The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-08-31
A Bit of Lace,

Il shouldn't know any more about it i
| did"
"Well, then. want you to buy it"
buy it? What for?"
why, for me-"
"Pay five hundred dollars for hand
kerchief for you?"
YES, indeed. Why, papa, | should
think it was something atrocious. All
the other girls have them, although Ger
tainly this is a little, the least little, nicel
than theirs. | don't know why Lucy
should have a handsomer handkerchief
than |, Just because she is married. Any
body else would say it was enough to be
married. and so let me have the handker-
chief Married women have everything
: love and lace and diamonds. Now
papa, just take out your bockeibook." II
was a coaxing voice.
"Do you suppose carry five hundred
dollar bills in my pocket book ?"
at makes no odds. Your check-book,
then. I've set my heart on it, it's such a
beauty. If you will only look at it--look
at that wreath of flowers, all SO delicately
shaded; here the close work in the light,
you see, there the open work in the shade,
so perfect you can quite fancy the colors
ard all done in this one thread See,
papa, there's dew drop, that round hole
in the mesh"
Nonsense, Flor; | can't see anything
Of the kind there"
That's because your eye isn't educat-
cd, sir Mine is; for have studied other
peoples laces till | could almost work
them. That's Il good man! knew you
would You always do. One, two,
three" And then there was shower OF
kisses and tinkling laughter. And that
was the conversation of a millionaire and
his daughter that Lucien Malvin heard
over the open transom of the next room
to his in the hotel where he staid over
night a year or two ago. seeing neither
people nor handkerchief, and aghast at
the thought of handkerchief costing the
awful price of five hundred dollars, which
was one, third of the mortgage on his little
place that he was trying to pay OF. heart
and soul-a conversation that now recur-
red to him in n moment of real agony, as
the house maid stood before him holding
a little limp rag in her hand that she had
Just snatched out of the wash-tub. and
that last night was a dainty bit of lace
that Miss Rosa MERCER had called her
handkerchief, and had given him to hold
during the galop. Good heaven, how
was he ever to restore it
He was q young lawyer, just entering
upon what in time would probably be a
fine practice, but which was now rather
empirical He had started in the race for
wealth and honor with good legal ability,
good name, and good morals, and with
no other impediments than little patri-
mony in the shape of modest dwelling
in the suburbs, which he had been obliged
to mortgage for the means to get q part
of his education and his profession, which
mortgage he was striving to pay Oft, that
he might begin the future clear of the
world He was handsome fellow, this
Lucien Malvin, an ambitious one too, in
some degree, and very nearly as proud as
Lucfer. He used to feel many a pang in
the association with those SO much wealth
er than himself to which certain circum-
stances had subjected him. He had had
an important case accidentally thrown
into his hands and had acquitted himself
so well that the wealthy client took him
up and would not let him down; and
when Lucien demonstrated that it was
out of his power to keep up such associa-
ton and was mortifying to his pride be-
sides, the client had assured him it was
not pride, but vanity. that was mortified,
and that the way to be as wealthy as those
he met was to keep their company and
get their cases; and he had thought, on
the whole, that perhaps his friend was
right, and if he began to yield with an
ignoble motive, had nevertheless become
very fond of the ways of people to whom
wealth had given every opportunity Of
grace and culture, and who knew how to
treat life like a work of art Moreover,
it was not a little that he was petted by
various of these good people. Certainly
motherly ladies made him at home with
them, and won his confidence and atfec-
ton, notably Mrs. Barnetta Parents
with good rent-rolls Of their own, as Mrs
Barnetta, used to tell him, were not SO
insistent in the matter of rent-rolls as OF
virtue ard talent in their daughters hus-
bands and he was invited here and
there, and given to understand great
deal more than he choose to understand.
Proud as Luciter, as it was previously
stated. he was going to marry no heiress
of them all and be the thrall Of hel
money; he would not marry rich wo.
man, he could not marry a poor one
When he married. he was going to give,
not take, and at present he had nothing
to give. Perhaps he would have been a
nobler person if he had not been quite SC
strenuous in this matter of obligation
but then, as Mrs. Barnetta said, he woulG
not have been Lucien Malvin, and Lucier
Malvin was very good fellow, after all
and there are few Of us but have our
faults.
1t was among these people that he hap
pened to meet Rosa MERCER She hao
come from distant place, and was visit
ing his pleasantest acquaintance; and Ger
tainly the house was pleasanter still aftel
her sunshiny little presence dawned upo1
it. It seemed as if, for instance, there
never had been any flowers in the hous,
before, although it had always been over
| flowing; it seemed as if there had been NJ
music there, no light, or color, or cheer
and now the place was too dangerousl,
| delightful for young man who did no
want to frequent. She was such Lowell,
little thing; not exactly beautiful. that is
she would not have been beautiful in
picture, but in flesh and blood, and il
Lucien Malvin's eyes, she was exceeding
ly beautiful with her soft color, her clear
dark gaze, and her bright hair, that brok
into cloud of sunny rings about he
sweet face; such a gentle gayety wen
with her wherever she did, such tende
grace of manner, too. in the intervals 0
her buoyant spirits; her voice was such
warbling voice, her ways were such win
some ways. Lucien Malvin felt that h
must forswear her presence unless h
wanted to make life burden to himself
and he ceased going to Mrs. Barnetta's
where she was staying, almost as sudden
ly as day forsakes the horizon in tina
dreary season when twilights are not.
But if he could shut himself out from
the Barnetta's, he could not shut Mis-
Rosa out from general society; and g
where he would he met her almost night
ly, laughing gayly. singing sweetly, dane