Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1897-12-10
MY COUSIN HARRY.

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cept the invitation.
"Cousin Harry Winnings great
deal nicer! Indeed, love him dear
ly!" and 1 began to feel We. = miser-
able again; "but could not marry q
cousin, and, besides, just think Of
Tom Dickerson's wealth. Any girl
would be glad to get Tom Dickerson
or Harry Vining either, 'and my mind
reverted 20 several of my friends who
were always raying about him.
Nearly week passed, and Cousin
Harry, who never absented himself
morr han two days at time, had
not made his appearance, and, worst
Of all, he was at the theatre the night
before with that horrid little Nora
Knapp and her MAMMA. Some people
called Nora pretty, bat never could
see it, and on that particular evening
she was positively frightful. But
Cousin Harry was all devotion, and
she looked as though she was in
heaven.
wa1 so angry that I could have
torn Ter eyes out, but pretended to
be perfectly fascinated with Tom. 1
wanted Harry to see me, but pre-
tended to be perfectly fascinated with
Tom. L wanted Harry to see me, but
i was not sure that he did. Several
times I detected him looking in that
direction, whereupon L instantly be-
came absorbed in Tom. Coming out,
we were just q little in advance of
them. I managed it so, and was in
the gayest OF spirits, quite convulsed
with laughter, in fact, and clinging
to Toms arm as though I loved him
dearly, instead of utterly despising
him.
We had received invitations 10 a
party for the next evening. 1 would
not have stayed at home for worlds,
though L had nearly cried my eyes out
and had violent headache in conse-
quence.
On such occasions Harry had al
ways been mammals and my escort;
but, of course, he would take some
one else now, and Tom had asked us.
/ had always run down to exhibit my
self to Harry before final wrapping up,
but L could not do so for Tom,
and was as sulky as sulky could be
when / presented myself.
What did care for his old riches?
l never would marry him, and he
might as well find it out first as last.
So, when he remarked on the beauty
OF the night, as we proceeded to the
carriage, l declared that it was the
coolest, blacklist and most wretched
night of the season.
An answer so full and exhaustive
admitted of no reply, and there was
silence of several minutes.
Mr.. Vining was probably not to be
present at the party, as he was gener-
ally my escort, was the next remark.
l was sure did not know whether
he was to be present or not. I was
not kept informed of all my cousins
movements.
A silence somewhat longer than be-
fore, but Mr.. Dickerson was not to be
thwarted. He had set out with the
determination to be agreeable, and
slight obstacles should not discourage
him.
"Mr. Vining appears to be very at.
tentive to Miss Knapp lately" he
said. 'Thcy were riding in the park
on Tuesday, / noticed"
Such pang as shot through me-
/ had not the heart to be cross, so
merely said, "Indeed"' and coughed
and laughed and choked and swal-
lowed to keep back burst of grief.
And all the time mamma sat quite
silent and seemed to pay no attention.
OF course the first person l saw on
entering the ballroom was Cousin
Harry, with Nora Knapp upon his arm,
but l affected the most supreme devo.
ton to Tom, and utterly ignored
Harry's presence, l was perfectly
wild that night, dancing, flirting and
laughing as though / never had a
care; inasmuch, that heard gentle
>man remark to another, 81 think Miss
Vernon is the most light.hearted crea-
ture ever saw. What sunbeam she
must be at home"
After while Harry and I met face
to face, and he said, "Good evening""
with a careless smi lie, and turned to his
partner.
SO the winter months passed, and
Tom was usually my cavalier, though,
now that Harry's attentions had
ceased, other gentlemen began to make
advances. But none of them pleased
me, and Tom Disguised me so that 1
could hardly treat him with necessary
civility. In fact, was often excess
sively rude to him, which had an eff
feet the reverse of that desired, for
his visits and attentions increased |
every week,
Harry, in the meantime, was as at.
tentive as possible to Miss Knapp, and |
it was soon reported that they were
engaged, and even l was compelled to |