The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1901-07-12


the icy walk.
what? Rose Lincoln here" excl9imed
half dozen voices as Rose botnded
into the dressing-room.
"Yes, Rose Lincoln is here" she re-
piled, gayy, divesting herself of her
wrapping. "l'm not going to die just
yet, ! guess, neither am going to be
housed up all winter. The fresh air has
done me good already-see," and she
pointed to a bright, round spot which
burned her cheek.
A young girl whose family had one
by one fallen victims to the great New
England plague, consumption, shuddered
and turned away, for to her eye the
glow which Rose called health was but
the hectic bloom Of death.
How beautiful she is" said more than
one, as with her accustomed grace Rose
entered the brilliant drawing room. And
truly Rose was beautiful that night, but
like the gorgeous foliage of the fading
autumn, twas the beauty Of decay, for
death was written on her blue-yeined
brow, and lurked amid the roses on her
cheek. But little thought she of that,
as with smiling lip and beaming eye she
received the homage Of the admiring
throng.
Just then Ida and Mary we're an
nounced Both Aunt Martha and Ida
had taken great pains to have their
young friend becomingly dressed, and
she looked unusually well in the EN-
broidered muslin skirt, satin waist and
blonde bertha which Aunt Martha had
insisted upon her accepting as a present,
The rich silken braids of her luxuriant
hair were confined at the back Of her
finely formed head with a golden arrow,
which, with the exception Of plain band
OF gold on each wrist, was the only Or
nament she wore. This was her first in
PRODUCTION to the gay world, but so keen
was her perception Of what was polite
and proper that none would ever have
suspected It; and yet there was about
her something so fresh and unstudied,
ere many were struck with her easy, un-
affected manners, so different from the
practiced airs of the city bellies.
Ella watched her narrowly, whispering
aside to Henry how sorry she felt for
poor Mary, she was so verdant and real
ly hoped she wouldn't do anything very
awkward, for 'twould mortify her to
DEATH But look" she added, "and see
how many people Ida is introducing her
to-"
"Of course, why shouldn't she?" asked
Henry; aud Ella replied:
~ don't know-it seems so funnyj to
see Mary here, doesn't itY'
Before Henry could answer, a young
man of his acquaintance touched his
shoulder, saying: Lincoln, who is that
splendid-looking girl with Miss Selden?
| haven't seen finer face in Boston for
many day"
THAT? Oh, that's Miss Howard, from
ChicOpee. An intimate friend of our
family. Allow me the pleasure of in
PRODUCING you,' and Henry walked away.
leaving Ella to the tender mercies of
Rose who, as one after another Quilted
her side and went over to the enemy"
grew very angry wondering If folks were
bewitched, and hoping Ida Seldom "felt
better, now that she'd made so many
notice her protegc.'
Later in the evening, William Bender
came, and Immediately Jenny began to
talk to him of Mary, and the impression
she was making. Placing her hand
familiarly upon his arm, as though that
were its natural resting place, she led
him toward group, of which Mary
seemed the center of attraction Near
her stood Henry Lincoln, redOubling his
fiattering compliments in proportion as
Mary grew colder and more reserved in
her manner toward him. Silly and con
ceited as he was, he could not help no.
ticing how differently she received Will
lam Bender from what she had himself.
"But all in good time" thought he,
glancing at Ella, to see how she was af-
fected by his desertion of her and his
Irritation with her sister. She was stand
ing a little apart from any one, and with
her elbow resting upon a marble stand,
her cheeks flushed, and her eyelashes
moist with the tears she dare not shed,
she was watching with feelings in which
more of real pain than jealousy was min
gled, for Ella was weak and simple
hearted, and loved Henry Lincoln far
better than such as he deserved to be
loved.
"Of what are you thinking, Ella 2"
asked Rose, who finding herself nearly
alone, felt willing to converse with all
most anyone.
At the sound Of her voice Ella looked
up, and coming quickly to her side, said:
ITS so dull and lonesome here, | wish
I'd stayed at home"
In her heart Rose wished So too, but
she was too proud to acknowledge it,
and feeling unusually kind toward Ella,
whose uneasiness she readily understood,
she replied: "0h, | see you are jealous
of Henry, but he's only trying to tease
you. for he cant be interested in that
awkward thing"
But he is, almost know he is,' re-
turned Ella, with a trembling of the
voice she tried in vain to subdue: and
then, fearing she could not longer re-
strain her emotion, she suddenly broke
away from Rose, and ran hastily up to
the dressing room.
Nothing of all this escaped Henry's
quick eye, and as sundry unpaid bills
came looming up before his mind, he
thought proper to make some amends
for his neglect. Accordingly, when Ella
returned to the drawing room he offered
her his arm, asking; What made her
eyes so red" and slyly pressing her hand.
when she averted her face, saying:
"Nothing-they weren't red"
Meantime, William Bender, having
managed to drop Jenny from his arm, had
asked Mary to accompany him to the con
servatory. As they stood together, ad-
miring rare exotic, Williams manner
suddenly changed, and drawing Mary
closer to his side, he said distinctly,
though hurriedly: Il notice, Mary, that
you seem embarrassed in my presence,
and | have, therefore, sought this oppOr-
tunity to assure you that shall not again
distress you by a declaration of love,
which, il returned. would now give me
more pain than pleasure, for as l told
you at Mr.. Selden's, | am changed in
more respects than one. 1t cost me
IA zF,-. - -,