Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1897-03-25


your baggage?"
81 am desperately hungry" she an
swcred; could we get something to eat
while the trunks are being carried out?"
Here? | could drive you to a quiet
er restaurant"
"No, 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 np-
peal, and Clarence led the way to the
depot restaurant and offered his cousin
the bill of fare. 1t being one of his
great points in feminine perfection that
the appetite should be delicate and
needing coaMng, 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
ono of the little dainty tricks Of man
ner that made Mrs. Parlser's table Ell
quctte 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 OWE
mind he 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 ohlttcd, frankly Us q child, of her
Journey. her home, her anticipations Of
pleasure in her visit, and, while her
voice was clear, ringing and musical,
her language was well chosen, giving
no lar to Clarence's fastidious taste,
though he wished her tone more sub
ducd. But her dawdy hat, her cotton
gloves, her stout leather boots, her UNI
tidy hair, were all an offense.
In his first hour alone with his moth
cr he inlplored 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
whelmcd by the tall, handsome girl
thrown upon her care, found her life
suddenly burdcned with unwonted re-
sponsibility. First, there was n daily
fight 10 settle between Lucilla, her own
French maid, and Myra.
But, madame, the dresses nevare
will fit, ncvare, if mam'selle will not
wear re corset, or let me make re tit"
the maid would protest.
81 cannot breathe, all pressed up so,
Cousin Clara" Myra would remon-
strate, 81 should stiflo in an hour.
1t was difficult to compromise, but
Mrs. Parker, by exercising the patience
and gentleness natural to her, finally
presented Myra with well-chosen
wardrobe that gave her the freedom OF
lungs and movement she cravcd, and
vet set off the magnificent figure.
The girls own utter ignorance of
dress amazed the little woman OF fash
ion. She found that q half-yearly visit
to the nearest town, an order to tho
drcssmaller to make warm dresses for
winter and cool ones for summer, con-
Drised Myra's idea of dress. Scrupu-
lously clearly, she was absolutel y with
out vanity, and as pleased as 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
4.4or,,11,. n r1,Dninfa1 dress
The first time Clarence saw her in a
dress of black silk tissue with dash
of vivid crimson here and there, at the
throat, in the glossy braids Of HAIR
the sash and sleeve knots, lie was abso-
lutcly amazed at her beauty.
IF only she was not such savage"
lie thought, rcgretfnlly.
But there was not one hour Of the day
that she die not jar upon his fastidious
IDEAS. He rode with her ather request,
and told his mother, confidentially, that
he never imagined anything but
an Indian or 4 circusrider could so man
age Il horse.
lie 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 I'M
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.
lie caught her in the woods, practic-
ing with revolver, shooting ata mark;
and she pathctically told him she was
al! out of practice, and only hit her mark
six times in nine.
Il suppose there is nc shooting to be
had here?" 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 u young lady's
liFo.
Every day Clarence found some
prejudice rudely shocked and every day
he found new fascination in Myra's so,
ciety. Therewas an irresistible charm in
the very frankness of her manner, the
daring Of her movements, that were
free as child's, but never awkward OF
abrupt. She was absolutely ignorant
of all feminine pursuits, knew nothing
of sewing, housekeeping or the number
less accomplishments that made Mrs,
Parker so fascinating. Andyet she had
an instructive avoidance of any uncouth
or rude speech or act. As Clarence
once told his mother, she was thorough
ly gentlemanly. She told Mrs. Parker
pnce, in q sudden fit of shamefacedness
for her ignorance of womanly duties
that she never knew lady. Her father
was not willing to have her associate
with the farmers wives or their daugh'
tiers, and their only servant was On old
sailor, who cooked for them. All sew
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