The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-07-18
A Story with Two Ends.

.siO0I [ceNcLUDED.1

Poor Con-" said Madeleine, 'rous-
ing a little, and blushing under the
child's scrutiny; "how stupid we all
are, ar'n't we? Il should 500 have
gone totsleep if you had not come in.
[ think it must be the tea; that and
the fire combined How are you 60
ing to amuse Mr.. Stevens while / am
dressingfor dinner?"' hr6 llfa
II shall show him things" said Con-
ny, promptly And Madeleine left me
to amusement. --ss,s e.
Now for the story" said, drawing
COMFY, two puzzles, and a toy pump
up to a ! place on my knee and strok1
ing her curls.. What q it to be about?
| can tell you a story about anything
you like declared rashly; and Con-
ny instantly put me to open shame.
Then tell me-" she said. holding
on by her pump, and settling herself
into a position of perfect ease, with a
delighted consciousness that it would
be beyond my powers, tell me the
story Madeleine tells me the nights
you don't come here"
Twas completely taken back. Some
story of Medicines? Madeleine,
whose brilliant imagination could keep
COMFY quiet for an hour together?
You would never guess, l see" said
COMFY, what it is; and if you don't
Shall [ tell it to you instead? know
it now as well as Madeleine, L think"
You have heard it very often,
then?"
Very often" assented COMFY;
every night when you don't come
here, Madeleine comes and sits in that
low chair and takes me on her lap.
She turns up her pretty gray silk, you
know, for fear [ should crease it, and
/ sit or her petticoat, and she tells me
the same story"
always the same one?"
Always the same" said COMFY,
shaking her curls; but [ don't get
tired, it's SO pretty, and the end is
different sometimes"
"The end is different. Couny?"
There are two ends!" said Conny,
explaining; one is very pretty indeed.
Madeleine likes that best. | think
she tells it oftenest, but sometimes she
tells the other end, and then she is so
quiet and grave, and once when |
kissed her, her face was all wet"
I'm afraid it will be too sad, Con-
ny; [ think I'll hear the other end
first. Begin. please" :;
We'll don't wriggle," said COMFY,
evidently beginning from the usual
starting-point, and the story was COM
menced. A
"Once upon a time," said Conny,
there was a young lady who had two
lovers, n very good, and one very
bad. They were both very fond of
her, and very polite" (Conny's no.
ton of love-making was politeness
carried to the extreme limit And
she liked them both, one in her heart.
and one in her manner"
Here COMFY gave a little gasp. DC
you like it?' she asked.
Excessively | assured her; s"bu.
| don't understand. COMFY, and one
in her manner That was rather odd
wasn't it?"
Isl thought 50, said COMFY. doubt.
fully, but Madeleine said, No, it of
ten happened And | suppose she
knows"
Probably, I agreed and the story
went on.
The good one, the one she liked in
her heart, you know, had to go away
for a long time, where he couidn'tset
her at all. And while he was gone
the bad one camein and brought hel
books-story books, [ suppose-anc
gave her a paint box, and a dog with
a collar, and went out for rides will
her, aud took her at night to hel
music. Very polite, wasn'tit?" Con
by looked up in my face, and didn'
understand the expression she saw
there, You don't like it." she said
II shall leave off, 1g3alE DlIa s.
II do like it, COMFY; it's my bacl
makes me look so. Go on, dear.
want to hear the end. What did til,
young lady do? Take the things b.
brought he? Enjoy the rides and tn,
music? Throw the absent one over?'
Il don't understand you,j said Con
ny, in her most sensible manner
How could she throw him owe
when he was away; and what sfi6iflt
she throw him over? Very silly!'
Having expressed her opiaion, Conn,
went quickly on. that She might no
be blamed for shaxing given it.
WE'LL He talked and talked. 9TH,
bad one did, and said such nice
things, that sometimes he didn't seen
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