The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-11-20
Selected story.
The Sandal-Wood Basket.
BY AMY RANDOLPH.

al
a9ainst the old oss-enamelled tree trunk,
looked at her. secretly thinking that he had
never seen so fair little creature!
"What are you musing about so intenty?"
asked Metella suddenly glancing up, and de-
sisting from her dreamy occupation of tracing
the shape Of a fallen leaf on the moss at her
feet, with her parasol end. Midway colored
and smiled.
"Icannot tell you just now, Mettie"
"And why mott"
"Oh-because-"
"Becduse is woman's reason"
''And man too, sometimes. Oh, Mettie,
axe care! ....
For quick motion of her restless hand
catching in the vine stems beside her. broke
from the slender wrist little bracelet of
carved sandal-wood. The perfumed bits of
wood rolled all about, and close to Medway's
feet came the pendant, pair of tiny baskets
carved with oriental cunning.
Never mind" said Mette, carelessly, as he
stopped to gather the fragments; sit will nev-
er be good for anything again, and was
tired OF the old thing long ago. Please don't
trouble yourself Mr.. Medwayw
II will not, then. But Mettie, these fairy
baskets, they are too pretty to be thrown
away Come, let us be sentimental for once,
aud separate them from their tiny ring. You
shall wear one and the other, bond unit
ing our two hearts; and il am ever sick or
in trouble, will send the gage to you, silent
token thereOf!'
And il ever l send mine to you ?" laughed
Metella, attaching the toy to the watch-chain
at her throat. --
Il will come, obejient to its summons, if
seas wider than the Pacific mountains, lollier
than the Sierra Nevada, separated usu
Both spoke jestinely, yet an undercurrent
OF serious earnestness thrilled in their voices.
is 1t compact, Me:ela?'
Yes, it is a compactw
"And, now" said Ralph Midway, bending
over her, with ineXpressble tenderness in his
mien, Il will tell YOU What L was thinking
about Mettie, for
Dear mel hope haven't interrupted a
tete-a-tete."
IL was Mrs. Pyles voice, soft, silken, and
hollow, and Mrs. Pyle stood before them IN
her pretty widows cap, with its f1uttermg
streaners of white Grape, scarcely pmer than
her own waXen complexion!
"Shall L go away?" She hazarded, in charm
ing lndecison.
Go away! Certainly not" said Mettie,
vexed at the bushes whose billowy scarlet
she could feel creeping over her face, and
starting TO her feet. "Why, it is almost six!
and must get back to the hotel or mamma
will think l am lost"
She sprang lightly to her feet, and hurried
away through the long lines OF red sunset
light that made rosy ladder, streaming
through the tree trunks, while Mrs. Pyle
looked deprecatingly up into Medway's face
Il nave driven her away and yOu will new
er forgive me-"
pray do not feel so conscience-stricken
Mrs. Pyle" he laughed.
But she is so lovley, and it is so delightful
ly romantic out here. And l don't blame YOU
for admiring her. should admire her, ii L
were man. L don't wonder she is engaged
already, young as she is"
"Engagedw
"Yes didn't you know it? To her cousin. a
rich old bachelor i'll New York. Mettie Hayes
is just the girl who would prefer being AN
old mans darling to "a young mans slave
particularly if the matrimonial chains were
pretty well studded with jewels"
81 had not heard of it."
mo? Well, L suppose Mettie didn't want
the rumor to spoil the pleasure of her sum-
mer here. Dear little Mettie! she is a bit of
frt; and, after all, who can wonder?"
Honeyed words, undermining the happiness
OF two young lives-barbed, cruel common
places, carrying their sting straight home. If
Mrs. Pyle had been a man, Ralph Midway
would have knocked her down then and there;
but she was bewitching little widow, and he
felt vaguely as if he ought to be grateful for
the unpaatable dose that she held to his
lips. . &C.,
You'll give me your arm back to the hotel
though I'm not Mettie Hayes" she said art
lessly: For I've had long walk, and I'm so
tired"
Mr.. Midway promptly acceded. Mrs. PYLE
was very pretty, and very anxious to doff her
WIDOWS weeds IN favor of new orange bios
SONS, and consequently she improved the oc-
caslon to the best OF her abilities. But it was
OF no use. Mr.. Medway's heart might have
been labelled, like seat at the opera,
Taken" She had bli2hteI Metelas future,
but she had not in any way improved her own
prospects.
Ralph Midway sat up late that night. the
red Tip OF his cigar glowing through the dusk
OF the summer night, as he gazed out athwart
the star-sprlnkled gloom. So Mettie had been
deceiving and trIfing with him, making a
mere plaything ofhi heart. 1t was well he
mad found 1t out thus early in the game
When Metella came down to breakfast the
next morning, looking more like a mountain
daisy than ever, in her pi1k and white morn
ing wrapper, there was a vacant chair oppo-
site her Mr.. Midway had returned to New
York!
Mettie Hayes had a deal of pride in her
fragile organization, and no one ever knew
the sinking at her heart, the rain of tears
shed on her midnight pillow. Size suffered,
and made no sign! But she still wore the
trail basket of scented sandal-wood upon her
watch-chain. -.'.-.... ..'.
"Of course it don't mean anything now.n
she said to herself, but don't like to throw
1t away. He would not keep his, but then
men and women are constituted differently"
Ralph Meoway went back to New York
deter mined to forget the brown-haired blonde
whose dewy eyes had lighted up the shadows
OF the midsummer woods so enchantingIy:
but the slow-winged years crept by, and he
could not foreet!
Mrs. Paulina Pyle did not pretermit her
Efforts to become Mrs. Paulina somebody
else, and her Chief object of prey was Mr..
Midway.
Upon my word, unused Ralph one bright
October night, as he was walking home from
late sotree, IF I'm not pretty careful, the
RYE VIII marry me by man force. A man
might have worse wife than Paulina too. al
though she has some little peculiarites that
are unpleasant to me. How unlike she is to
Metela-dear little Metela! wonder what
has become of her!'
lnvoluntarily his hand sought the pendant
OF his watch chain, where tiny scented bas-
ket hung with key, seals, and all the other
appendices OF gentleman's watch-a tov
whose spicy oriental fragrance brought back
M .Ie woods, anu the red lines of sunset, and
Metella'S face, like half forgotten dream.
lie was standing on the steps next day
with swarm of little nephews and nieces
cllnglng demonstratively around him, when
sturdy old farmer, with face brown and rud-
ny as an autumn leaf, drove up to the door.
Uood morning. square," cried the coun-
tryman, in voice that was bluff and hearty
as a gale of wind in the pine forests.
"Good-morning, sir" returned our hero.
"Pve brought that there peck n'cheetnuis
the .,si15u, oTuered last week."
'Peck of chestnuts? ''
"Oh yes, Uncle Ralph p chimed in half n
dozen small voices, I'VE are to have a chest.
for Pens birthday. It's all
right" e3e-.t.--,. III
And accordingly the basket of brown
SHINING treasures was brought in, escorted bv |
a null procession of children, and transferred |
u pig wooden tray on the kitchen table. |
sort of way.
as the farmer poured the chestnuts out
WIN cheerful rafting sound. sometime
cicked against The side OF the tray that was
nelther prlckly burr, vanished leaf nor
brown cleaning nut. 'S"i' '0i
"Hallo! cried Mastor Penford the hero If
the birthday occasion. '' JUG nero vi
"Oh, uncleD squeaked little Peeov .;,,s
fairy's cup, so little and SO fragrant T5;'
"Fairy's fiddestlck!' cried Tom uI.a
cherry stone Lhat the squirrels have nihb,aG
the kernel out of~
Mr.. Midway took it in his hand. 1t was =
tiny basket carved from sandal-wood, The |
match to the toy hanging at his watch-chain! |
Melelas basket! Was it the summons they |
pau talked OF in that dreamy way, years and |
years ago?
He - A.