Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1897-03-22
CHAPTER X.
The sun is all about the world we see
The breath and strength of very Spring;
and we

and we
Live, love, and feed on our own hearts
The lights are burning low i'll the CON
servatory, soft perfumes from the many
flowers fill the air. From beyond-some
Where-(there is delicious drowsy UNI
certainty about the where
the sound of music, soft, rythmical and
sweet. Perhaps it is from one of the rooms
outside-dimly seen through the green
foliage-where the lights are more bril-
liant, the forms are moving. But just
III here there is no music save the 1tink-
ling drip, drip of the little fountain that
plays idly amongst the ferns.
Lady Barring is at home tonight, and
in the big, bare rooms outside dancing
is going on, and in the smaller rooms,
tiny tragedies and comedies are being en-
acted by amateurs, who, oh, wondrous
tale! do know their parts and speak
them, albeit no stage proper has been
prepared for them. Perhaps that is why
stage fright is not for them-a stage as
big as ''all the world leaves actors very
free
But in here-here. with the dainty
flowers and dripping fountains, there is
surely no thought of comedy or tragedy.
Only Il little girl goWned all in white,
with snowy arms and neck, and dia-
monds glittering in the soft masses of
her waving hair. A happy little girl,
to judge by the soft smile upon her love
ly lips, and the CLEAN in her dark eyes.
Leaning back in her seat in the dim, cool
receSseS of Che conservatory, amongst
the flowers and the greeneries, she looks
like little nymph in love with the ST
lence and the sense of rest that the
hour holds.
1t is broken. however.
Il am so sorry you are not dancing,
says her companion, leaning toward her.
His regret is evidently genuine; indeed.
70 hor %hn mo Hen MT
one that precludeS his dancing with Per
petua Wynter.
''Yes?" she looks up at him from her
low lounge amongst the palms. We'll,
SO am I, do you know telling the truth
openly, yet with an evident sense of
shame. But [ don't dance now because
it is selfish, isn't it?-because | should
be so unhappy afterward if 1 did
"a perfect reason says Hardinge
very earnestly. He is still leaning to-
ward her, his elbows on his knees, his
eyes on her. It is an intent gaze that sell
dom wanders, and in truth why should
it? Where is any other thing as good to
look at as this small, fair creature with
the eyes. and the hair, and the lips that
belong to her!
He has taken possession of her fan,
and gently, lovingly, as though indeed it
is a part of her, raising it sometimes to
sweep the feathers Of it across his lips.
DO you mink SO! says sue, as IL a
little puzzled. well, / confess [ don't
like the moments when l hate myself.
We all hate ourselves sometimes, don't
we?" looking at him as if doubtfully, or
is it only l myself, who"
"Oh, nor says Hardinge. All! All
of us detest ourselves now and again.
or at least we think we do. 1t comes to
the same thing, but you-you nave no
cause"
Il should have if l danced says she,
'and l couldn't bear the after-reproach,
so l don't do it,
And yet-yet you would like to
danceY'
Il don't know" She hesitates, and
suddenly looks up at him with eyes as
full of sorrow as of mirth. Sat all events
[ know this, says she, that l wish the
band would not play such nice .waltzes!,
Hardinge gives way to laughter, and
presently she laughs too, but softly, as
if afraid of being heard. and as If, too,
little ashamed of herself. Her color rises,
delicate warm color that renderS ner
absolutely adorable.
''Shall | order them to stop" says
Hardinge laughing still, yet with some,
thing in his gaze that tells her he would
forbid them to play if he could, II only
to humor her. -, :,
Mop says she, ''and after all''-phil..
osophically- enjoyment is only name.
udt all says AAoAOAAASC'
but a very good one. 49,.
.'Let us forget it," with little sigh,
"and talk of something else, something
pleasanter."
ethan enjoyment?'
She gives way to his mood and laughs
afresh.
"Ah! YOU have me there!' says she.
II have not. indeed" he returns, quiet
ly and with meaning. Neither there'
nor anywhere"
He gets up suddenly, and going to her,
bends over the chair on which she IS
sitting.
eve were talking of what?' asks she,
it not? An endless subject. My name
now? An absurd one surely. Perpetua.
1 don't like Perpetua, do your She IS
evidently talking at random.
81 do indeedv' says Hardinge, prompt
ly and fervently. His tone accenruates
his meaning. 80,
ooh. but SO harsh, so unusualr'
''Unusual! That in itself constitutes
charm
4 was going to add, however-dis-
agreeable
mot that-never that" says Hardinge.
''You mean to say you really like Fer
petua % her large soft eyes opening with
at is a poor word,' says he, his tone
now very low. eff / dared say that
adored Perpetual I should be-
''Oh, you laugh at me- interrupts; she
with a little impatient gesture, you
know how crude, how strange, how
81 don't indeed Why should you ma
Ign yourself like that? You-you-Who
are"
He stops short driven to silence by a
look in the girls eyes.
'What have [ to do with it? did lot
christen myself" says she. There is per-
haps suspicion of hauteur in her tone.
II am talking to you about my name.
You understand that, don't OF? ,--the
hauteur increasing. "Do you know, of
late l have often wished | was some
body else, because then | should have
had a different one
Hardinge, at this point, valiantly re-
trains from threadbare quotation, Per
haps he is too far crushed to be able to
remember it.
''Still it is charming says he, some
WI" 1T is absurd says Perpetua coldly.
There is evidently no pity in her. And
alas! when we think what that sweet
feeling is akin to, on the highest author
ity, ones hopes for Hardinge falls low.