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VOLUME XI. yOrj6 ; - - - ; --r- TOHTLAXD, OREOOX, THUIWDAY. DKCKMHKlt gaHswi."-- - :; , PKIt YEAIl 00. J
; i
-it
rwrlftea for Ui New Xortliwmf.
CLAIflE. ...
' A NEW-YEAR'S STOHV.
bt abiqaiL nam vvthwaw
"JT wUh father could see me to-night !"
Bhe stood before the mirror In her aristocratic
cousin's city home, aud gave the last touches to
her simple toilet by fastening" tlustera of ' scarlet
petaled fuchsias with their deep-green leaves and
royal purple hearts in ber raven halt and snowy
bosom. ; " .. .
"My drew wiU not be rich, like Augusta's'
turning toiurvey herself at futl length. ''It's noth
ing but cheap mull over red tnoutretins delaine,
trimmed with cotton edging; and hers Is cream
tint satin, rufHed .everywhere with Point d'Alen
eon. Her train would make me a respectable
suit I" glancing at her ownTabbreviated skirts
with a little shrug of contempt; "and her dia
mondrareJast lovely H6w critically sh,e eyed
my cheap de Jftlne when I unpacked my trunk,
and how daintily she; touched my cotton-lace.
She'll be ashamed, of me at the ball. I wish'
was safely back at my home in the wilds of
Coqullle. Why did I ever come to Portland,
wouder -: y (
"Why, Claire !" exclaimed her elegantly-altrred
city cousin, as she swept into theroom in the
full-fledged glory of fashlonabu eleganeer-w
I
charming you look ! ..Those flaming bows, that
.objected to before you put them on, look lovely
over that white mull. Your complexion is just
splendid 1 Who but you would, dare to wear those
glaring scarlet aud purple fuchsias? You'll make
a sensation at Mrs. Lofty's New-Year's ball."
'Then ybu won't be ashamed of me ?"
"Forgive me, 'Oustie 1 rTilhWtTriean- toflwnd
art. . a . I II a a
juuiJLuLJV!8ninisuaiijwa
nrniini nrrnra I urn 1
r - i m -
sweet
know the ways of city pepple, and I'm terribly
afraid I'll do something 'silly and
n i
"Nonsense, Claire I ' Juut act your own
self, and everybody will be delighted,!';
Alanson Lofty, nephew of Honorable Solomon,
juorty, and heir presumptive lo aa-oid KugiiHii
.estate, was to be the evening escort .of Miss Au
gusU Stylish, aud he did not seem at all pleased
nhenhe'yuung-lady7-who7wadeerappearance
iffldfrom4teKl4o-foet iirynuwy rephyr wTap1
. pings, was accompanied by a veiled and hoodel
Miss, who looked to be about a dozen years of age?
"My cousin, Miss ValeMr. Iofty."
The young gentleman bewed coldly at the
. lioodetl figure. u '
"She has come to end the Winter with Us,'
said Mis Stylish, faud I took the liberty of In
viting her to accompany us to the ball to-night."
Mr. Lofty was vexed, aud Claire- knew it. - She
would have retreated had there been time; but
her cousin nervously hurried her. down the steps
i andtHtplh.e.carriage, and they were . whirled
away to Mrs.-Lofty's up-town maunlon and ushered
' ; Into the dressing-room before -she had time to
analyze the. heart-ache that Intruded Itself unbid
den. -
Miss Stylish readily removed her wraps and re
. adjusted .her laces. '. Hut Claire was less fortunate.
The mesheetiftter hood were, tangled In her halr,t
and It took some time to remedy the niUhsp to.
, her abundant tresses. Other ladles, even more
grandly arrayed than Miss Stylish, buzzed about
the room, or stopped to stare af her, thereby In
K - creasing her nervousness and lighting up her face
with ruddy hue which fairly niatehed her ilam
ing mousneline tie laine, and made her painfully
conscious of appearing at double disadvantage.
"We are ready to Join MrLoftyjioWj Claire,
sald her 'cpus'IaTLeVa go'down." . -(
' "Butrsee Texclalmed Clairer exhibiting her
. white glove, with the ml and purplestain of a
crushed fuchsia upon It. "lean never appear in
company with a glove like that I"
"Hide It with your handkerchief, then. Mr.
Lofty Is looking this way.
. Claire looked ud and encountered a set of. hand
some teeth-beneatlv-a-heavy-brownmustacheT
and a pair of keen blue eyes laughing at her from
under a broad brow, crowned with light-brown
air. , . ,
" N'Pori my word,Mis Vale, you remind me of a
humming bird I" he said, gaily. "I thought you
. were only a child." '
CTarrJJdHnonyTTTe rtoolrhergiovetl hand,
with the fuchsia Astln wrapped snugly In' her
handkerchief, and closed his arm"over It with a
gentle pressure, and led the way to the dancing
hall, which was filled with revelers. Miss Stylish
led Claire to a seat, and joining Mr. Lofty In the
mazes of a waltz, left the country maiden to her
own reflections ' '
"IIow handsome Mr. Lofty is, and how ifoble !"
thought Claire. "Why is It that Jt,wbo so dearly
I become the wife of a wealthy, refined and rul
turel gentleman like Mr. Lofty, and rise to a high.
position ?. I wouder if 'Hustle loves him, or If he
loves her?1" Heavens, how I coul-J worship such a
man !" . f .
The waltz was ended, and Mr. Lofty led Miss
Stylish,' flushed and panting, to a seat,
"Of course I claim your hand for the next dance,
Miss Vale," he said, bending low and gazing at her.
With an eager, hungry Unht in his deej-bluy.
"Thanks, sir. I do not dance."
"Oh, Claire I For shame !." exclaimed liss
Stylish. 4You dance divinely. It's your one
attraction." A - ' : .v'
"She has seen, me dance the Coqullle jig, Mr.
Lofty," said Claire, getting redder every moment.
u"But I couldn't get on, the floor before all these
.people. "Ixouldn't, Indeed."
"What Is the Coqullle. Jig,' Miss Vale?"
"A country dance, sir." "". ' ." -'
"You",ought to see her In It, Mr. Ixfty." s4ld
Miss StytlIsh.1T--'You cold! never stop laughing."
Another gentleman claimed Miss Stylish for a
dance and anotherand hen a third, and Mr.
iofty and Miss Vale were jeft alone for the next
hour. , - v. .."
"Would ybu like to step Into the conservatory,
MtsrVale ? You look bored." - "
. "H7lar, sir?" , ' , .
"You look annoyed and disgusted.
"lam ourofmy.elgnigBtsJXi
1 lxlflig In th
wild woods."
".Why do you keep your hand bound up in this
handkerchief ?" he asked, playfully, as he drew It
once more within his arm with the same gentle
pressure that had sent the hot Castllian blood to
her cheek when they first met ; a pressure that
awoke within' her the fires of a new experience
now an experience as thrilling as It was fascinat
ing. . .
4lLi nti titled m v irlov. sir. and It Isn't at all
"A good answer, truly. Mere is the conserva-
if t's sit down leIiTidthlacacLa tree. Iet
me see your glove. How did you hurt it?" -'
"With a fuchsia, sir." . ,
"Ah, I see. It's lucky It was not your heart
that was wounded. Now tell me all about your
home' and how you' live, and about your father
and mother, and the cows and chickens."
i'There Isn't much to tell, sir. Mother is dead
and I live with father In theedge of-lblaclencd
lids;. "if Mhe4su't a stunner!. Ton my word, I'd said Augusta, the next morning, addressing Clat
rather have her for a wife, rusticity and all, than
to be tied for life to her hlgher-toner cousin. But
I suppose I must marry, "the, cousin. , Helgh-hp !
My word Is pledged, and there's no honorable way
of getting out of it.'.' . '
Promptly at tlie appointed hour on the follow
ing day he rang the door-bell, and was admitted
Into the stately presence of Mis Stylish. v"
MLhad hoped. Uiau&L Miss Valelli saidrfter
the usual greetings had been exchanged.
"IXes she Interest you so much?" -;
uYes, There is all the freshness of a wild rose
about her; and she's such a mere child. I'm
afraid I did
last night!"
wrong to monopolize-lier company
Augusta's lips assumed a well-defined pout.:
"Call her, please. "V J p
Claire, obedient to the summons, entered-the
parlor in a flutter of embarrassment." Her flaring
mou$eline de laine had given place to a gorgeous
suit of. plaid, toned down by black ribbons of. the
exact shade of her abundant hair. . '
"How Is the wounded glove, Miss Vale?" '
"All right, sir; I removed the stain with ether ;
but the poor fuchsia is dead for good and all."
"Can you give us theiQoqullle dance this morn
ing Miss Va.le. ?.. you prom Isetl, you know."
"My cousin promised, sir'; not I. Let her try It."
"I promised for you, Claire.- Pray oblige me."
Claire appealed to them toexcuse her, but they
-Igrew the more jirgent; andsite advanced to the
ceuter of the room and pirouetted with a sort of
tremulous, vibratory motion for a full minute.
"I told you she was a humming bird," said Mr.
Lofty.'- . ... . :
Claire heard the words and seemed to catch
their spirit. For full .fifteen-. minutes she seemed
oblivious of their presence. The wild abandon of
the Jig,' to which she devoted her mind and body,
held the two spectators spell-bound. j
WJjenltwas.over, Claire retreated to her room,
clearing, in a house built of logs, with wild vlneal
trained over them, where humming birds come to
build their nestsin Summer. There's an arm of
the sea conies near our home, aad the wean beach
is about two miles away over the rocks.?
"I wish 'oa would Invite me to visit you; Miss
Vale. " .
"Oh, sir, If you nly would !" . , s
"I will, next Summer." . i. .
Mls.tftylish found them an hoatlater,:and
chided. thera.ftr abseutlng'lhemsclves from the
revelers. t r. " ' . 77"
"I didn't thluk it had been so long," said Claire.
- "I'd have sworn we hadn't been away ten min
utes,' added Mr. Lofty. . t- ' -Your
aunt will hardly consider you a gallant
escort," said Miss Stylish, haughtily. "Lunch
has been In progress half an hour."
Mr. I)fty begged pardon and made haste to re
pair his breach of etiquette, . '
During the remainder of the evening he devoted
himself to other guests, paying little further heed
to Claire.- -, j- '" : ,
"May I return to-morrow and see-that Cofiuille
Jig?" be asked, laughingly, as he left the ladies
on the doorsteps of Miss Sty Hub's home and bade
them good-night; "j "
"CerUlnly," said Miss Stylish.
"I Ip wcomMjtou 5!Lasked rial re. . ' . ,, ,.
"Never mind. Don't be a goose." IleMI 'rume,
and you'll dance the Jig, and we'll have a merry
laugh, and that will be the end of lt,". :.-'
"What Is that stain on. your dressrthere,ver
ypur heart?" asked Mhs Stylish, as the two girls
stood before the mirror In Claire's bed-room.
Claire looked at her dress and then at her glove,
"I stained my glove with the fuchsia, and then7
stained liny dress with the glove VVhat-wlll
father say ?"-
"If he's an adept at reading fatalities, he'll say
you wounded the fuchsia's heart and got you r own
heart wouuded In turn.) Be careful, .Claire I
You're treading on dangerous ground. Tills looks
like an omen of trouble." 'a ; ' .
Bahf-PmiiotHupefistUlousJLl: , . ,
"Nor am j ' . '
"But you're JealousT ;. '
Miss Stylish laughed contemptuously. The Idea
that she should be Jealous of a wild wood bird like
Claire was too absurd to merit a reply.'
Mr. Lofty returned to his bachelor's quarters In
a musing mood. -
"By Jovel" he exclalmedt ja vjl
.'- JoviuwchU Iifeajid.ultifnoW4eri
abashed bey oud measure atTherowiriemeri tyr
"What will he think of me? Oh, dear 1" she
cried, throwing herself upon the bed and giving
up to a paroxysm of tears.
She appeared at dinner, with swollen eyes.
f "Mr. Ix)fty has sked permission to accompany
us to the opera to-night, Claire," said her cousin.
"I excused myself on the plea of a K
JJirill WIIU MII1IIIII1A JUlr MJIU 1IIUI JUU WUIU JJ
sas. Aa
wun mm, ana you musu"
slrangeTTTrltl paset through Claire's
an IntermbigHngj'ftf delight and dread.
"You'll go, of cjHirset "
"Willltjjepropt'r?"
nerves
"(Julte so, you little goose. .Mr. Ixtfty Is the
same as your cousin, you know," v v
The mother of -Miss Stylish fell 111 of a fever,
aud as the young lady was confined at home dur
ing the remainder of Claire's visit, the humming
bird, as he still called her, became the constant
companion of Mr. Lofty in all his walks and
drives. He knew It was not right, he said to him
self; hut lie quieted his cxnsclence"by ; the fancy
that he could not help It, when In living over
agalu their many Interviews he" had recalled
Claire's passionate gaze into his eager eyes, as he
had explained to her that Augusta was cold and
Incapable of loving as he loved; as he could .not!
help loving the woodland sprite who had taken
him captive in spite of his betrothal. " '
"I am going away
uiaire.
"to-morrow, Mr;-Ijofty," said
They were returning from the theater lu a
closed carriage, and the ride had been a long one,
thanks to the extra fee placed in the driver's
hand y the girl's obliging escort
.Going away ! Pray, what will do, Claire V
He had cauglit her lu a strong embrace which
site had no power or will to resist.
'T cannot do without my humming bird; Indeed
I can"
- "Papa is coming for me.
gone. I'm a wretch, Mr.
awy from 'Uustle.'!
TMie uoesn i care.
'Because she doesn't suspect It"
"If she loved me she'd suspect"
The Winter Is almost
Ijofty. I've wou you
Claire's heart echoed the words.
"If you were only free, Alanson I" she said, pas
sionately. ,
Marry roeTo-nTght,-Claire," and then you'ITi
have a right to claim me. We won't tell anybody
for the present Then, when you go away with
jpour father, I will know you are mine, and will
hayea-rigbUto-you, you see, I-wlll telUXIIssl
ceremony was irforniedhvjjnjatir urpllce
and. wJjgJ.tJBa-einn
ffce. and Claire-uttet't-J her'low resDonses with
her soul In the words. , S
I'ti nlaw mti li Iamsi Sllki ft
av j v v ws iviik mmmw ajisxajv
re
at tho breakfast tahle. "Vmrworo nut into
"It didn't seem long to ne, and I didn't realize
that It was late," was Claire's Ingenuous repl '
The country home In-the edge of the blackened
clearing had no longer any attractions for Claire.
She drooped when the dark days kept her Indoors
and moved listlessly about the house, taking no
Interest iuler-su rroumllngs. When the bright
weather came, she spent hour after hour upon the
rocks overlooking the white-capped jsurf, and lis
tening to, the breakers' roar.
The Ides of April came and went, and the first
days of May brought Mr. Lofty to her humble
country home. Together thejr wandered by, the
sea shore, or scaled the rocks for birds' eggs, or
gathered wild flowers from the billowy hillsides.
"My business will be In such a shape that I can
marry you openly by next New Year," said Mr.
Lofty, fervently. : -
"But what of 'Hustle ? : :r:
'The match Is declared off."
"Then I'll write and tell her ofbur engagement"
"Not for the world, dear Claire."
"Whynot?" ...
"Because you must trust me utterly. My wife
must have no will but mine."
Alas ! poor Claire 1 s
It Is so sweet to love and trust; so sweet to rely
la. PDC s entire, confidence upon-juatrong-rlght
arm; so easy, when one is true and pure, to Judge,
another by one's self ; and there Is so much bliss
In It, that there Is little wonder that women make
mistakes,. And Claire was so young, too, and
motherless t .jv Cr.
Mr. Ixfty returned to the city, and Claire kept
on In the even tenor of her way, Wandering In the
woods, clambering upon the rocks, or sauntering
on the beach among the-glisten Ing dunes where'
her lover had often traced the jr marriage tows In
large. whlU Isttera In-the ehanglug sands.
nalre's-fatherpald-llUle-heedjlQ. her ways or
wanderings. He was an Innocent-minded rustic,
like herself, and knew naught ofthe outer world
and Its qulcksaud;r...
The long Sunimer came and went and the Au
tumn moved slowly by, coloring the sunlit air
with gorgeous dyes that left their imprint on mi-
of many-tinted glories. Nothing was changeless
Except the ever-changing sea.
N0VeTntS?r WefrtTarid TKniheT wasaTrhost goiieT"
"He will tie here to marry me on New-Year's
Eve," said Claire, to her father, holding up his
parting gift, a ring with a ruby setting, and klss-ing-it
reverently.
' T1ie morning preceding the New Year dawned
ami Claire was In a flutter of delight
. "Pit wear tbeousseHne de tain with the mull
overdress, and look lust as I did when he saw me
first," she said, as she began to array herself for
the expected meeting. . T ,
She had forgotten the stain on the white mull
overdrew until she stood before the littler glass to
arrange a cluster of the well-remembered flowers
In the simple laces at her throat fuchsias that
she had cultivated for the purpose all the Autumn
through. She was nervous with excitement Iff
her haste the purple heart of a flower was crushed
between her fingers, leaving the stain upon her
hand.
"A letter for Claire," said a vlllsge maiden, who
had come over to assist at the simple nuptials.
Claire tore the envelope open, leaving an Im
print of the purple coloring of the flower on the
white paper,
The letter was from Augusta Stylish, and con
tained the wedding cards of herself and Alanson
Ifty I
Claire did not shriek or faint She busied her
self mechanically about her duties and kept her
own counsel.
There was an hour to spare before the expected
arrival of the groom and clergyman, aud -she
would take a walk, she said, as, enveloping her
form in a cloak and hoodshe wandered xiutalone. .
The Winter tides surged over the white sand
duues and lashed the beach In an agony of anger.'
nea guns sougnt reiuge among wie rocas irom an.
approaching storm, and a whlte-wlfiged schoor
tliat sometimes touched at the slimy little
stood well out to seaward, while all handsreefed
tier sails.
The day wore on.andT the rusiio ' neighbors
sought In vain for Claire. The jrfrht wind raared
like a monster maniac, but retreated to the iar-oML
mountains when the mornjng dawned. Then the
tide went out, and the watchers on the beach saw
a stranded figure, robd.ln red and white and
wrapped tnsea weedat rest upon the ocean's surf
beaten edge. 1 .
It was the body of Claire.
In one baud she still grasped the letter that had
brought her the news of which none but herself
ha1 JWfi aware, . J n the .other was , a crushed .
ruelisfa, embteMiatio of her own wounded heart, i
letter was clutched with a death erln. It
Stylish and make It all right with her;at4 1 Will
come to you as soon as my business is settled."
They drove to the bachelor, quarters of
T ft rei tnantf minima am flAswnlrAsvn lt
j sf viiuiuf p m uu ww u'iir u viuu txrvuja
where a mature woman Would not havegone for
her reputation's sake, If pure. 1 IcreaT marrlageijera on that-Nc Wt Yir's Day Id sublltmuwbn-
as removed untoru from the Icy fingers, and Its
mportr wheh deciphered, told the truth, and vet
not all the truth. , ,
MrAlansnnJjofty-fecelved her numermttrT-al
aelouihess of the. fact that concernlnir tlis nronJ
man whom she had thatmorninff wedded, her
country cousin," could she have spoken, would
nave truly exclaimed: , :y-
"Yesterday, before Clod, I was his wife ;v to-day, .
before the law, be is your husband ---
t
(
i
A
spend my days la the back woods ? -Why couldn't phant6m danced attehdance upon hit closed eye-
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