, "it is very
becoming" Then he changed the sub
ject and my ~momentary annoyance was
dispelled.
Half an hour later / came upon him
tete-a-tete with Violet; but as my moth
er had insisted upon her presence, !
dared not show any feeling of chagrin.
After that night Violet was often in
the drawing-room. Her days were as
busy as ever, and she rigidly declined
all outside invitations, but she could
not 10 refuse to see those among our
friends who asked for her.
Rutherford showed her a li1t1f'e atten-
ton, to punish me, l thought, for that
ill-natured speech; but to my satisfac'
ton Violet seemed to care no more for
his society than for that of any other
visitor.
The fall and early winter passed
away, and the spring holidays came,
bringing my brothers home from
school, full of life and boyish spirits,
They fraternized with Rutherford al
once, and to his keen amusement they
treated the already prominent lawyer
as a companion and an equal.
Gayeties rapidly succeeded one an
other, and we planned to end the old
year with a dance. The house, had
been decorated with a profusion OF
evergreens; roping extended from
room to room, and the library was
transformed into a perfect bower. Our
guests all came and the hours went
merrily.
Violet had designed me a dress OF
shiramering green, caught up with
punches of mistletoe and it's pearly Der
ries, and Rutherford said l had never
looked SO well.
just before midnight the whole party
assembled in the library, to await in
hushedexpectancy the birth of the new
year. 1.-The tall Dutch clock began tc
strike the hour, we turned to one an.
other with joyous greetings, and one
of the boys threw open a window and
let in the music of St. Mary's chimes
when a candle Haired, a spark flew up.
ward to a swaying rope of green, and
in an instant the room was in a blaze
There was a mad rush in all direc.
tons, with wild screams of terror and
alright. Men dragged down the burn.
ing evergreens and tried to stamp the
fire out, but it had gained too fierce a
Roadway, and was spreading every.
where. The smoke and flames drove
them back from room to room.
Above the tumult my fathers voice
was heard, as he brought order out OF
wild confusion, and led us out in safety.
It all ha- ened in a shorter time than
it has taKee6 to tell it, and there we all
were, guests, family and servants, hud.
died together out in the snowy street,
trembling with excitement, and
wrapped in anything we had caught up
in our hasty flight.
It seemed then as If the engines
would never come! But 1 shall never
forget my fathers GOODNESS as he stood
and watched the flames burst out of the
windows of our beautiful home.
"Let it burn" he said. ut is fully in
sured, and there's no use of making an
unnecessary fuss"
Suddenly l heard Rutherford's voice
beside me: where is Violet, your
cousin? !"
I looked quickly around. II do not
konw. I thought I saw her a moment