Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-04-03

ready; see it in his eyes" she said, laugh
ing.
1.-THE fan broke in Stuart's angry hand.
II beg pardon" he said will replace it.
Il"
But with little saucy gesture his petite tor
mentor was gone. #a
Arnold said but little, for he felt moody that
evening, and whatever he did say was met by
little saucy fash from his partner that
seemed to quench every effort at playing the
agreeable. So he left her with little hand
shake at parting. @
She was to go the sext day, and Stuart was
pr0fuse in his compliments; and so, smiling
and flashing her great eyes, the title Cinder-
ella moved up stairs.
A little later, pale, gloomy woman, with
great, black hollows under her cleaning,
shadowy eyes, rose up from her long reverie,
and lit the gas once more to take last look
at a pale, bitter, hard face. And so she fell
asleep.
The next night she spent in the shabby lit
tie house round the corner. Her mother lay
doing on the sofa. She had missed her
daughter sorely, but would not say SO for
worlds. The old yellow cat blinked soberly
at the fire, and Milly sat at the piano, with its
| jingling, yellow keys, played few brilliant
mazoukas and polkas, and then began to sing.
She began the sweet, sad air from the Bohe-
she sang she tried to fancy herself at the
magnificent Steinway in the house round the
corner. She had sung it to the two artists
one night in the dark, and Stuart had gone
into well-bred raptures, and had declared her
voice heavenly" and the "song a GEM
Lewis had simply said: .s1es
''MIiss Milly, the tears have not been in my
eyes before since my mother died."
The song died away. Milly knelt down by
her mothers side and laid her cheek on her
mothers
Mother, I'm tired of being girl, and old
enough to know how ugly am and how peo-
pie notice it. Oh! mother, mother!'s and
Millie sobbed and cried, and her mother kiss
ed and pitied her as only mothers can pity.
the little parlor.
Milly came in, flushed and glowing from
her wintry walk, and her eyes flashed beneath
her fur caps coquettish hrim, but she only
said.
Good morning, Mr.. Stuart"
They talked on commonplace matters a
while; then Stuart rose suddenly, sank on
one knee theatrically, Che had practiced an
hour before looking glass; clasped his hands
imploringly, and murmured melo-dramati-
cally:
", hhiy IL YOU Will Uut let NE DdSk III
the sunshine of your smile,-if you will on
y-O! Milly, if you only will-that isl
mean"
MAY Heaven send the ugly duckling
prove as beautiful a swan as her sister,"
And Millie coolly walked out of the room,
leaving the crestfalen suitor to depart at his
ease.
But she left the house with all alacrity that
afternoon, as Lewis Arnold had invited her to
come and see his studio.
She found herself in sunny little room,
where Arnold waited for her as Solomon wait
ed for the Queen of Sheba.
He showed her all his pictures, sweet faced
Madonnas, golden-winged Cupids, landscapes,
moonlit abbeys, all the tangible grouping Of
his ideaS, and then Milly was turning to go,
when her eye caught little picture, turned
face to the wall.
Ere Arnold could intercept her, she turned
it over and beheld face with great, laugh
ing eyes and lips parted as if to speak, and
below, the words, my first love-"
A glance assured her that it was herself,
and, burning with bushes, she covered her
face with her hands.
emily, you have unearthed my secret"
said Arnold, sadly. 81 was resolved not to
tell you how dearly, how truly, loved you,
till l could have home for US both. But if
darling"
''If darling Lewis, with his noble, gener-
GUS nature, will burden himself with an ugly
duckling," laughed Milly, through her happy
tears.
He stopped, and kissed her tenderly.