The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-07-25
Mn8. LatOn'5 Tea.

II have brought back the little books
on the orphan asylum that you lent
mamma. May stay moment with
you?"
She continued to keep her back to-
ward Andrew, and he, now beginning
to get tired of the game, had about con
cluded that she must be frightfully
ugly.
"Sit down here, dear, beside me-
and Mrs. Harmon easily contrived to
place the girl just opposite the small
room; and the young man, approaching
his eye to the crack, was struck by the
pretty face he beheld.
"Well, Rosamond, what are you do
ing nowadays? Are you going out
much?"
"No, very little. I had a card for
Mrs. Laton's tea this afternoon, but l
wrote her I was i'll. You will not be-
tray me. will you:" and she laughed a
merry laugh that set Andrews heart
to vibrating.
''Do you not care for such affairs?"
asked Mrs. Harmon.
"Sure, Mrs. Harmon, you do not
think it would be amusing to spend an
hour or two watching Mrs. Laton's
fiirtations, with no one to talk to, but
the insipid women and stupid men Of
her set?"
"You are severe, my child"
Severe? Well, with = woman like
Mrs. Laton I do not think. one can be
too much so.'
Instinctively Mrs. Harmon raised
her eyes to the door that concealed
Andrew, and, under pretext Of arrang-
ing the portiere, she crossed the room,
and, as she rearranged the drapery,
whispered to her nephew:
"It's nearly five-you'll be late for
your tea
But Ter warning was unheeded; An
drew did not bulge. AS for the girl BY
the fire, she was still full of her idea.
"Do you know Mrs. Laton, Mrs. Har-
mon?" she asked.
1SS, yes, tuS O1tl 1sLuS W
reply, and to turn the conversation she
went on. But you are wrong to de-
clare that all men are stupid. There
are some who are quite sensible"
Sensible? Well, don't know them.
I do not mean that they are all stupid,
but they think themselves so superior
that they are wearisome. They are
vain, insufferable bores, with their
blase airs and their ideas that they are
irresistible because they can flirt with
Mrs. Laton, who has bleached hair,
smears paint on her face as if it We're
a palette, and whose brains are good
for nothing but to devise outrageous
gowns"
Again Mrs. Harmon cast an uneasy
glance toward the little room, in which
Andrew was fast waxing angry. He
would have liked to strangle this girl,
whose superb health. and triumphant
beauty. irritated him.
"And when will you get married, my
dear?" suggested Mrs. Harmon, again
throwing herself into the breach.
81 shall never marry"
Indeed? Why not:'
"Why not?" repeated Rosamond, a
shadow of melancholy coming over her
face that Andrew admired in spite of
himself. because 1 am a little fool
who cannot do as the rest do. would
wish to love my husband and to have
him love me. / would wish to marry
a man whom 1 should single from
among the rest for his goodness and
intelligence. I would wish to have q
confidence in him, and above all to be
proud of him."
AS the girl spoke she had become
animated with gentle exaltation,
which was not without its effect on
the young man behind the door.
"Well, Rosamond." said Mrs. Har.
mon, "why do you not realize your
dream?"
Because there are no young men
nowadays who care to look for girl
who pleases them. Marriage for them
is q matter of business, nothing more,
ard the woman herself does not count.
They marry VIXEN they have lost their
money, and the little heart they pos
sessed has been frittered away Oh some
Mrs. Latou or another"
Again Mrs. Harmon arose, and pre-
tending she had an order to give, ex-
cused herself and fastened to her
nephew.
well, aunt, she has given us nice
dressing down, eh? For charming
girl would back her against the
world"
Hurry, Andrew; it is late, and you
have almost missed your tea"
"My tear he repeated. Bother my
tea. Is there nothing else in the world
but my tea? Now, you must find an
excuse to bring me into the room and
I'll show that young shrew whether
all men are fools. Oh, she need have
no fear. shall not try to marry her,
for still have all my hair, a little
money and heart still intact"
Mrs. Harmon could not restrain a
smile at the young mans vexation. and
five minutes later Andrew entered the
drawing room.
But contrary to all expectations, the
conversation did not become war Of
words; on the contrary, the girls fresh
gayety disarmed Andrews anger at
once. His preconception fled before
her dimpled smiles and her gentle
voice, and he soon fell under her
charm, forgetting his anger in his ad-
miration Of her graceful movements,
the penetrating timbre of her voice, the
sparkle of her wit.
The hour for the tea had long passed
and Andrew was still there. He had
lost all desire to run after Mrs. Laton,
that faded doll whom Rosamond-as
he was forced to admit to himself
had portrayed so truthfully.
And esconced once more in the
depths Of her armchair, Mrs. Harmon
smiled a kindly smile. and silently re-
garded the young people, who for their
part. looked at one another with looks