The Washington times., 1901-07-07

belle, and somewhat spoilt, she was both
irritated and astonished. 1t was her first
winter in New York. and although she
had found that Northern men did not
take fire as spontaneously as those of the
still chivalrous and romantic South. out
OF which she had emerged for the first
time four months since still they had
Acknowledged her claims upon the ad-
miration of their sex in general, and she
had been the belle of the winter. The
women liked her, but criticised her ac-
cent; assented unanimously that she was
provincial. in a way, despite the CO.
Iossal height Of her family tree; and con-
fessed themselves quite unable to under
stand her charm for men. she is neither
beautiful nor amusing. no" has she any
style to speak OF, they asserted, with
some choler. ''She dresses weH enough
but she would never be taken for a New
Yorker-never! And then-why, she is
not even larky!"
The men made no attempt to analyze
her charm; they merely succumbed,
slowly and steadily. When cross-examin-
ed they answered somewhat pettishly
that of course she was beautiful. Did she
not have eyes, and did she not dance like
an angel? And was she not the most
well. remarkably interesting to talk to?
And her manners-could anything be more
perfect than a Southern girls manners?
What if she was thin2 Was she not the
more graceful and fairy-like to dance
with on that account? What more could
a man ask? And what if her complexion
was rather dark and colorless, and there
was a faint black line on the upper lip
of q mouth none too small? Men didn't
notice those things when woman was
as charming as Cora Benham, and We're
not particularly grateful for having them
pointed out.
If Miss Benham had heard these tart
conversations she would have smiled.
She was thoroughly acquainted with the
secret of her fascination: it was the de-
termination to please. Her father, who
had lost only two-thirds of his fortune
during the civil war, had gone on keep
ing open house, and she had seen some
thing of the world from the time she was
old enough to toddle about the big par
Iors Before she was out Of pinafores her
mother had said to her more times than
she could count: Forget yourself the mo-
rnent YOU are with our guests. and think
only of what viii please them. And when
YOU are talking to one forget all about
the others. Be impersonal, my dear; be
impersonal." This is common enough
arvice in the South, where hospitality is
p,'garded as one of the arts, and it ac-
counts for much of the charm OF its
women; hut Miss Benham was successful
10 the point of local fame: not only had
she that sort of magnetism which ema-
mates from an intense and vivid spirit,
but she was at painst TO accentuate the
racial characteristics. She managed TO
discover something about every man she
expected to meet. and gratified him to
the verge of tears during the first ten
minutes of their acquaintance. Her eyes
when talked into had an expression of
rapt concentration that no man had ever
seen equaled. She rarely spoke OF her
self: when pressed she succumbed. but in
a manner both reserved and confidential.
She had learned TO divine what a man
most wished to talk about, and she led
him straight into those pleasant pas
lures with gentle insistence which new
er degenerated into eagerness. Her mood
was ever responsive. which. the fortu-
nate man was made to understand, was
the result of his overwhelming personali- |
ty. She threw back her head and laugh |
ed with mellow delight at the feeblest |
OF witticisms and the most fragrant OF |
puns. She fattered deliberately and |
broadly. but with a separateness that |
amounted TO genius; each donee felt that |
the man did not live for whom his por- /
tion could be duplicated. And yet, so /
naturally did her gifts and requirements |
sit upon her. she was not too insincere; |
she was. indeed. capable of strong emo |
ton. and OF swift indignation at the more /
contemplate manifestations of human ma
ture; which was, perhaps, no small part
OF her charm. And as she honestly low
ed society ard had been born with the /
desire for the respectful and companion
able homage Of men, she saw no reason /
why she should not make a success of
her life
She had met Maynard Bridges toward /
the end Of the winter; he was a very |
busy man. and went little into society. |
In-splte Of strong family connections he |
was. indeed, more or less of an outsid- |
er; for he was the editor Of a daily 4
newspaper. and had made his own income 1
since the year he left college. His rise, |
after the usual apprenticeship in the city /
room. had been rapid, and for the past |
ten years he had occupied important edi-
torial positions. He was a club man and |
reported TO be somewhat fast, but he was !
one Of the hardest working and most en- |
thusiastic journalists in New York. new
ertheless He used TO say frankly that /
he was ashamed Of the sensa tionaI news
paper which paid him the largest salary
but he had made a stupendous success
of that newspaper on its own lines, and
would doubtless have thought anyone /
mad who suggested that he address a
protest TO its proprietor: he was philO-
sophical and, moreover, he was used to |
f. An intimate friend who would not |
have the Eye" in his house. told him
once that If be were induced 20 accept
the editorship OF q highly respectable
newspaper he would take to drink through
sheer ennui in less than a month; and
he replied with a laugh that doubtless ne
should.
He had met Cora Benham at the house
of a woman who was not only faithful to
her old friends whether they poured riches
at the feet Of New York society or not, |
but was grateful for the opportunity Of
talking. once in a while. to a man of
brains Since the night he had taken the
Southern belle in to dinner he had
called on her daily. and although she had
too much tact to show, in the presence
ef her other adorers, her decided prefer
ence for his society. she managed TO be
alone when he called. Tonight she had |
given up a ball for his sake, and she sat
opposite the empty doorway with an ex-
preston OF naughty enquiry.
But when Bridges entered he made no
apology. His handsome pallid face was
brilliant with eagerness, and even his big
Hsal-s La