Aunt Janes Nieces in Society | Page 8

see more of you, my dear, and I
predict we shall get along famously together."
The girl's head swam. Help Miss Von Taer to receive! Such an honor
had been undreamed of an hour ago. But she held her natural agitation
under good control and only a round red spot Upon each cheek
betrayed her inward excitement as she prettily accepted the invitation.
Beneath their drooping lashes Diana's sagacious eyes read the thoughts
of the girl quite accurately. Miss Von Taer enjoyed disconcerting
anyone in any way, and Louise was so simple and unsophisticated that
she promised to afford considerable amusement in the future.
By the time Diana had finished her brief call this singular creature had
taken the measure of Louise Merrick in every detail, including her
assumption of lightness and her various frivolities. She understood that
in the girl were capabilities for good or for evil, as she might be led by

a stronger will. And, musingly, Diana wondered who would lead her.
As for Louise, she was enraptured by her distinguished visitor's
condescension and patronage, and her heart bounded at the thought of
being admitted to the envied social coterie in which Diana Von Taer
shone a bright, particular star.
The second name in the list of John Merrick's nieces was that of
Elizabeth De Graf. She lived at a good private hotel located in an
exclusive residence district.
It was true that Elizabeth--or "Beth," as she was more familiarly
called--was not a permanent guest at this hotel. When in New York she
was accustomed to live with one or the other of her cousins, who
welcomed her eagerly. But just now her mother had journeyed from the
old Ohio home to visit Beth, and the girl had no intention of inflicting
her parent upon the other girls. Therefore she had taken rooms at the
hotel temporarily, and the plan suited her mother excellently. For one
thing, Mrs. De Graf could go home and tell her Cloverton gossips that
she had stopped at the most "fashionable" hotel in New York; a second
point was that she loved to feast with epicurean avidity upon the
products of a clever chef, being one of those women who live to eat,
rather than eat to live.
Mrs. De Graf was John Merrick's only surviving sister, but she differed
as widely from the simple, kindly man in disposition as did her
ingenious daughter from her in mental attainments. The father,
Professor De Graf, was supposed to be a "musical genius." Before Beth
came into her money, through Uncle John, the Professor taught the
piano and singing; now, however, the daughter allowed her parents a
liberal income, and the self-engrossed musician devoted himself to
composing oratorios and concertas which no one but himself would
ever play. To be quite frank, the girl cared little for her gross and
selfish parents, and they in turn cared little for her beyond the value she
afforded them in the way of dollars and cents. So she had not lived at
home, where constant quarrels and bickerings nearly drove her frantic,
since Uncle John had adopted her. In catering to this present whim of
her mother, who longed to spend a few luxurious weeks in New York,

Beth sacrificed more than might be imagined by one unacquainted with
her sad family history.
Whimsical Major Doyle often called Uncle John's nieces "the Three
Graces"; but Beth was by odds the beauty of them all. Splendid brown
eyes, added to an exquisite complexion, almost faultless features and a
superb carriage, rendered this fair young girl distinguished in any
throng. Fortunately she was as yet quite unspoiled, being saved from
vanity by a morbid consciousness of her inborn failings and a sincere
loathing for the moral weakness that prevented her from correcting
those faults. Judging Beth by the common standard of girls of her age,
both failings and faults were more imaginary than real; yet it was her
characteristic to suspect and despise in herself such weaknesses as
others would condone, or at least regard leniently. For here was a girl
true and staunch, incapable of intrigue or deceit, frank and outspoken,
all these qualities having been proven more than once. Everyone loved
Beth De Graf save herself, and at this stage of her development the
influence of her cousins and of Uncle John had conspired to make the
supersensitive girl more tolerant of herself and less morbid than
formerly.
I think Beth knew of Diana Von Taer, for the latter's portrait frequently
graced the society columns of the New York press and at times the
three nieces, in confidential mood, would canvass Diana and her social
exploits as they did the acts of other famous semi-public personages.
But the girl had never dreamed of meeting such a celebrity, and Miss