The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-05-30


with Nab? Very likely, she thought.
1t would be just the very thing for an
aspiring cotton man to do-to go and
lose his heart ambitiously to their
beautiful Queen"
Then Denzil turned to her and said:
You were not in town this season,
Miss Trevanion"
NO; mamma did not care to co."
she answered, reddening little at thu
pious NIB.
Il do not think you missed much"
Denzil went on. pleasantly; ct was the
slowest thing imaginable; and the op-
eras were very poor. You are fond of
music, Of course? l need hardly ask
you that"
Il like good music. when hear It,"
Miss Trevanion said; but / would
rather be deaf to all sweet sounds than
to have to listen to the usual run of
so-called singers-private singers,
mean"
One does now and then hear good
private singer, though" DenziI re-
turned. There were several in town
last year."
Lady Constance Dlngwall was
greatly spoken Of" Mildred said; II
have heard her sing several times"
SO have l, and admire her voice i'm
mensely; her pet song this season was
Sullivan's Looking Back and it suited
her wonderfully. Lots of fellows
rayed about her, and old Douglas of
the Blues was said to have proposed
to her on the strength Of 1t. She re-
FUSED him, however. Odd man, Doug
las; u know him, of course-every
body does. He is slightly crazy, I
fancy. BY the bye, you have not told
me what you think of Lady Constance's
singing"
Il would quite as soon listen to a
barrel-organ, think" Miss Trevan-
ION answered, ungraciously; "there is
Just as much expression in one as in
the other. She has good notes, I grant
you, but she does not know in the
very least how to use them"
Poor Lady Constance he said.
well. am not Judge of music,
confess, but for my part 1 would 20
any distance to hear her sing. Her
brother has managed about that ap-
polntment-l suppose you know?"
Has he? 1 am glad of that. No.
l have not heard. But what a disa-
greeable man he is! What comfort
1t must be to his friends-or relatives,
rather-to get him out Of the coun-
try!"
rs not that little severe?" asked
Denzil. Poor James has an unfortu-
nate way Of not getting on with peo-
pie, but put that down more to the
wretchedness of his early training than
to his natural disposition, which I be-
lieve to be good, though warped and
injured by his peculiar position when a
boy. 1t was lucky for Lady Constance
that the countess adopted her. May 1
give you some of these?"
No. thank you," Mildred answered.
and then fell to wondering by what
right this cotton merchants son called
Lord James Dingwall by his Christian
name-"James." She again recollect-
ed that this sort of person" generally
boosted outrageously about any intim-
acy with the aristocracy. Miss Ire
vanion's hearings" upon this subject
had been numerous and profound
Il think Lord James a very unpleas-
ant man." she said, feeling curious to
learn how much more Denzil Younge
had to say about him.
Most ladies do" her companion an
swered, coolly; "but then l do not con-
slider ladies always the best judges.
They form. their ideas from the out
ward man generally, which in many
cases prevents fairness. Unless the
person on trial be lover or relative,
they seldoS do him the justice to look
within. You think Dingwall very OBJ
noxious because he has red hair and
rough manners, and yet have known
him to do acts of kindness which most
men would have shrunk from perform
ing. In the same way you would con-
slider a fellow down near us the great
est boor you ever met in your life, I
dare say, because he has nothing to
recommend him but his innate good
ness Of heart"
i dare say" responded Miss Ire
vanion.
But would you not be civil to
man whom you knew to be beyond
expression estimable. If only for the
sake Of his goodness. no matter how
rough diamond he might be?" asked
Denzil Younge, feeling somewhat eager
In his argument. and turning slightly,
so as more to face his adversary.
Surely you would; any woman-most
women would, fancy. One could not
fail to appreciate the man I speak Of"
II might appreciate him-at dis
tance," Miss Trevanion returned, OBJ
stinately, "but would not be civil to
him; and l should think him a boor
just the same. whether he were a
black sheep or a white"
"Oh!" exclaimed Denzil, and stared
curiously at her beautiful, now rather
bored face.
Was she really as worthless as she
declared herself to be? Could those
handsome. cold blue eyes and faultless
features never soften into tenderness
and womanly feeling?
He quite forgot how earnestly he was
gazing until Miss Trevanion raised her
eyes, and meeting his steady stare,
blushed warmly-angrily. He recol-
lected himself then, and the admiration
his look must have conveyed, and col
ored almost as deeply as she had.