The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-01-28

long before Ida came and sat down
by me, and shot off some bright little
sentences at me. >
80 I nearly! played the, part Of
JCuggernaut's car to you" she began.
"Aunt Rachael meant yoa to be i.
surprise to us all, and kept your com
ing a dead secret; T didn't in the
least know who it was in that hoolrrriid
little car of hers" ~"e 4
The Fairy Queen really looked, as
she said it, as if it came to her by
right divine to drive over such mere
nortals as myself: She was slayinnep
back in a low chair without any arms
to it, and her dress sprangout on eth!
er side in great rolling waves Of gilt
tering white. Her golden hair stood
out in = strong relief: like. a glory
against the dark background Of the
velvet chair: Altogether she zlooked
such dainty creature that, Il, it,; seemed
little thing that she should be, are-
gardless of the lives of others. ....,
"You did see me then r. asked. i
swell, saw you without II seeing
you, If you can: understand that's +
was taken up with showing Guy my
new ponies; you never saw him E,be-
fore, did you ?" II
"Whom ?" IT.
"Guy,-my cousin;-your cousin,
too, isn't he?. o no.: your second
cousin, that's it." il
mo, I never saw him .before.n: =
"He's my salvation at Christmas, :"
the blonde beauty said, with a ]itt lie
yawn'; :F'he gets up charades.- Do
you like charades? And we ALWAYS
have a ball or two while he is here"
"ls this his home, or. yours ?"
my home now,-his in time to
come. live with grandpapa and
aunt Rachel; Guy is the heir" She
dropped her voice to a whisper: as she
said this, then she raised it again sud-
denly to ask, 'Do you like Christ
mas better in the country than in
London %
II have never spent Christmas in
the country yet" I replied.
80, you lucky girl p she cried ;
"and I have never spent one out of it :
I'd give anything ng-except my ponies
TO go to town and see all the bur-
lesques; I don't care for the panto-
mines; have you seen many ?" -"
I told her Eyes y while Guy 4 was
alive I saw all such things, now 1
twas sick of them" I added passion.
ately. IL !;
."Who was Guy?' she asked, sober.
ly, and she seemed sorry when I told
her he was my brother. .,~",>t !,
But such a bright creature cannot
be sorry long for the troubles 'o1
others. She was up: dancing away
towards the piano, in answer to some.
body's request that she would sing
before the mist had cleared off ,my
eyes which the mention of Guy had
caused. When I could see clearly
again, Guy Pomfret, my other cousin
was standing talking to her while she
tluttered over some music, and seem.
ed unable to make choice Of .
song.
Presently, however, she found one
or he found it for her. At any rrslt.
he placed it, and kept his hand ready
to turn the page while she sang, apd
II got drawn up nearer to them by b >,
voice, and watched bis i fac, 'as;t hi
watched hers. IN .
I She had a ringing, clear, ae1xib Iii i.
voice. can express what it's soune
was by naming color more clearly
than in any other: way;-itr i was {
bright blue it was like q silverqbell
as cold and with as much, feeling:r
She was singing a plaintive, p4s
sionate ballad, and she sang it ;eor
rectly and cleverly $ but I 1&tellt fl r. ,dis
satisfied with. the way ipp which, h, ;: sh'
warbled out those reproachful words, |
"You should have told me that before, jamie
| You should have told me that before, laddiep
| I was glad when Il Guy APomfi ie
looked dissatisfied, too, and :stoppet
her before she had finished it:.quite
by saying .:b
"You never can do that, nsigae'n,e
try something else." :;
| She frowned for an instant, ;aant
then got up, saying, "No, no. sorn
one else, and then I will try to d
Ijustice to another of your favorites
Guy; it's not for want Of desire: t.
1 please you that I. failed this time, sir,
she added, in a low voice, with . lit
tie laugh that was slig ghtly tingee
with vexation. .~
| I did not hear what his answer was
for at that moment Miss Rachae
spoke to me. j.
"Do you sing, my dear will 70,
oblige us p ...
II shall be very happy" I answer
ed, and then I felt horribly hot .an,
uncomfortable. My voice was a low
rolling, tremulous contralto,-whh
would it sound like after that. silve
bell! .xj
"Will you like to try some Of mine
or will you sing something Of you
} ownp' Ida asked, good-natstredlJ
, and then Mr.. Pomfrett came &rHat'
to "see if he could help me to afsele<
tion," he said, and I know that I WI
fairly committed to it, sol; said 6
would try what I knew best )" ant