The Republican journal., 1873-03-20

friends usually smooth brow, and a care
worn look in the clear brown ewes that
made her uneasy.
AS the days passed, and nothing did
turn up, the poor child's anxiety by no
means diminished; but. true TO her ma
ture, she went bravely on, concealing the
care that Wore upon her. lest the happi-
ness OF the family who were 80 kind 10
her should be disturbed
''What Il dear, industrious little girl
Miss Brand is !" remarked Mrs. Fletcher
one day to her daughter.
''lt is q perfect shame she is obliged to
work and slave 50" replied the latter in
dignantly. "She is always doing some
thing for her mother, and never complain
ing OF her own troubles. | wish she
would marry some rich man"
''She would make a capital wife for
Tom remarked Mrs. Fletcher, thought
fully
tom y exclaimed Madeline, contempt
uously. "He will never marry any girl
unless she offers herself to him Ellie is
a thousand times too good for him.
Foi all the protest, Miss Maddy had her
own secret hopes of the meeting between
her friend and her cousin, of whom
though she constantly quaweled with
him, she was very fond and very proud
"What on earth shall do, Ellie ?' said
Madeline, breaking into her friends room
in the afternoon, just as she had com
mehced a letter to her mother; ''my sash
does not match my trimming by at least
three shades. 1t viii Just do in the day
light. but it is hideous by gaslight."
Glow could you have made such a
mistake ?' asked Ellie sympathetcally
Il am sure | don't know answered
| Miss Fletcher THE truth is. GEORGE
Archer was talking to me. and | did not
give my mind to it. The only way is to
buy another, but every one is busy, and
can't 60 myself. Just look at my hair y
| MaddY's hair would indeed have been
| spectacle of horror on the public streets,
being a con@lomeraton OF crimping pins
and minute braids destined to flow forth
in ripping, shining mass n few hours
later, but now presenting Il truly hriStlino
and formidable surface.
''Let me 90 for YOU" said Ellie, quietly
putting aside her writing materials
g But your letter." family objected
Maddy.
"Can wait Just as well until tomorrow, e"
replied her friend, always ready TO help
those in need of assistance ''ResideS,
my dear, | should really like to call for my
picture, to-day, and there are one or two
more little things which can buy Just as
well while ! am out"
You dear girl. what n comfort you
are " said Madeline, kissing her CRATE
fully. You take a load off my mind -
and so with innumerabe directions, which
| increased to quite 4 considerable length
her list of commissions, Ellie issued into
the already darkening streets. She was
still child enough, and as she would have
added, ga country girl" to thoroughly
enjoy the shop windows; and at last her
various errandS being accomplished. She
paused to gaze in at one which was filled
with lovely hot-house flowers and floral
decorations, in the midst Of which little
fountain gracefully rose and fell, spark
ling in brilliant gaslight.
''And to think that this perishin@ love
illness would pay one whole months rent
for us ~ she thought bitterly and us the
reflection stm9 her. she turned away and
moved hastily homcward But as she did
so. she came violently in contact with a
young lady who hurryng in the OPP
posite direction, and they both suffered nm
ignominiouS fall. Mutual apologies fol
lowed, and amid the smothered amuso-
ment of the passcrs-bv, Elllc's dspel sed
parcels were collected, restored 10 her,
and she once more started at a moderate
pace. The incident. however, had served
| to turn her meditations into more cheer
ful strain, and she fastened back with
merriment for the time uppermost.
1t so happened that while Ellie stood
gazing in at the florists window, Mr.. Tom
Fletcher stood on the florists doorsteps
| gazing at her. Now, don't imagine that
it was at all Il case of love at first sight.
On the contrary, he could not see the
young lady's face; and if he Thought of
her at all. it was only to wonder ''whv
| girls should make guys of themselves
with those shapeless waterprooiSr No,
| the truth is that he gazed at her abstract
| edly while he was making up his mind
| whether to 90 to his aunt's house At once
or wait until evening. He had Just been
| buying a bouquet for his cousin, and a
| box of choice flowers bearing the simple
| inscription, ''Nalentine,n which latter Of
| fering was designed for u Young lady with
whom he had been on llirting terms for
the last two years or so. He stood with
his purchases in his hand debating the i'm
portant question. He had Just come To
The decision to defer his visit until eve
! ming, when he witnessed the above de-
scribed collision, and rushed to the as
sistance Of the distressed fair ones and he
was one of the amused but polite hyStan1-
ers who, collecting poor Ellie's scattered
bundles, sent her rejoicing on her way,
while he sauntered slowly home to his
hotel. Arriving at his room, he turned ND
the gas and proceeded to examine his of
ferings, while awal'ing the arrival Of the
messenger to whom he proposed to en-
trust them.
"Dear little Maddy." he soliloquized:
81 quite long to hear her pert speeches
again. She is worth all the other Girls OF
my acquaintance. And now for my vnlen-
tine" he continued. untying the box. III
these don't soften Miss Julia's obdurate
heart" Here he removed the cover. and
a long whistle of astOnshment interrupt
ed the current of his thoughts. Instead
of creamy roses, sweet-scented vinlets
starry jesSamlnes, state y cameliaS and
vivid carnations, which he had seen de
posted in n soft bed OF moist cotton. oniy
an hour before, there looked learleSslV up
at him the fresh, sweet face OF a Young
girl. with sunny hair waving over Il broad,
white forehead, and brown eyes, in which
dwelt innocence and love, all set forth in
the soft tints of a photograph on porce-
lain. Ellie's face looked a revelation of
truth and beauty to the young man some
what Wearied of the conventional typc
seen among the so-called '.socety Girls"
'Have we n magician among us 80 re-
marked Tom Fletcher to himself after
vainly rackng his brain to account for
the astonishing transformation of a box OF
hOt-hOuse flowers into the picture of Il
pretty young girl "By ,Jove. | have il !"
he exclaimed aloud at last. GLOW those
two girls did 90 down, to be sure Well, |
think have certainly made something by
the transaction, but Miss Julia must 60
without her valentines" and he rose to
prepare himself for evening, not by any
means forgetting the picture, which he
placed in convenient position for refer
ence on his dressing table
Meantime, CONSERVATION pervaded the
hearts of the two girls. Fifty times did
they wonder rs to the how, when and
where of the mysterious transformation
and when at last those points were settled