Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-04-09
CHATTER XVI.
pAuLiNE's BRIGnr FANcIEs.

The ball at Darrell Court WAS a brilliant
success. Sir Oswald was delighted, Lady
Hampton complimented him so highly.
This Is just as 1t ought to be, Sir Oswald"
she said. 'One who can give such entertain
ments as this should not think of retiring
from a world he Is so well qualified to adorn.
Confess, now, that under the influence Of
that music you could dance yourself"
Sir Oswald laughed.
II must plead guilty. he said. "Ilow
beautiful Miss RDcheford looks tonight"
III is well for you, Sir Oswald. that you
have not heard all the compliments that the
dear child has layished on you; they would
have made you vain"
Sir Oswald's face frightened with pleasure.
us your niece pleased? | am very glad
indeed. 1t was more to give her pleasure
than from any other motive that l gave the
ball"
Then you have succeeded perfectly. Now,
Sir Oswald. do you not see that what / said
was %true-that an establishment like this re-
quires a MISTRESS? Darrell Court always led
the Inequalities OF the county. 1t Is only
since no lady has lived here that il has fallen
into the background"
"a; shall be in the background no longer"
Ndiu Oh O-Ndlls Il lilAlh Lug llht Ddli u a
very successful one. How happy everybody
looks!'
But of all that brillian: company, Pauline
Darrell was queen. There were men prcs-
ent who would have given anything fer one
smile from her lips. They admired her ,bzy
thought her beautiful beyond comparison,
but they did not feel quite at ease with he's
She was somewhat beyond them; they diu
not understand her. She did not blush. and
glow, and smile when they said pretty things
10 her. When they gave her their most brill
liant small-talk, she had nothing to give them
in return. A soul quite different from theirs
looked Il thcm out Of her dark, proud eyes.
They S.k to themselves that she was very
beautiful, but that she required softening,
and thAt = netting lovable and tender was
wanting IN her. She was a queen to be
worshiped, an empress 10 receive all homage,
but not a woman TO be loved. So they
thought who were not even capable of judy
ing such capacity for love as hers.
She was also not popular with the ladies'.
They thought her very superb; they admired
her magnificent dress; but they pronounced
her proud and reserved. They said she gave
herself airs, that she took no pains TO make
friends; and they did not anticipate any very
great rejoicings when Darrell Court should
belong to her. The elder ladies pronounced
that judgment on her; the Younger ones
shrank abashed, and We're slightly timid in
her presence.
Sir Oswald, II was noticed, led Miss Roche
ford in to supper, and seemed TO pay her
very great attention. Some of the ladies
made observations, but others said it was all
nonsense: If Sir Oswald had ever intended
10 marry, he would have married years ago,
and his choice would have fallen OIL a lady
OF mature age, not on a slight, slender girl.
Besldes-and who could lind an answer to
such an argument?-was 1t not settled that
Miss Darrell was TO be his heircss? There
was no doubt about that.
That baronet's great affection for Aubrey
Langton was also known. More than one
OF the guests present guessed at the arrange
ment made, and said that in all probability
Miss Darrell would marry the captain, and
that they would have the Cour: after Sir 0s-
wald's death.
The banquet was certainly a magnificent
one. The guests did full justice to the cost
ly wines, the rare and beautiful fruits, the
recherche dishes prepared with so much skill
and labor. When supper was ended, the
dancers returned to the ballroom, but Miss
Darrell was already rather weary OF il all.
She stole away during the first dance after
supper. The lamps were lighted in the con
servatory, and shed a soft, pearly light over
the fragrant flowers; the great glass doors at
the end were open, and beyond lay the moon.
light, soft, sweet, and silyery, sleeping the
flowers, the trees, and the long grass in its
mild light. Without, all was so calm, so
still; there was the evening sky with its myr-
lad stars, so calm and so serene: close to
the doors stood great sheayes of white lilies,
and just inside was a nest OF fragrant daph-
mes and ~jessamines.
Pauline stood lost in delight; the perfume
seemed to lloat in from the moonlight and
Unfold her. This quiet, holy, tranquil beauty
touched her heart as the splendorof the ball
room could not; her soul grew calm and still;
she seemed nearer happiness than she had
ever been before.
How beautiful the world isv she thought.
She raised her face, so serenely placid and
fair in the moonlight; the silver radiance fell
upon il, adding all that was needed TO make
II perfect, q blended sof,neSs and tenderness.
The gorgeous, goldeD-hued dress falling
around her, Cllstened, cleaned, and glowed;
her diamonds shone like flames. No artist
ever dreamed OF a fairer picture than this
girl III tue must VI tic HlOOHliSht aHu thO
flowers.
Bright fancies thronged her mind. She
thought Of the time when she should be his
tresS OF that rich domain. NOmercenary de-
light made her heart thrill; II was not the
prospect of being rich that delighted her; 1t
was q nobler pride-delight in the grand old
home where heroes had lived and died, earn
est thoughts Of how she would care for il,
now she would love 1t as some living thing
when 1t should be- her own.
Her own! Verify her lines were east In
pleasant places! She dreamed great things
OF tine worthy deeds she would do, OF the
noble charities she would carry ont, the mag
niicent designs she would bring to maturity
when Darrell Court should be hers.
1t was not that she wished for il at once.
She did not love Sir O~swald-their natures
were too a~ntagonlstic for that; but she did
not wish-lndeed, she was incapable OF wish
ing-that his life should be shortened even
for one hour. She only remembered that In
the course of time this grand inheritance
must be hers How she woul help those
artjst-friends OF her fathers! What orders
sfs would give them, what pictures she
would buy, what encouragement she would
give 70 art and literature! How she would
tester geniusi How she would befriend the
clever and gifted poor ones OF the earth!
The beautiful moonlight seemed to grow
fairer. the blue, any heavens nearer, as tho
grand and gracious possibilities OF her life
revealed themselves TO her. Her cart grew
warm, her soul trembled with delight.
And then-then there would be something
dearer and fajrer than all this-something
that comes TO every woman-her birthright-
something that would complete her life, that
would change ii, that would make music Of
every word, and harmony of every action.
The time would come when love would find
her out, when the fairy prince would wake
her from her magic sleep. She was pure and
spotless as the white lilies standing near her;
the breath of lore had never passed over her.
There had been N long, idle conversations
with young girls on the subject of love and