Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-05-16


the sketch OF n ship under full sail.
The Vernon household vas well /
known 70 almost everybody in the |
city: that IL, the place and the family /
name were familiar 20 thc cars ard f,
eyes OF the people; but there were
comparatively few persons who bal
gained anything like q visiting re-
0uaiutance" with tho family TIE
circio % Mrs. Vcrnon's friends was.
however. as select sit was small; and
a. for Pauline. she had but recently
veatUred into society without the
f0rmalities Of a set debui. Mr. Nee-
non himself was. without being what
we call \ public man. a leader of the
people. His influence was "a power
ful as II was general, anil 1t was ex-
eried without effort and. apparently,
without ambition on his part. His
long residence In Louisiana, his per-
sonal force and his great wealth had
combined 70 give him this hold upon
F the people from highest 20 lowest.
and vet no one could say that he wac
easily approached. lie took no pub
iic part IN the affairs of she State or
the city. but his influence was always
sought when matters IF grave impcs-
tance demanded the use of specially
f sound Judgment. or when the more
f uumenageabic element OF tho pe0pic
f had 60 be perfectly controlled. He
seemed 60 possess she confidence OF
all the races and clans OF mon IN the
city and, 10y some power, was able 90
command them.
When Mrs. Vernon aud Pauline
found theiuselvcs once more ia Chateau
d'Or they were as happy as 10 Is ever
possible for n mother and her daughter
to be. Their stay at Bay Saint Lonis
had ialthough they were probably noe
aware OF iN been "a powerful tonic and
inyigorator.
Pauline went about tho house anil
grounds singing like a happy bird.
her face radiant. her step light and
her heart trimming with half-formed
dreams. There was nothing in all
her circle OF vision 90 shade or % mar
tle golden promise shat illed il like
the soft splendor of springtime. She
knew nothing OF life's cvils-not even
the plethora SO often attending I'M
limited access @ the luxuries OF
wealth had ever come 60 her-aud the
aboundiur good IA her experience
only urged her into q rich develop
meut. a radiant blooming. so 90 call
it. which made her beauty of SAGE and
OK form come out like the blowing oi
. rose.
The city was worry gay whan the
Ncrnons came back to lt. aud Pauline
found herself caught an tAe whirl like
, a butterfly in Juno breeze. There
s. was the theatre, there was the balls,
b She receptions. the excursions CD the
country-soats of wealthy planter p
p nothing was wanting that would keen
her spirits at full blood; aud Their,
Z was the library az Chateau a Or
q where the romances that she loved s.,
Z dearly filled many q mahogany SHELF
s. Both Fairfax and Lieutenant Bal
Q lanche had called frequently widths
Q the first month. ani she had seer
b them often Gt thc theatres aud OF
balls aud receptions given by net
e friends. They had been very atten-
tive aud very interesting, each IL hi.
t way bringing 90 her receptive mind
s. fascinating Impressions cnd obscure
. haunting visions OF a great world @
experience lying quite outside Of he
i horizon. The young men wero 81
b. different iu personal appearance, ID
10 address, Ina habit Of thought. IA tenn
10 per and la everything that goes 6
Pr build and project individual chara.
q ter, tl.. one served as foil go en-
phasiza the other at almost ever
e point
n Pauline. while she had had ever
" advantage that wealth could briug 6
d her within the narrow aud isolate
he circle OF environment. was still u
&c more than provincial girl; and hC
IN limitations, though thay probably er
ia HANGED 20 4 degree hey attractlvenes
he restricted her vision and compresse
>e her understanding in some measur,
le A society giyl of to-day, seeing on
e, like Pauline, would call her strangel
e., unsophisticated still she was not le,
re delighted than most ladies' would haN
Ac been when her mother announced thi
It was her purpose 20 "give party
rs the phrase goes, limiting the iny
tations mostly 20 young people.
C.. When the evening came, with q
IS. grounds aud the stately house bril-
rs iantly lighted. the whole interi'
of wreathed and festOoned with flowe
he and the servants al assigned
IT, duty, it would have been hard 90 Il
,r. eide which was the more radiant
Nv happy, Mrs. Vernon or Pauline.
al All the windows and doors we
BE- open, 50 that the gentle Nay win
me crept through TO stir the rich GU
ma tains and 10 make the candles in &
q u