Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-24

q re Of those chaotic sentences Perhaps some
OF thsm I'D reached her compan' on, for he
glanced With an amused smile after her through
ths open door, ana q pair OF big wistfdl eyes
looked LOOK into So ms Just Ter one second; then the
course 1t was he-and looked about him in be-
whuerment. The amused smile gave place to
"Who was that within?'' he cried 70 his fair
companian, when she came back 10 him.
"Only mamma" she rel piled.
"There was somebody else, )" he said. "Those
eyes never belonged to your mother!"
Whereupon the young lady became coldly
reticeRt, and resisted all further entreaty.
Aieck, signing heavily, babe her good morn
ing.
whist fool AM" he murmured, as be took
the reiIs from the bands of his groom, "sl9ays
looking for the needle in the hay-stsck. The
eyes weren't like Maddle's, after all; too hollow
and sa6;' ard casting his own upon the side
walk, he saw figure emerge from = side door
OF the house be bad left. The face wss yelled :,
bet the for m was plant ard graceful, and the
walk was Ike-yes, certainly like Maddie's.
He drew up his horses for a moment, stared
wildly after the recediug figure; saw 1t get into
stage and vanish; then cursed bis stupidity
'sBut CAN'T" growled Aleck. crush up to
every woman meet, and tear the veil from her
face. j can't break through doors in strange
houses TO look after familiar eyes. What in the
name of Heaven am TO do?''
At supper that night Madeline told her
mamma that she had seen that day the Grand
mand.
ale isn't so very bad looking, mamma He
wears bis hair long, and his eyes are eager
enough TO dart through a deal plank. He
watched me TIL got into a stage to get rid of
him"
"was he insolent?" said Mrs. Douglass,
'.No, no. said Madeline; 'ouly think he
Il Hught he had seen nae before"
Ter checks Rluwed with the Old vermilion;
hen eyes shone with the old splendor, and she
M
BIT she was called no more to assist in the
toilet for the bail, nor did she get one other
often nd IN various ways. At last, when the
season 1as at its close, she learned that the mat
rImonial prize had escaped the grasp of ali
those eager competitors, and was about to sail
to Brazil to look after his estates
The one bit of news consoled her for the
other. She would rather hear of his going to
Brazil than getting married. There was some
thing in the latter probability unbearably Bit
ter; and es to the other, Ii was better, perhaps
that he should be lest to her sight aud hearing,
for the mere mention of his name had become
matter of nervous anxiety to her OF late.
The fact was Aleck had really taken passage
in the big steamer that was rapidly iading for
the voyage South. He had grown so tired Of
looking at handsome faces and following grace
full forms, only to be disappointed and baff1ed
to the verge of madness, that only that night
he declared to a friend, with whom he was
walking TO his hotel, that not even Venus her
self could tempt him further, when suddenly a
little dog snapped the chain that bound him to
blind man, and rushed upon Aleck, sdueali
and whining, every stubborn hair on end with
"Wby, it is Venus herself" cried Aleck,
catching her in his arms, and gazing with de-
hcious ecstacy upon the broken chain that lu
vague but tempting way led straight to Made
line.
His friend, having no experience with the
canine race, end deadly horror of hydropho-
a cordial gO0d-by TO Aleek.
"We'll meet at the hotel at dinner p he sd-
ded.
But Aleck did not dine at the hotel that even
ing. Finding that Venus, after the first greet
ing, would not remain in his arms, but strug-
gled to the pavement again, and, uttering a
short, sharp cry, started off on a trot, Aleck
followed her as best be could through high ways
and byways, under the poles OF carts and the
noses of horses. At last she turned down a
diDgy street, and ran straight along till she
reached little rickety story building, u
the rotten stairs of which she clambered, and
scratched twice with her paw at the closed door
"God be praised, )" cried the voice of the Pro-
lessor within; SIT is Venus!" and a clatter OF
joyous feet fastened TO the door.
Aleck fell back and gasped for breath as it
opened and young woman stopped upon the
threshold 10 csress the dog. She was in the full
light of dusty sunbeam that struggled through
the easement. She was worn, she was wasted;
all the brilliancy and glow of her old beauty
were gone; but Oh! oh! oh! she was MadeHne
Finding big form looming over her, she
lojked mp and saw Aieck, with the old yearning
blue pallOr spread over her lace; she clutChed
the landing for support.
MAMMA" said she, "here is Aleck Shane.
/ think I'm going to faint"
Then Alexis tongue was lo0sened. He got
down on his knees in the dingy corridor, aud
held out to Madeline his trembling hands.
''Don't faint, Maddiel" he said; don't, for
Gods sake, do anything as cruel as that, when
I've just found you, after thinking the earth had
opened and swallowed you all, and the fortune
my uncle left me would be of no use, after all,
TO any OF us. For warn you if we don't go
down there ana take care of it straightway,
it'll disappear like the snow lakes yonder. The
India rubber III melt, the herds gallop Off, the
diamonds hide in the wool OF the seekers, the
stocks go down to zero, and I'll be the poor
devil again You used TO despise!"
"Despise' echoed Madeline, tears OF joy, OF
humanity, OF gratitude, of love, falling on his
outstTetched hands. Aleck kissed them away
with rapture, and looked up at white, wonder
stricken face bending over them both.
I'll You'll let me take supper with yeu to-
night, Mrs. D., - he said, "it'il help me to be-
cut my throat If swoke and found all this
dream"
Then he turned to the Professor.
"COuId you find it in your heart, sir, }" he said
touching reverently the Professors hand, "to
60 with me to Brazil? AS God is my judge,
believe that your advice and presence there will
save NE from ruin. 1t is plain to be seen, sir,
That the dog was sent to me-"
"Yes, yes" said the Professor, "by a higher
power"
TWAS more frugal meal than ever again was
set before them, but don't remember hap
pier one.
rug, wears an immense diamond on her stubby
tail, and fares sumptuously every day; but
stretched that night on some straw In the
corner, she tasted the felicity that is given
sometimes to the humblest agent OF God
Harper's Magazine.