Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1900-04-21
In rxenty.dYe she really Is.

llAiAls Wv q btehh e0 AAbh 80 ~ WV
Hermia's progress has been slow, but Miss
| Fitzgerald's sldwest of all, her elaborate
toilet and its accessories taking some time
TO arrange themselves; she has been An
noyed, too, by Olga Bohun, during the esrlier
| Part OF the evening, and consequently feels
1t her duty to stay In her room for a while
and take 1t out Of her maid. SO long Is she
indeed that Madame 0'Cohnor tmost atten-
tive Of hostesses) feels it her duty to come
upstairs TO find her.
She does and her giving way to distribes
of the most viruient, that have Olga Bohhn
Nor their theme. Mrs. Fitzgerald, standing
by, Is listening to, and assisting in, the de-
famatory speeches.
"Hey-day! what's the matter nowP' says
! Madame, with a b6nhommie completely
thrown away. Miss Fitzgerald has given
the relns to her modification, and is pre-
pared to hunt Olga to the death.
~ think 1t Is disgraceful the license Mrs.
Bohun allows her tongue" she says, ahgrily,
still smartlng under the little speech she
had gCaded Olga into making her an hour
ago. I'VE have just been talking about it.
She says the most woundng things, and ac-
cuses people openly Of thoughts and actions
OF WHICH they would scorn to be guilty. And
this, too, when her own act ons are so hope
lessly faulty, 50 sure to be animadyerted up
on by all decent people"
Yes, yes, indeed" chimes in her mother,
as in duty bound. Her voice is feeble, but
her manner vicious.
The shameful way in which she employs
every artificial Means to heigbten any beau
ty she may possess, Is too ahsurdIy transpar-
ent not to pc known by all the world," goes
on tue irate Bella. who runs may read
the gSage and Yeloutine that covers her face.
ALE Us for her lids, they are SO Eackened
tbat they are positively dtrtU! Yet she pre-
tends she has handsome eyes and lAshes!'
But, my dear, she may well lay claim to
her lashes. All the Egyptian charcoal in
the world could not make them long and
curly. Nature is to be thanked for them"
You can defend her II you like" says
Bella, Historically, but to my mind her
conduct isis positively immoral 1t Is
cheating the public into the belief that she
has a skin when she hasn't"
but I'm sure she has; we can all see 1t, "
says Madame OConnor, somewhat Dewil-
dered by this sweeping remark.
mo, you can't. | defy you to see ii, it Is
so covered with pastp and washes, and
everything; she uses every art you can con.
~ceive,"
Well, suppose she does, what then?'
says Madame, StOutly. She Is dressed in
black velvet and diamonds, and is looking
twice as important and rather more good
humored than usual. 81 see nothing in it.
My grandmother always Touged,-put OH
patches as regularly as her gown. Every
one did it in those days, | suppose. And
quite right, too. Why shouldn't a woman
make herself look as attractive as she camp
But the barefaced fashion in which she
hunts down that wretched young ROnayne,"
says Miss Fitzgerald, 'fs dreadful! You
can't defend that, Gertrude. ! quite pity the
poor lad,--drawn thus, dgdtns!htS tCHI into
the tolls Of an enchantresS." Mrs. Fitz-
gerald pauses after this ornate and strictly
original speech an if overcome by her own
eloQuence. II think he should be warned"
she goes On. presently. "A woman like that
should not be permitted 10 entrap a mere
boy into n marriage he will regret all his
life afterward, by means Of abominaOle
coquetrics and painted cheeks and eyes. 1t
is hOrrrle!"
IL never thought you were such a fool,
Edith" says Madame O'Connor, with the
greatest sweetness.
You may think as you will, Gertrude"
responds Mrs. Fitzgerald, with her faded air
of %juyenility sadly lost in her agitation, and
shaking her head ]ncrvously, as though af-
ficted with a sudden touch Of palsy that ac-
cords dismally with her youthful attire.
"But shall cling tony own opinions. And
/ utterly disapprOve Of Mrs. BOhun."
For me-" Gays Bella, vindictiyely, IL be-
lieve her capable Of anything. / can't bear
those women who laugh at nothing, and
powder themselves every half-hOur."
w., ,Ia,,lla1t t1,na,,t 1000, b,l1n F',a,.a
honest Madame O'Connor, now nearly at
the end of her patience. Your glass house
will be shivered if you do. Before Itook to
consuming other people I'd look in a mirror,
If ! were YOU"
Il don't understand you," says Miss Fitz-
gerald, turning rather pale.
That's because you won't look in the
mirror. Why, there's enough powder on
your right ear, my dear, to whiten a Moor!'
II never-' begins Bella, in a stricken
tone; but Madame O'Connor stops her.
"NOnsensc! sure I'm looking at it," she
says.
This hanging evidence is not to be con-
futed. For q moment the fair Bella feels
crushed; then she rallies nobly, and, after
whitening her terrified mother with a glance,
sweeps from the room, followed at a re-
spectful distance by Mrs. Fitzgerald, and
quite closely by Madame, who declines to
see she has given offenSe in any way.
As they go, Mrs. Fitzgerald keeps up a
twitter, in the hope of propitiating the
wrathful goddess on before.
Eyes, yes, / stin think young Ronayne
should be warned; she is very designing,
very, and he is very soft-hearted." She had
believed in young Ronayne at one time, and
! b,J h,n,,,rht hnruaIf 10 lpnl imam HIM ~ n
possible son-iu-law, until this terrible Mrs.
Bohun had cast a glamour over him. YES,
YES, one feels il quite ones duty to let him
know how she gets herself up. His eyes
Slould be opened to the rouge and the Egyp'
tan eye-stuff."
While she is mumbling all this, they come
into a square landing, off which two rooms
open. Both are brilliantly lighted and have
been turned into coy boudOirs for the oc'
casion.
In one of them, only half concealed by a
looped curtain from those without, stand
two figures, Olga Bohun and the poor lad
who is TO have his eyes opened.
They are as wide open at present as any
one can desire, and are staring t~houghtfully
at the willy widow, who is gazing back just
as earnestly into them. Both he and Olga
are standing very close together beneath the
chandelier, and seem TO be scanning each
others features with the keenest scrutiny
So remarkable is their demeanor, that not
only Bella but her mother and Madame
0'Connor refrain from further motion, To
gaze at them with growing curiosity.
There is nothing sentimental about their
attitude; far from it; nothing even vaguely
suggestive of tenderness. There is only an
unmistakable anxiety that deepens every
instant.
"You are sure?' said Olga, solemnly.
Certain? Don't decide in a hurry. Look
again."
He looks again.
We'll, perhaps! A uerU little less would
be sufficient he says, with hesitation,
standing back to examine her countenance