The Duvenger Curse.

" Do tell me whether or not I am drearnin < v , " she said ; " I don't feel as though I were Isabel Duvenger . " " I should think you would feel you had all the more right to the name now , " s-vkl Ni . " How does it happen that

. p vou , a distant relative of the family , have never been here before 1 " " Because this branch of the family has been quiet and exclusive , " answered Isabel . " They have never intermarried with Americans until the present generation ,

while our branch has become so thoroughly Americanized that there is very little of the French left . " " Except in your hair and eyes , " said Nip . " "What is the legend of the house 1 " " Oh , I'll tell you that to-night , " replied Isabel . "It is ghostly , and will have all the better effect when there is darkness

around . ' "Aren't you afraid it is going to be pokey here ? " said Nip , whirling around on tip-toe . '' No , there is such a fund of romance in the place , " said I . " Blons . and BIme . Duvenger are my ideals of stately old

French people ; how beautiful white hair is with black eyes ! I wish it would be generally the fashion to powder one ' s hair . " " I suppose BIme . LeFevre is the sister Josie calls Adrienue , " said Nip . " I don't like her—she is artificial . It was a treat

to see BIr . Fairfax , he is so American . All this time she was pirouetting around , or climbing upon chairs and tables , peering into closets and hunting up new oddities . Such a little airy creature . * ' A mixture of fire and dew , " one of her lovers had said . Wellit was no wonder Louis

Du-, venger had fallen in love with the sapphire blue of her eyes , and the shimmering gold of her hair . We girls had fallen in love with her at school for all she was the worst mischief there , and it was among us that the name " Narcissa" bad been

contradicted into " Nip , " a name so suited to her that even out of school and iu society she remained "Nip" Crawford . As for Isabel Duvenger , no one would have thought of giving her a nickname . She was simply magnificent , —a tall , perfectly rounded figure , with slow sumptuous motions , a complexion dazzlingly white , great almond shaped black eyes , and a

wealth of dead black hair . There are some women whom Nature seems to select for her most lavish g ifts . Somehow , lying there , I began to think what if Nip were to affect Isabel ' s slow stately air , or Isabel should take to pirouetting or climbing with Ni's firefly motionsuntil the idea

p , grew so ridiculous that I laughed outright . " What is the matter with you 1 " asked Nip , who was standing on the window sill looking out ; " how can you lie there . I want to see everything . That building T

suppose is the Convent ; the whole town is Catholic . " She sprang cbwii to the floor . " I am going to dress , " she said . " Girls , what will you wear 1 Put on some colour , Isabel . " "I can ' t , " said Isabel . "I shouldn't feel like myself in anything but black or white , unless it might , be some wonderful

mixture of gorgeous colours that would astonish every one . " " Just like you ! But here I go ; I haven ' t unpacked my trunk yet . " And Nip danced into her own room , Isabel lided into herswhile I arose and prepared

g , to dress . I had just finished my toilette ,, and was turning round and round before the cheval-glass , when Josie knocked and the girls came back ; and we four sat and talked as we used to do in the old school days when we were always spoken of as

the " Intimate Quartette . '' It was not until evening that we met the rest of the family ; Mr . James Fairfax , very like his brother , tall , with fine grey eyes , otherwise not handsome , and BIme . Dupont , the eldest sister . I was a little startled at the

face turned toward me , such a haggard one , with great black circles around the eyes . She acknowledged the introduction with a slight nod and left the room .

"Don't mind Artemise , '' whispered Josie ; " she is peculiar . " The evening passed pleasantly . Mine . Duvenger ' s wit must have been as fresh and keen as it was years ago , in the gay Parisian circles she was so fond of

mentioning . Blons . Duvenger was courtly and elegant . Our spirits were all so light that first evening that what with music and conversation the hour for retiring came before we were aware of it . " Girls , I'm afraid , " said Nip , when we were safely in our rooms .