The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-01-06


behalf Of tt lazy fellow like me.
That would he fue housekeeping =
she cried, suaiching off the head.kerchef
aud hiding it in her pocket while she re.
gained possession Of the tabooed duster.
What made you come back Mr. Alden ?
You wcrc to be gone all day.'
To catch you iu the midst of your
Gins. Miss Cinderella he answered SOL.
emuy, wheeling a large chair into posi-
ton; and to iDhict righteous judgment
upon you by compelling you to sit still
for half an hour while show you these,
said he. unlocking portfolio of rare en-.
cravings.
Cindy's eyes sparkeled and her checks
flushed. Then she turned toward the
door. But the dinner. Mr.. Alden l.
Dinner be-dispensed vith,' he said.
j want nothing but bowl Of milk. Con.
fcsa, now \ ou did not think of dinner
till l Camel
She did not reply and she stood there.
with her hand en- the door-knob--a prot.
ty picture Of rresolution.
No dinner for me- he went ou Are
you fond OF pictures? What shall | show
you? Figure peces--landscapes2 What
do you like best 2
I-hardly kuow-shc faltered l
have seen SO fow. Show me your own
work, MIR. Alden; something you are do.
lug nov. l shall be sure to like that
He hesitated, glanced at her curiously,
half.laughed, and then laid his hand on
tho cloth thrown over an easel near the
wiadow.
Did you lift this 2 he asked. Did
you look at this picture?'
'Oh, no, no she cried, coloring.' How
can you ask it, Mr.. Alden? Indeed
have looked at nothing that you did moi
leave in plain sight
His own face flushed.
This is no Blue Boards closet. Miss
Cindy. should not have killed you il
you had looked. But. to make amend.
for my impudent question, | have half d
mind to let you see this-even at the risk
of your displeasure. Look there =
1t was quaint old kitchen dim, ,shad
owy, lighted only by the embers On the
hearth. Leaning against the stone jamt
Of the great Fireplace. with weary look
upon her young face, and her hand.
claspcd despondingly stood an unmistak
able Cinderella.
Cindy took in nothing at first but 0
general idea of the power and pathos Of
the picture, holding her breath for very
delight, while Mr.. Alden watched hel
eagerly. Her eye wandered over the
canvas, grasping detail after detail, unit
at length, as if saving the best wine fol
the last, it settled upon the dropping zig
ure in the corner. For a moment she
gazed silently; then she uttered fain
exclamation, while the red blood fed from
her checks, and she burst into tears
Cindcrella's face was her own.
Forgive me ; oh, forgive me . cried
Mr. Alden, as he saw her agitation. i
could not help it The Dame-and-
everything! Iudeed, indeed. | did no,
mean to wonnd vor RI, tho iden hS.
it oft. Tell me you are not hurt-not
angry, Miss Cindy See ! will tear the
picture in shred., if you say so =
No, DO " she cried, putting out hcl
hand to stop him. Leave it as it is.
do not care-I do not mind. But, Mr.
Alden | shall fad my godmother som,
time-or | shall make one for myself
and before he could detain her she hat
gone.
The next afternoon brought heavy
mail to Mr. Alden. and after tea he
strolled down to the bottom Of the gar
den, where there was a rustic summer
house with table and chair or two, Il
look over the new monthlies. Present.,
Laura followed him, with her portfolio
Il don't expect you want to see me ont
bit.' she said. throwing back her loul
curls with pretty. childlike toss. No
now, when you've just got news frou
home, and everything. But I've come
nevertheless. do SO waut you 20 tel
ne what is the trouble with this sketch
| can't get it to suit me. oh. Mr. Al
don = aud she laid her white hand upol
his arm, appesliu2ly, what shall | d.
when you 20 away, and | have no one t
help me You have added so much t
my liie!'
He made 10 reply-uDgallant fello'
that he was--as he took the little sketch
OF desigc, from her hand, and glanced a
it carelessly. But in a moment he los
his lisiless air, pushed back the hair froI
hii forehead. laid the bit Of drawing
paper on the table before him and ex
anined it carefully
This design il remarkable for tn
work of beginner, Miss Laura he sal
at length. You have such way of get
ting at the hear, of things. What di
you mean by this ? Put your thought i
words
lie was surprised-puzzled. No ma
could be blind 10 Laura's beauty he ha
enjoyed it, as he enjoyed a ,ovely picture
But he had soon discovered, or though
he had, that with all her little gushes G
sentiment, her artless candor, she had n
more soul than the Venus dc Medic
Yet now for more than month, she ha
brought to him, day after day, design
and sketches that betrayed power @
thought, depth of feeling and insight
pure womaniness beyond his compre
hension. The execution was often yer
iaulty-but the power was there undenia
bly,. You meant something by this h
went on, as she did not speak. 'Yo
we're not simply making a picture,
think read your thought. But tell m
what it was.
Just then step sounded on the grav,
t walk without Laura hastily gathere
| up her papers but before she coul
reach the one MIR. Alden was examiniu,
, a sudden gust Of wind caught it, an
t sweeping it outside the door, dropped
at Cindy's feet
That is mine Do not touch it " erie