Gloucester County Democrat., 1897-04-29
Clarence made a grimace.

Thursday. We shall be at Chestnut
Hill, but you can come into the city to
meet her."
Certainly"
And at the appointed time, in fault
less suit of summer gray, Mr.. Clarence
Parker drove his carriage and coal
black horses to the depot. The train
was just in, and he watched the passen-
gers stream by till one answered his
ideas Of his expected cousin.
A girl, very tall, very straight and
eery handsome, in a dark, southern
style, dressed in ill-ftting gray linen,
with plaid shawl on her arm, walked
past him to the dressing with a
free, graceful step and peise of her
glorious head eminently suggestive OF
country life in the west.
''She is q perfect squaw," Clarence
thought, slowly following her to the
ladies' room. The next moment, grace
fully bowling, he asked:
Have the pleasure of greeting Miss
Myra Delano, my cousin?"
"Ah, you are Clarencel" she said,
showing two dazzling rows Of teeth in a
smile of frank pleasure. ''Is Cousin
Clara here?"
my mother is at Chestnut Hill, but
have my carriage here to drive you out
of town.. Shall take the checks for
your baggage?"
II am desperately hungry" she an
swered; "could we get something to eat
while the trunks are being carried out?''
Here? I could drive you to quiet
er restaurant"
mo, no; here! l could eat fried
whale, am so starved. / have had
nothing but gingerbread and apples
since yesterday noon"
There was no resisting such an ap-
peal, and Clarence led the way to the
depot restaurant and offered his cousin
the bill of fare. It being one of his
great points in feminine perfection that
the appetite should be delicate and
needing coaNng, he was absolutely
shocked to see Myra Delano eat. Such
an indiscriminate tumble of provisions
would have made his mother i'll for
a month; but Myra heartily enjoyed
steak, eggs, coffee, pie, rolls, cakes,
oysters, anything and everything, as
the waiter put it before her.
She was not rude, did not eat with
her knife or fingers; but she had not
one of the little dainty tricks of man
ner that made Mrs. Parker's table eti-
quette so charming, and Clarence, tri-
fling with his own luncheon, wondered
if in six meals he could eat as much as
this "squaw' ate in one. In his own
mind be christened her ''squaw,"
though he was far too courteous ever
to speak so of her, even to his mother.
All through the long drive home,
she chatted, frankly as child, of her
journey, her home, her antieipations of
pleasure in her visit, and, while her
voice was clear, ringing and musical,
her language was well chosen, giving
no jar to Clarence's fastidious taste,
though he wished her tone more sub
dued. But her dawdy hat, her cotton
gloves, her stout leather boots, her un-
tidy hair, were all an offense.
In his first hour alone with his moth
er he implored her to buy some dresses
for their guest that were not two sizes
too big and seven sizes too short.
And Mrs. Parker, utterly over
whelmed by the tail, handsome girl
thrown upon her care, found her life
suddenly burdened with unwonted re-
sponsibility. First, there was a daily
fight to settle between Lucilla, her own
French maid, and Myra.
'eBut, madame, the dresses nevare
will fit, nevare, if mam'selle will not
wear re corset, or let me make re fit. /"
the maid would protest.
"r cannot breathe, all pressed up so,
Cousin Clara" Myra would remon-
strate, 81 should stifle in an hour"
1t was difficult to compromise. but
Mrs. Parker, by exercising the patience
and gentleness natural to her, finally
presented Mpra with well-chosen
wardrobe that gave her the freedom of
lungs md movement she craved, and
yet set off the magnificent figure.
The girls own utter ignorance of
dress amazed the little woman of fash
ion. She found that a half-yearly visit
to the nearest town, AN order to the
dressmaker to make warm dresses for
winter and cool ones for summer, COM
prised Myra's idea of dress. Scrupu-
lously cleanly, she was absolutely with
out vanity, and as pleased as a child
to note the improvement in her looks
produced by becoming arrangement
of her abundant raven hair, and the
tasteful brooch of bright color in her
tastefully appointed dress.
The first time Clarence saw her in a
dress of black silk tissue with a dash
of vivid crimson here and there, at the
throat, in the glossy braids of hair,
the sash and sleeve knots, he was abso-
Iutely amazed at her beauty.
IF only she was not sucn savage
he thought, regretfully.
But there was not one hour of the day
that she did not jar upon his fastidious
ideas. He rode with her at her request,
and told his mother, confdentially, that
he never imagined anything but
an Indian or a circus-rider could so man
age horse.
He sang with her, and found that he
must actually exert himself to prevent
his deep baritone notes being overpow-
cred by her ringing, powerful voice, full
of sweetness and music, but utterly un-
cultivated
He found her in the garden, driving
the gardener distracted by her criti-
cisms upon his plants, and proving all
her theories by transferring roots with
her own hands to spots of her own Sc
lection, where they invariably improved.
He caught her in the woods, practic-
ing with a revolver, shooting att mark;
and she pathetically told him she was
all out Of practice. and only hit her mark
six times in nine.
II suppose there is no shooting to be
had here7" she said, dolefully, and then
described hunts she had taken with her
father, in the far western woods and
plans. as if shooting deer and squirrels
were everyday affairs in a young lady'a
life.
Every day Clarence found some
prejudice rudeIy shocked and every Gay
he found new fascination in Myra's So
ciety. There was an irresistible charm in
the very frankness of her manner. the
daring Of her movements, that were
free as child's, but never awkward or
abrupt. She was absolutely ignorant
of all feminine pursuits, knew nothing
. L - ~ ~. Ia ,a ~