The Argosy — page 377: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Beatrix. 357 sang indiscriminately with all her admirers. I have seen her myself, at a garden-party given by my Lady Stanbury, bestow the half of a pretty piece of forget-me-not on young Warburton, with a slyly worded promise to reserve the other half as sacred to herself for evermore ; and scarcely fifteen minutes afterwards I beheld, to my utter astonishment, being old- fashioned and holding ancient opinions upon certain subjects, that very selfsame treasured flower adorning the coat of George Weston of the Grange. I remember trying to feel angry with her upon that occasion, and failing miserably, the child having a way of her own that was perfectly irresistible. She was gay, fanciful, mischievous, which, of course, was the very reason that Curzon, being an extremely sweet-tempered, well-bred, indolent young man, fell head over ears in love with her. This he did with his eyes open, of his own free will, as Beatrix gave him no encouragement whatever to break his troth, being thoroughly aware of his engagement to Felicia Rawdon. Miss Dorothy Falkland was tall, slender, aristocratic, and had attained her sixtieth year. She prided herself on her birth, her exquisite hands and feet, and her unapproachable French fowl. She had eyes of the sweetest, darkest grey, with magnificent soft white hair, a kindly, well- bred old face, and a carriage that would have sent any posture-master into feelings of delight. Such was Miss Dorothy Falkland ; and a more attractive old lady it would have been impossible to meet with. The Stainer Tableaux were a very great success, everybody being charmed with the novelty of the arrangements. Even old Lady Stan- bury, who was generally acknowledged to be the most uncompromising of sneerers and scandalmongers—in fact a modern female Thersites— an Egyptian mummy at all the feasts in the neighbourhood—was pleased on this occasion to compliment Lady Stainer openly on the extreme beauty both of the performers and their dresses, until Mrs. Blount of the Hall, who was within hearing, was ready to die of envy—which, perhaps, was the very reason why her ladyship did it. The theatricals were succeeded by a ball, and all the performers had rooms assigned them at Stainers, where they retired, once their parts were ended for the night, to array themselves in modern evening cos- tume for the remainder of the entertainment. Miss Falkland having dressed herself to her own entire satisfaction, with the help of Lady - Stainer’s maid, in black silk, floating tulle, and scarlet flowers, went into Felicia’s bed-room, where she found that young lady alone, very busily employed endeavouring to darken her eyebrows with the help of a little cosmetique. Seeing Trixie she murmured “ Oh,” and then went calmly on with her occupation. ‘What in the world are you doing ?” inquired Beatrix, standing on tip-toe, and staring curiously over her companion’s white shoulder into the looking-glass. COMIC OOOKS. EO mn Aa