The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-27
MISCELLANY.
MINA'S PERIL.

seventeenth anniversary of my birthday.
and Pauline and l had been sitting SO
long over our embroidery in the old oak
room that we had exhausted every topic
of conversation save one-that one which
was the subject ever nearest my heart,
but which..was something to sacred too be
branded on the Tipping lips Of Pauline
d'Esterre, my ex'governess.
But silence did not suit my companion.
After a pause of few minutes, she laid
down her work, making the most of q
deep yawn, and then pointing, to the pier
glass opposite, she remarked: e
''What q fine contrast you and + make,
Nina! Look-no man would admire
both of us, we are SO totally different.
She spoke English with perfect &C.
cent, having been born and educated in
England; but she inherited from her
parents the French vivacity and marve-
lous taste in dress. AS she sat there,
with her dainty laces and bows and fur
bellows, she looked every inch French.
woman.
She made true remark-we were to-
tally different; for, while she was short
and round, was tall and slight; she was
dark As night, with handsome black eyes;
I was b1ue.eyed and fair.haired.
III had one single point Of beauty it
waa my hair-sand / was really proud Of
that. ] delighted in the pale yellow
waves which fell ,uncon6ned below my
waist, and persisted in wearing my hair
in that fashion, in spite of Pauline's sug-
gestion that should never get . lover
while looked so "babyish."
mo one could look distingue," was her
opinion, with her hair Tying about in all
directions and she would stroke her
own elaborate plaits and coils with com
placency.
I had given one look in the glass, at
her request, ard was turning away with
a smile but she caught my hand and de-
tanned ME.
"Now which is Cousin Hugh's tastei''
ing ring in it.
in spite Of myself my face flushed, and
l wrenched my hand away in annoyance.
This was the one subject upon which I
could not talk or jest with Pauline. !
had never loved or respected
her; but the light hand with which she
had held the reins of gvernment had rec
onciled me to her constant companship.
At this moment I>felt that positively
disliked her.
With touch of her OWE sarcasm. l
replied. cit is absurd to compare girl
of seventeen with woman Of twenty.
eight" and turned away with scornful
lip and burning cheeks.
1t was an ugly spiteful speech, know,
and the next moment l was heartily
ashamed Of it.
"Forgive me, mademoiselle," pleaded
venturing to lay my hand in hers but
ought to have known that I had commit
ted an objectionable ohense. Pauline
would forgive any impertinence, but nc
modification Of her personal vanity and
on the tender subject Of her age she
was particularly sensitive.
She pushed me angrily from her, and
lounced from her seat, and out of thu
room, with such violence that my I'M
fortunate work-basket was caught in til
vhirl of her silk skirts and dragged t
: the ground. This, and the catching O.
the Aforesaid skirts in the door, rather
marred the dignity of her exit; but the
face she turned on me as she disappear
ed might have been that of an injured
queen:
stopped to pick up the reels ant
scissors. and then walking to the window
and fattening my nose against one o
the rain-dimmed panes, began to thinl