The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-07-27
A BIT OF LACE.

BIT OF LACE.
" It's perfectly exquisite piece of lace,
papa
IL dare say, Flor
But | want you to look at it,
II shouldn't know any more about it if
did,
well, then, want you to buy it,
Buy it! What for:'
why, for me-"
Pay five hundred dollars for hand
kerchicf for you:''
Yes, indeed. Why, papa, l should
think it was something atrocious. All the
other girls have them, although certainly
this is Il little, the least little, nicer than
theirs. | don't know why Lucy should
have hand>omer handkerchief than |,
just because she's married Anybody else
would say it was enough to be married,
and SO let me have the handkerchief.
Married women have every thing-lovc
and lace and diamonds. Now, papa, just
take out your pocket book" 1t was a
cOaNing voice.
Do you suppose carry hundred
dollar bills in my pockct-book
1t makes no odds. Your check book,
then. I've set my heart on it, it's such
beauty. If you only look at it-look at
that wreath of flowers, all so dclicately
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;
and all done in this one thread See,
papa, there's dcw-drop, that round hole
in the MESH
Nonsense, Flor; can't see any thing
of the kind there
..'Thnf'S bccnur, ,-o,,r o,-n ISN'T I'd,
ed, Sir. Mine is: for have studied other
peoples lace> till could almost work
them. That's good man. l 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 Il millionaire and
his daughter that Lucian Malvin heard
over the open transom of the next room to
his in the hotel where he staid overnight
year or two ago, seeing neither people nor
handkerchief, and aghast at the thought Of
Il handkerchief costing the awful price of
five hundred dollars, which was onc-third
of the mortgage on his little place that he
wa. trying to pay off, heart and soul-a
conversation that now required to him in
moment of real agony, as the house
maid stood before him holding little
limp "a" in her hand that she had just
Snatched out of the wash-tub, and that last
night was bit of dainty lace that Miss
Rosa MERCER had called her handkerchief,
and had given him to hold during the
~alop. Good heavens, how was he ever
going to restore it!
He was young lawyer, just entering
upon what in time would probably be fine
practice, but which was now rather en-
pirical. He had started in the lace for
wealth and honor with good legal ability,
good name and good morals, and with no
other impedimenta than a little patrimony
in the shape of Il modest dwelling in the
suburbs, which he had been obliged to
mortgage for the means to get IL part of
his education and his profession, which
mortgage he was striving to paw off, that
he might begin the future clear of the
world. He was 4; handsome fellow, this
Lucian Malvin, an ambitious one, too, in
some degree, and very nearly as proud as
Lucifer. lie used to feel many d pans in
the association with those so much wealth.
Ter than himself to which certain circum-
stances had subjected him. He had had
an important case accidentally thrown in
to his hands, and had acquitted himself
So well that the wealthy client took him
up and would not let him down; and
when Lucian demonstrated that it was out
Of his power to keep up such association,
and was notifying to his pride besides,
the client had assured him that 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
culture and grace, and who knew how to
treat life like a work of art. Moreover,
1t was not a little that he was petted by
various OF these good people. Certain
mothcrly ladies made him at home with
them, and won his confidence and affec-
ton, notably Mrs. Barnetta. Parents with
good rent-rolls of their own, as Mrs.
Barnetta used to tell him, were not SO in
sistcnt in the matter of rent-rolls as of
virtue and talent in their daughters
husbands; and he was invited here
and invited there, and given to
understand a great deal more than
he chose TO understand. Proud as-
Luclfer, as it was previously stated, he
was going to marry no heiress of them all
and be the thrall Of her money; he would
not marry rich woman, he could not
marry 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 nobler person if lie had
not been quite SO strenuous in this matter
of obligation; but then, as Mrs. Barnetta
said, he would not have been Lucian
Malvin, and Lucian Malvin was a 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 Mercier. She had
come from distant place, and was visit
ing his pleasantest acquaintance: and GER
tainly the house was pleasanter still after
her sunshiny little presence dawued ON
it. 1t seemed as il: TX instance 1herr
never had been any flowers in ths house
before, although it had always been over
flowing: it seemed az # tfere had been MO
music there, no light, or color, or cheer;
and now the place was too dangerously
delightful for a young man who did not
want to marry to frequent. She was such
lovely little thing; not exactly beautiful,
that Is, she would not have been beautiful
In picture, but in flesh and blood, and
IN Lucian Malvin's eyes she was exceed
ingly beautiful, with her soft color, her
clear, dark gaze, and her bright hair, that
broke into clou1 of sunny, rings about
her sweet face snc& segak6 ea9ety7
went with her wllA4eva she dfd,s such d
tender grace of manner, too, in the inter-
walls OF her buoyaqt,spiIiuI her yQice was
such a warbling voicS, her Nays Wi Gsdch
winsome ways. Lucian Malvin felt that
he must forswear her presence, unless he
wanted to make life hurGen IN himcolf.