Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-15


what Is the user her mother had said.
You VIII be marrying enc Gay. soon. and
IL will have been a needless outlay"
She remembered this with a bitter smile
as she lay on her bed IN the wintry dark
ness OF her birthday morning and that
the purchase OF her now furniture had
| been postponed from year 10 year, N the
| hope that that contingency. which grew
less ard less likely, might yet take place.
She lay thinking, YEARLY. when there
came a soft top at the door and her
Z mother entered. now grown white-haired
! and bent bearing In her hand a great
noscgay OF hot-house flowers. MY love
20 you. dear child" she said leaning
7 over the bed and gazing at her daughter
with her loving, wistful look. 1T is your
b.rthday-your twonty-ninth birthday.
I VIII you not get up? We have your
I favorltc savory omslette for breakfast
Bella drew down the loving old face 10
hers and kissed her mother, and when
the door was again closed wept tears into
! the camelias and maldenhair.
When sne came down into the break
Z fast-room Bella found n letter on her
/ plate. It was from Mrs. Allen her
! fathers cousin and the mother Of the
( little maids who had been 10 see her
/ dressed for her first ball. These had
/ now developed into rather pretty young
I women. and the letter WAS an invita-
. ton TO join their party at BAH TO be
B given on Christmas Eye-the next
7 Wodnosdsy-in aid OF the local charities
+ You'll 60 dear. won't your said her
/ mother pleadingIy, as she poured out
/ the coffee.
/ Don't you think It time retired from
/ such pornps and vaniues mother dear
/ / am already I'm my thirtieth year-tninK
I 81 a.fI 1gc1fa GrQiIinR la1uflN.
/ Don't speak In that way, my child"
imDlored her mother. You are sun
! quite young"-yet thinking In her hcart
/ how baggard her daughter looked, ana
| how thin and dull her hair.
] "Weu. II you wish me 10 say yes !
| suppose must Co." continued Bein'
/ win The same sad smile. 81 believe you
would have me 20 dancing when my
! hair is gray. and there isn't partner
/ left whom / haven't AT some time
/ dandled on my knee" SO Bella Went
/ her cousins calling for her on their way
/ Bella took her seat in the carriage De
| side Mrs. Alien. and the two girls SAT
! out. looking as fluffy and soft as powder
puffs. and bubbing over with chatler
! and low laughter
! GLOW prettv your yellow dress Is,
| Cousin Bella" said one, as they were
removing their wraps IN the cloak-room'
"but why do you look so tragic ana
stern?" They had unconsciously group
! cd themselves before n pier-glass, and
/ Bella turned hastily away, dismayed AT
| the contrast presented by their figures.
| At that ball something happened 20
| Bella. She had been dancing lstlessy
| enough with the few dull youths who
| usually Fought her in default of some
younger and fairer partner. when, in the
o. oTrr twin
| brought up TO her for introduction n tall,
! sandy Scotchman, slightly bald and with
q stoop. into whose eyes. as their glances
met. there lcaped n look or interest and
| pleasure. He at once put his name down
| for three dances on her programme, ana
l from that moment life changed for Bella.
/ She forgot her twenty-nine years OF dull
ness and disappointment. and spring.
: tide Il hope and JOY oyerfowed her weary
heart In the lobby among the festive
palms she sat out dance after dance
! with her new partner, who, a stranger TO
/ the rest. seemed 10 have found in her the
companionship he wanted. Their tax
\ was Of everything under the sun. she
found herself formulating opinions In
/ way she had never thought herself capa-
] bic Of. Her eyes sparkled, a new sound
/ came into her laugh. She heard herself
/ saying quite smart things. and once or
] tMice Inc HCOlcnUlGlit out VI hthb4iib WIN
I al tradition, threw back his head ana,
/ closing his eyes. emitted q great gdifaw
| 1t was altogether a delightful, new sem
sation She saw the little fluffy cousins
laugh and whisper as they passed her.
once she showed her partner the strange
/ beads Of the long necklace she wore, ana
as he fingered them the string broke and
/ the beads few hlthcr and thither. he
patiently gathered them all UP, but would
+ not give them back 10 her.
} "I must first make good my clumsiness
/ Tell me where you live and you shall
! have them back, strung again into
! necklace. But perhaps you VIII let me
call and deliver them myself
/ Bella's heart thumpcd so against her
! bodice that she could scarcely repeat
! the ugly name Of the road in which she
} lived, and the fact that her mother ana
herself were always TO be found at nome
on Sunday afternoons-it was all so ro-
mantle, and like what she had shyiy
pictured TO herself long ago In her
young days.
4 moment later her cousin. Mrs. Allen,
came busting up to them. Il am AFRAID
I 1 must deprive you Of your partner
/ she said to the Scotchman, with look
/ Of amused surprise that anected Bella
unpeasantly. But we must al be OH
now II is time my own little girls were
put to bed They are not accustomed
to these late hours"
Bella and her partner both rose al
! once. and the latter extended his hand.
saying as he looked into her eyes. This
has been very pleasant L came here
knowing none, and anticipating little
/ ANN sement. / shall not forget the neck
lace"
Bella answered nothing, but returned
his earnest look, and followed her cheer
full. busting escort to the cloak-room
and the carriage.
All the way home she had TO endure a
fire Of questioning and chafr, the I'M
wonted sensation. though not wholly dis
! agreeable, yet causing her TO blush iii
the tears rose.
Her own house was reached at last.
and. with a hasty word Of thanks, she
ran up the steps and through the street.
door. which her mother, holding a candle
aloft. and gathering her wrapper about
her had opened before she had fung
the bell
HAS IT been nice, dear?" she asked
her daughter timidly, as they went into
the dining-room for Bella TO take the
CUP OF cocoa which was always pre-
pared for her on these occasions.
ooh. mother dear! ever so nicer ana
she turned 10 her mother a face that
startled her by ITS radiant expression
such a contrast was ii 10 the usually
dull tired look II wore after ball.
The interval between the drinking Oh
the cocoa and the going TO bed had hith-
erto been passed almost IN slehce' pu'
tonight BELLA ratified off to her astonish-
"a mother a lively story OF the bail
eIurring over, indeed her own parucu-
=, - a., a. though the old lady was