The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1898-04-09

BNe 6Atu. OuO WIN Cali klRc SUCH tnt6iIHIHs
ments as this should not think Of retiring
from n world hc Is so well qualified to adorn,
Confess, now, that under the influence Of
that music yor, could dance yourself.
Sir Oswald laughed.
u must plead guilty." he said, .'Ilow
beautiful Miss Rocheforl looks tonight"
at is well for you, Sir Oswald. that you
have not heard NIL the compliments that the
dear child has lavislled OH you; they would
have made you vain"
Sir Oswald's face frightened with pleasure.
SIS your niece pleased? l am very glad
indeed. 1t was more to give her pleasure
than from any other motive that l gave the
ball."
.'Ihen you have succeeded peifectly. Now,
Sir Oswald, do you not sec that what 1 said
was tlne-that an establishment like this re-
quires a mistress! Darrell Court always led
the Inequalities OF the county. 1t is only
since ITO lady has lived here that it las fallen
into the background"
81, shall be in the background no longer"
said Sir Oswald. II think my first ball is a
very successful one. How happy everybody
looksl"
But Of all that brilliant company, Pauline
Darrell was queen. There were men pres
ent who would have given anything for ons
smile from her lips. They admired her. thly
thought her beautiful beyond comparison,
but they did not feel quite ut case with her
She was somewhat beyond them; they did
not understand her. She did not blush. and
glow, and smile when they said pretty things
to 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 1t Ghem out of her dark, proud eyes.
VI,n1, n tn IN $hn,rc,.I...ap ti,nt Eclta 1,,ne x,nt1,
beautiful, but that slc required softening,
and that 8, melting loyable and tender was
wanting IN her. She was q queen to be
worshiped, an empress to receive all homage,
but not q woman to be loved. So they
thought who were not even capable of judg-
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 10 her. Tile elder ladies pronounced
that judgment or her; the Younger ones
shrank abashed, and were slightly timid in
her presence.
Sir Oswald, it was noticed, led Miss Roche
ford in to supper, and seemed to pay her
vtsy great attention. Some of the ladies
made observations, but others said it was all
nonsense If Sir Oswald had ever intended
to marry, he would have married years ago,
and his choice would have fallen Oh a lady
of mature age, not On a slight, slender girl.
Besides-and who cou'd find an answer to
such an argnlIcnt!:-was it not settled that
Miss Darrell was to lie his .icircSs?? There
was no doubt about that.
Tint hornOat'c u,a,t nffacfinu for A ,,l,ro,.
Langton was also known. More than one
of the guests present guessed ct the arrange
mcnt made, and said that il all probability
Miss Darrell would marry the captain, and
that they would lave the Cour: after Sir Os-
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 it all.
She stole away during the first dance after
supper. The lamps We're lighted i'll the con-
servatory, and shed a soft, pearly light over
the fragrant flowers; the great glass doors at
the end were open, md beyond lay the moon
light, soft, sweet, and silvery, 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; ckse to
the doors stood great sheaves of white lilies,
and just inside was u nest of fragrant dapll-
nes and jessamines. =
Pauline stood lost in delight; the perfume
seemed to float in from the moonlight and
infold her. This quiet, holy, tranquil beauty
touched her heart as the splendoro OF the ball
room could not; her soul grcwcalm and still;
she seemed nearer happiness than she had
ever been before.
How beautiful the world isr' she thought.
She raised her face, SO serenely placid and
fair III the moonlight; the silver radiance fell
upon II, adding all that was needed to make
1t perfect, a blended %sof,ness md tenderness.
The gorgeous, golden-hued dress falling
around her, glistencd, cleaned, and glowed:
her diamonds sllonc like flames. No artist
ever dreamed of a fairer picture than this
girl In the midst of the moonlight and the
flowers.
Bright fancies thronged her mind. She
thought of the time when she should be mis-
tress of that rich domain. Nomercenary de-
light made her heart thrill; it was not the
prospect Of being rich that delighted her; it
was a nobler pride-delight in the grand old
home where heroes had lived and died, earn
est thoughts of how she would care for it,
now she would love 1t as some living thing
when 1t should he her own.
Her own! Verify her lines were cast in
pleasant places! She dreamed great things
-of the worthy deeds SHE would do, of the
noble charities she would carry out, the mag.
nificent designs she would bring to maturity
when Darrell Court should be hers.
1t was not that she wished for it at once.
She did not love Sir Oswald-thcir natures
were too antagonistic for that; but she did
not wish-indeed, she was incapable of wish.
hg-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 sho would help those
artist-triends of her fathers! What orders
s:a would give them, what pictures she
Would buy, what encouragement she would
g,.vG to art and literature! How she would
f,ster genius! How she would bcrriend the
clever and gifted poor ones Of the earthl
The beautiful moonlight seemed to grow
falrer, the blue, ar heavens nearer, as the
grand and gracious possibilities Of her life
revealed themselves To her. Her cart grew
warm, her soul treilb.ed Wit, delight.
And then-then there would be something
dearer and fairer than all this-something
s""s oAaSo WHY NOuiuiI-nCl DlltlIiEul-
something that would complete her life, that
would change Il, that would make music of
every word, and harmony Ut every action.
The time would como 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 love had never passed over her.
There had been no long, idle conversations
with young girls on the subject of love and
lovers; her heart was a blank page. But
there came to her that night, as she stood
dreaming her maiden dreams among the flow
ers, an Idea of how she could love, and OF
what manner of man he would be who should
win her love.
Was she like undine? Were there depths
In her heart and soul which could not be
reached until love had brought them to lightP
She felt In herself great capabilities that had
never yet been exercised or called into action.
Love would complete her life; it would be
the sun endowine tho flowers with 10
warmth, ami fragrance.
What manner OF man must he be who
rk~. = II - ...--