The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-12-08
"A lFor the Cineinnatl Star. -.
MY MiNpoW ROMANCE.
nv DARD BEST.

On08, that Is. Inc same 'fag-DnX, sent
another bundle, though, and in 1t q sum-
mer coat to be mended. You don't mind
my telling You these trifss. ! thought
they'd amuse you, you see. Well from
THAT coat pocket there dropped Il photo
Igraph OF On, such lovely, lovely lady,
and0
"It does amuse me-" said /, hastily ins
terrupting, with visions OF jacks sister
Madge, and my fourth cousin, Beatrios,
aud even Lady Di whose several photO-
graphs wele In my possession) came
] tro0ping UP like so many pretty teasing
ghosts. "Let me see the doublS beauti-
"Not now; ] beg you'll excuse me, for
Pm SO hurried and Nance viii want
more starch made. Adieu, for a mo.
mpnt.W
guess dropped of in doze: for Tn
| sure OF dreaming that some enc called
me and that was too sleepy TO answer.
Ana then / had dreams of o broad hat
llnat turned into washtub and clothes
pins tpat stood for wooden legs. And
Inc minutes chased the hours, and the
sun was almost gone down behind the
distant chimney-pOts before i awoke.
There on The ledge, close beside my
elbow, stood a Quaint old vase Of Wedg-
wood ware fled TO Overlooking with
bright flowers from Marguerile's garden.
How came it there? Jack, OF course;
and my ueiight in the sweet Offering was
some hat inarred at thought that was
not to keep my secret after all. But
Jack denied the charge stoutly, looking
50 really astonished that 1. perforce, be-
Ileved him, and held him blameless
when, in looking out of the window, he
leaned over and grabbed the end .oi
some thing that proved to be ladder.
He wondered, OF course; but he won
dered no more than /. Had my little
wasngirl climbed like a lady-knight to
| leaye e ner blossoms tnere2 H
| Jack tossed me The Times, which /
was too indolent to look at, and sat
down. opposite me, with q meditatlye
counlenance. l let my eyes rest on his
strong, brohzed lineaments, chiefly be-
cause he was in my direct line OF vision,
and furthermore because loved him,
and was both proud and glad TO have
such friend as he had shown himself
to be. Why, didn't he let party of fel.
lows 60 yachting off the Skelligs without
| him so that he might stay, in spite OF my
protestations, and nurse me? And
weren't they a party that reckoned with
out their host, since the yacht was his
ownP Dear old Jackl How kIllingly
handsome he was as he sat there before
me looking more like a statue cast in
bronze tnan anything else i could think
of1ust then. HIS dark eyes were looking
beyond me into vague nowhere, while
| the contracted lines OF his brow told tue
story OF deep thought.
Igrew dozy again, after while, and
Jack became almost giant-llke in pro-
portIops-grew wavery about the out
| lines OF his head and shoulders, and no
doubt would have lost sight OF him alto
gether il slight movement ON his part
hadn't chased the sleepy tiim from my
ewes. l wish could draw for you the
moving diorama OF Jacks face as it ap-
peared to me during the next ten Sec
onds, First the eyes shot into rays of
horror, then the lips parted dumbly, the
cheeks and temples flushed, the hands
dropped nervelessly down and the breath
came in short catches. .s..
"Monsieur, sill vous plait = eef Get
Zhall please M0nsieur-ees Monsieur,
causing heemself to come not SO seek p
came SO directly into my ears that
bounced off the chair-seat and came
near breaking my leg a second time.
"Who the DEUCE
"Hold, Jack--a friend OF mine-by
your leavel Allow me, MademoiseIle
Nance, to present to you my dearest
bowed my head, and nearly strangled
myself Az the profound effort of this
"lriend of mine" to do the polite. AS
for Jack, he couldn't have bent his body
to save the Kingdom; for the supreme
astonishment had permeated his entire
anatomy and given it a stiffness so
foreign that really began to teel un-
comfortable.
"Won't you come in?" queried I, po-
litely, not knowing very well how she'd
manage to make an entree over the
sill.
2"Mais, nou, = merci" she laughed,
shaking her head until the broad cres-
cent-shaped ear-bobs struck a sort OF
golden fire.
Siss Votre MddeanoiseUe-elte nest pas ma
| ldde?" l yentured little tremulousiy,
but relying on the words all coming
through my nose to make it good, under.
standable French.
II can underztand meself to hear re
IInglis," she answered, cooIly waving
my vile pdtOis aside with an enviable
lnonchalance sZhe, me, Mees, caused
for me to convey zis zeer fiowarr to zis
place; and now Zhall present to cal
somsin' on zis watair ofair 10 you;" and
she landed small Japanned waiter or
the sill from heayon knows where. On
IL were berries, UOWl OI yellOW cream
a great slice OF silyer-White cake and q
snowy napkin, which had the letter M
in one corner, done in exquisite needle,
work.
..Aladdin, my dear fellow, since the
wizard-witch, / should say, decidedly
has arrived, l'il leave you for shorl
time to your fate. But if Badroulba
dour should happen up, just detain her
will you, SO thatI may take one glance
As French is en- regle, must part with
an solve oil?v
"sBob sworeI" answered 1, pleasant.
Ily, as Jack quilted the room and LETT me
to pump Nance aud swallow the dainties
before me.
Marguerite, learned, was the daugh.
ter of blind musician who had seen
better days. when Marguerite herself
was q wee thing in sashes and epen
work; but, jaste cielf 1T was 80 long ago
and it was not 10 be wondered at IL Che
girl had come to look upon this life as
| the perfectest and sweetest, having
known no other since infancy. Monsfeuf
lie Maitre had once in his youth loved
and been beloved by d grand English
tlady OF rank. 1t was then he dreamed
| his glorious dreams of o future thai
should leave his name In letters Of fire
and that the worlds homage should be
as his natural birthright. The lady was
true as steel, and helped him and guided
/ him as only o true woman can guide 8