Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-05-08


whether there might not be more than
one of Sanders cousins who had bad
temper. Excuse me, please" che add
ed, with frigid politeness. 81 wish to
speak with auntie.' -
Stella crossed the room and pretended
to button her aunt's glove while she
murmured: "Oh, my unfortunate
tongueI I'm dying to laugh, auntie. ]
came very near getting myself into trou-
BILE just now"
It 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
indorsed by Mrs. Ridgway. "I want to
please you," she added, "since it will
be the first time we shall appear in 60
ciety together.
"If you will. pardon me for saying
60, replied Tom coldly, II do not like
this dress at all " g..
"Do you not like colors? see so
many ladies here in white.
81 do not like colors, and detest
stripes and spots and checks and every
thing which tends to make a woman
look like peacock. J"
81 am 80 glad have 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 I walk
like wind blowing through the corn.
It has a train three yards long, and
there are no sleeves at ADJUST little
strap over the shoulder. It is trimmed
with passementeries which sparkle with
every movement, and have some beau
tiful Jewels which were left me by my
grandmother. Do not fear that shall
not make sensation. Even you, who,
am told, have broken the hearts of 50
many girls, cannot fail to be satisfied
with my appearance. It will be simply
stunning"
Think what that was to hear from
the lips Of a girl to whom one was be-
trothed in land where the perfection
Of stvle 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 we're considered
most beautiful: where trailing skirts
were looked upon as an almost unpar-
donable evidence of untidinessl Think
how it must have sounded in the ears
Of a man who was the acknowledged
leader in the art Of beautiful dressing.
The fastidious Tom could not find
words to express his disapprobation Of
the gown she described. It seemed to
him that, in the face Of such utter lack
of appreciation of the beautiful, nothing
he could say would have the slightest
effect. He was reduced to a state Of
helpless speechlessness quite foreign to
him, but his companion chatted as in
cessantly as if she believed him to be
infatuated with her conversational pow
ers.
Tom could not but admit that her
voice was exquisitely sweet and we'll
modulated. 1t vibrated most pleasantly
upon his sensitive ear, and its charm
was not diminished by the use of poor
diction and faulty pronunciation. 1t
would have been a delight to him to
listen to her could he have sat with
closed eyes, even though she talked only
of trivial things. She reminded him of
the characters portrayed in some Of the
novels which were supposed to represent
society as it was between the years 1870
and 1886. In his fine condemnation of
that age, as represented by Daisy, he
failed to see that he himself showed
share of the inheritance handed down
by the parents of thoss days in that love
of luxurious ease which had been suf-
fciently strong to tempt him to place
himself in his presentunhappy position.
II think, Mr.. Wainwright, said
Daisy quite suddenly, that already you
repent your proposal. Am not good
enough in your opinion to help you
evade tax which every honorable man
shonld be willing to pay? Or do you
think yourself worthy of the best, no
matter what use you wish to make of
her? Docs your exquisite taste rob you
of the instincts of true manhood?"
There was touch Of sarcasm in the
soft voice that cut Tom like a knife. He
tried to give her to understand that he
would not tolerate such inSinuations,
even from q woman, but he could not
speak. She had shown him a picture of
himself which he despised, yet which
he could not deny.
II intend" continued Daisy, rising
and confronting him, 81 intend to hold
you to your proposal, because it suits
my convenience to do SO, but wish you
to understand that you have not inspired
my respect and that / do not caro- to see
you except when you must appear as my
escort. am disappointed in you. I had
thought, Judging by what my cousin
wrote, that you were gentleman.
"May ask how have displeased
you:" asked Tom coldly.