The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-05-15
the MISSING GLOVE.

This glove is torn, and have not an
other pair left, and 1t Is quite lmposslDle
to get any in this outlandish place, even
II there was time to SEND out DeIore tne
lcarriage comes roundV
The speaker, young lady or some
twent%three years, gave an impatient
lpuil at the offending white KID, which
luecidealy placed it kOrs do combat.
The girl she addressed as Elise occu-
lpied kind of anomalous position
between companion and maid to Miss
Josephine Clifford, residing near to the
loyely village Of Severn Stoke.
She was younger. smaller, and, 1t
could not be denied, prettier, than her
ipatroness; albeit, in dress and in coif-
fure, the difference Of station could be
well perceived.
There was a timid, deprecating tone
in her voice as she replied to the young
lady's fretful plant: II am afraid you
had the gloves little too small for you,
Miss Clifford. But, ii L might venture
If you would not be angry-I think l
have pair of white gloves, if you would
do me the kindness to wear them"
Josephine hesitated ere she gave, the
permission thus humbly requested.
Perhaps there was latent suspicion
that the slender fingers oil the lowly- born
might, by some freak OF nature, fit more
deity the soft shape OF the profered
elegance de toilette than her more round
ana develOped hands or it might be the
pride Of birth, the consciousness Of an
lcestraI position that sent the blood
looursing through the veins of the
Squirrels heiress during that brief mo-
ment of pause.
swell, of course 1t is matter of
NECESSITY" she said, at last. sit is i'm
possible for me to 20 without gloves, and
SO il yours are fresh and new, Elise, 1 do
not mind; but be quick. You know papa
can not bearIo walt"
Elise Lorraine made the slightest Of in
ciinations TO her imperious lady, and
then disappeared.
4 I'll hope these will not tear, Miss
Clifford" said the young girl. IL fear 1
have no others should they fail"
And Elise's voice fairly trembled as
she spoke the last words.
Miss Clifford snatched rather than
received them from her hands. IA
"What nonsense, Elisel AS il any
thing that would fit you would not do for
, mel There hear the carriage. l have
promised Lord Vermont the fret quad.
rille. You are very slow, that is certain.
wish mad regular maid at such q
time"
And catching at the unlucky gloves
and the scented handkerchief held out by
Elise's small hand, she ran down stairs,
leaving her attendant to the enjoyme mt
or the pain of her own thoughts.
+ Josephine Clifford returned that night
In state of mingled excitement and
! petulance that Elise could scarcely COM
} prehend.
} But one popularity she did remark,
J dangerous subject.
Miss clifford had no gloves on her
somewhat too fully developed hand s
J when she entered her dressing.room.
And Elise looked in vain for their
, presence in the glittering ball-dress, or
The opera cloak, or the Indian fan.
Yet Josephine no more alluded to
their loss than if no such articles had
formed part of her evening toilette, and
Elise retired to her own apartmentin a
decided state OF bewilderment that was
! perhaps, disproportiohed to the occa-
sion.
~ am going to ride this morning,
Elise; give me my brigand hat and green
| nabit,n were Miss Clitford's directions
: after her dressing-room breakfast the
} next day. .1
And when these orders were obeyed
I Elise's thoughts reverted to the mlssin Z
white gloves, as she handed to the young
lady the gauntlets to complete heI
s equestrian costume, and then quietly
4 retreated to her own apartment, where
some exquisite lace-wQrk awaited com
n pletion Tor Josephine's dinner-dress the
y following day.
Where could the white gloves bel
Surely Miss Clifford could not have lus
them without being aware of their alb
) sence?
=. And although the fair young maid was
/, the most unselish Of human beings, she
at1lh Ixr rnfr in fr.,t
a emotion OF scorn at the meanness which
could induce the heiress to appropriate
/. even so trit1lng an article without eithe
!. payment or acknowledgement.
r Elise despised herselfior the folly
but still it was there. The gloves mac
lbeen hers-in such different circum
' stances.
: She had bought them to complete hel
Z dress for ball, where her heart hat
: whispered that her fate might be de
!, cided for lite.
:. Ere that gay tete had taken place, Elise
twas an orphan, aud her iather's remains
were scarcely secured from the grasp OF
n his angry creditors.
Elise bore all in brave silence. Nc
complaint escaped her lips.
But her heart well-nigh congealed ii
!, the cold sickness OF the fearful trial.
- Allshe prayed for was that he NIGH
: never see ner more; that she might hf
spared any reproach from his looks OF
= words, and the desire had been granted
For never since that stunning blow had
i, the bright belle of Ravenscomb and its
4 eEvirons encountered tine noble admlrer
whose yelled but anmistakable admira.
i ton had foreshadowed a YET more seri.
| GUS and passionate love.
"Pshaw! am an ungrateful and re.
| bellious simpletonp exclaimed Elise
lmpatielltly. Il have escaped the worst
Lrlals that threatened me, aid have
lneTer endured a. real hardship, excep
8 Imy dear, dear father's death; and yet
4 dare to Eepine at my fate.".
o And Elise shook her soft skirts int.
q yet mere graceful folds, and, saatchin
lup ner swork-basket, carried it into TIL
yerandah. before Josephine clifford
d boudoir, secure, as she believed, fron
intrusion or notice.
ersiender fingers flew skillfully owe
the elaborateiy-traced pattern, and un
consciously, perhaps, she began to .hur
Y a song which had been q favorite in day
"a ofvnra IT was so Inn rainca q no 90 10 4 M a