The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1899-11-15

4 INV" WOulu oSem iOOllSn unuer |
'ther circumstances, Miss Barton, but
When l tell you the story you will un-
my anxiety IL you will allow
2"
He leaned eagerly forward, and
.risctlla dropped her eyes in confusion.
Taking her silence for consent, he be-
gan
=" You, see, 1t was this way. Pm an
only child, and Ive seen little OF young
people. l had d tutor, and never went
school until | came North to college,
and you a imagine 1t was rather an
ordeal to be thrown suddenly among
so many men. | kept rather to myself,
and didn't meet many fellows. There
was n man there, however, who was
very good to me his name was Hal
Somers."
Priscilla turned her head still father
away and picked n~orvously 30 the
fringe OF her steamer rug,
Zone day." continued Towner, che
brought.me the photograph Of u pretty
girl, 1t was one Of those soft, rather
indistinct pictures, like q composite,
you know, only it wasn't one. IT had
such deep, beautiful eyes, and such u
way Of seeming to look d fellow right
through that 1T made q strange i'm
preston on me. 1t was of Halls cousin,
a girl at Vassar, Priscilla North. We'll,
before knew where l was, he got me
into q correspondence with her by
sending messages first, and then notes.
never wrote to q girl before, but If
all girls write as she does, they are q
bright set. Why, Miss Barton, her
letters fairly scintillated Aud no
two were alike there was the
charm of it,. They were from grave
to gay, from lively to severe.
only all were simply exquisite.
No wonder | fell in love with her
Well, to make a long story short, we
became engaged, ana then, naturally,
| wanted to see her. And here the
strange part begins. | can not meet
her l am never TO see her !"
M ~is-rather peculiar" muir
INJURED Priscilla.
"Peculia,. It's ~uneccountable {! She
says h Is forbidden to make ~acquaint'
ances by her grandfather, with whom
she lives, so | can't 90 to the college
AT the end Of the term she rusnes of
West-she lives in Wisconsin. And ir
vacation she travels And here | an
in the ridiculous position OF being EN-
gagged to u girl I've never seen. Now
Miss Barton, | beg you to tell me al
about her. You know her, OF course
Towner leaned his head on his hant
and gszed earnestly at the girl. Sh,
slowly turned her eyes from the hori
zon and bent them on him with /;
troubled expression. How handsome h,
looked wish that eager face how hi
hair curled In little damp rings abou
his temples! She turned away again
" Mr.. Towper,' she began after
know Miss North. ii would rather
not talk about it, she ended abruptly
Towncr stared at her. why, wha
can you meau?" he said, incredulously
"Surely you must know her VIVA
possible reasOn can there be for Won
silence ?"
Priscilla still hesitated. Then sud
denly turning impetuousty to him, sh,
said, with little gasps between he
sentences:
MIR. Towuer, you will never, mover
forgive me, but you ought to know tn,
truth, and [ suppose | must be the
one TO tell you. Hal SUmers is m,
cousin, That was a composite photo
graph, touched up SO it locked like az
ordinary one. And there is no Pris
ella North I'ye been dreadful,
ashamed of the part I've had in it
though it was only lending half m,
name, and copying the letters for the
girls, so they would all be in one hand
writing. After all, Pm glad of a chance
to end it! | don't ask you to forgive
me, but | do want to say Pm hearth,
ashamed and sorry.n
Towner had turned very white.
81 don understand" he said very
slowly at last. "Sommers is your cous
in, but you did not write the letters
q" He knew any number OF the girls
at college, but it was in coming to sec
me he suggested the plan to the
others"
"How many were in this pleasan,
arrangement "' inquired Towner, in q
hard tone.
"Only three" replied Priscilla, do
p~recatingly. "You see, Hal suggested
that you needed to be educated to 8
knowledge OF women, and from more
than one side. Most men know lots oil
girls, you see, and you knew none, sc
these three said they would form d
sort OF prism, and you should see the
three sides of the ewlg-weibliche, you
know"
81 do know, indeed" said Towner,
grimly. 81 know more Of women than
| ever dreamed"
1t was only a schoolgirl trick
pleaded Priscilla, land we never
meant to hurt you. We thought you
really would be amused when you
knew"
Amused |" exclaimed the man.
with an unmirthful laugh. "You
play with a mans best feelings and ex
pact him to be amused Those girls
must be specimens Of the new woman
l heard defined the other day. One
who had forgotten how to be a ladv,
and not Learned to be a gentleman !h'
IL don't wonder you feel So" said
Priscilla, humbly, and then there was
q long silence.
When the gong rang for luncheon
owner rose and helped her to her feet
in silence.
Aren't you coming down ?" she In.
quired, ttmidly.
Thanks, no; I've food for thought"
he replied, lifting his hat formally.
The next days were gloomy enough.
Io"ner seldom appeared at meals, and
when he did he was tacitur As Mrs
Hunter talked i~ncessantly she did not
notice his silence, but Priscilla felt
cowed by it.
Gibraltar tomorrow 7" called some
one as they stepped on deck after din.
ner on their last day.
The girl involuntarily glanced at
Towner, who stood near, and caught
Ills eyes fixed on her with q softer lieht
than they had ever known.
Her heart felt lighter; she had sui.
Tered these past days from remorse.
MRS. Hunter soon went to her state.
room to pack, and Priscilla stood alone
neGr the bow of the boat.
The air was soft and summer-like
the moon shone bright and clear from
u deeply purple sky. She turped or