Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-01-02
LUCILLG.
How n son Was Opposed by His
Father In the Choice of
WIFE.

liamsburg within the memory of the old
est inhabtant.
Miss Blanchard and her brother Hart
ley came to Williamsburg for the benefit
Of Hartley's health. which was feeble.
/ They took rooms at the jefferson House
and remained there a couple of weeks, at
the end OF which time. liking the vicin-
ity so well. they leased Egerten cottage
for year aud removed thither. The
Egertons had gone to Europe and left
their house. all furnished as it was. be-
hind them. but Mr. Startling, the agent.
had refused to let it until the Blanchards
came and captivated him along with the
rest OF the townsmen.
The Williamsburgers were delighted
with this charming acquisition to their
society. and really. after Lucille had
| frightened half dozen of their parties
and social gatherings with her presence,
! it became a problem how the place ever
| became tolerable without her.
| suppose some description of the fair
siren is necessary, though no mere pen
| and ink portrait can ever do her Justice.
She was tall and fair. and her bearing
\ was regal. If she had been born to the
! purple and ermine. she could not have
utlsfii tipIt
Nature turns out about one such wo-
| man in the course of century by way Of
| showing what she can do and after that
| rests from her efforts and gives us wo-
men with pug noses and wide mouths and
1 watery eyes. and. having seen so little
I perfection. we get used to the sham and
( learn To think it quite tolerablc.
| Every thread of Lucille Blanchard's
I head was prismed sunbeam. and when
one saw ii on her head. undulating. gilt
/ tering. curling over her fair brow and
| down her peerless shoulders. he said to
| himself that no painters brush could
! ever picture aueht SO glorious. Her eyes
| were brown, deep as we'll. and luminous
with feeling and Swallowed by lashes as
| dark as those which veil the flashing
| eyes of brunette beauties in southern
1 Spain. Her complexion was perfect. No
| rouge or pearl powder combination could
| ever hope to rival it, and her sweet lips
| were scarlet red ripe as the wild meadow
| strawberry She sang with rare sweet
1 ness md power. but she never played
| piano was too common thing for n wo-
/ man of her rare perfection TO touch.
Her brother was n pale, grave faced
| man. some years her senior. suppose.
| though one could not guess her age. She
| might have been is or 49, and such q
| woman never grows old and is rs lovely
| in middle age as in first youth and deeid-
| eddy more dangerous.
| All the young men in town were deliri-
I GUS about her. Some neglected the maid
ems they had hitherto thought faultless
| to worship at the new shrine. Husbands
| made their wives jealous and had to en-
| dure long curtain lectures for expressing
| their admiration of the brilliant stranger.
| But Miss Blanchard's conduct was adj
| mirabe. SO all the old ladies said. No
| one could possibly find any fault with it.
/ She was gentle and courteous to all. but
| familiar with none. Among her adorrrS
/ there was not one who would have dared
! To press her hand or touch stray cu!i
| of her bright hair with caressing fingers.
| There was fine frost of reserve about
| her. pure and clear as sunlight, bur i'm
/ pervious as an armOr of steel. which
| warded of familiarity and set Miss
| Blanchard within magic circle which
| no one had the boldness to cross.
! or all those who were ready to cast
themselves under her chariot wheel. LIS
| Ter Hathaway was most in earnest. This
young mans infatuation was something
| fearful to witness. for it took the form
\ almost of madness.
\ He had been engaged TO Annette
Morse. a pretty village beauty. previous
TO the advent of Miss Blanchard. but
after he had felt the charm of Lucille S
| presence he forgot Annette's existence.
4 He belonged to a proud family. the old
est and most respectfully connected OF
/ any In the country. Hathaway Hall. the
/ family residence. was one OF the finest
| places in the state, and the wealth and
/ taste which had been layished upon it
and its furnishings would have built up
I little village of tenement houses.
No member OF the Hathaway family.
\ ever so remotely connected, had ever
l committed crying sin or made misal-
| lance, and Judge Hathaway, Testers
| father. was very pompous in declaring
/ that when his son married it must be to
a lady whose birth and breeding were
equal to his own.
The judge was middle aged. courtly
gentleman. somewhat lofty in his man
ners and very fond OF talking of his fam
| ily lineage over bottle of wine which
was melowed by time and responsibility,
like himself.
He had been a widower five or six
years. and Mrs. Charlton. the housekee2-
~ was 10 Jtdibu6 VI Tue AalAitS hodNA 80
the master could possibly be.
1t reached the judges ears at last that
Lester had fallen In love with the beau
tiful newcomer, and IL gave his aristo-
cratic stomach such a turn that he did
not taste a mouthful of dinner or touch
the bottle OF old port beside his plate.
He awaited his sons coming in all the
dignity and state Of his wrath and read
him n ion.- lecture on the desDerate wick
edness of his conduct.
"But. father" said Lester when the
old man stopped to breathe. for he was
a little asthmatic. and this long spec b
acted unfavorahly on his wind. lyon have
not seen Miss Blanchard and. of course,
are not capable of judging of her merits.
She is lovely as an angel, and ! know
you would admire her il you should sex
her"
81 have seen some fne women in my
day." returned the judge with dignity.