Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1877-12-19
Old Heads and Young Hearts.


"Do | look nice, aunty 2"
The speaker was standing De
fore full length mirror, her pref
ty head twisted to one side to sur
vey multitudinous hounces of white
tulle over pale blue silk, constitu
ting the elaborate evening dress
covering her slender, graceful
figure. Clusters of blue flower,
with snowy leaves caught the dres:
at the pulled overskirt, formed ;
bouquet de corsage, and were
twisted in the profusion of COLDER
curls.
"You look very nice, my dear"
Miss Della Merriman had taker
long survey of the exquisite face
before she spoke, and was satisfied
with the appearance of her young
and lovely protege.
avery NICE" she repeated, "Hor-
tense has fitted you perfectly, and
the dress is most becoming. Now,
if you will get my jewel case you
shall wear my pearls"
Thanks" cried Elsie, carefully
lifting the heavy casket and put
ting it on a table beside Miss Mer-
riman. 81 am so sorry you have
such a cold. This will be a splen-
did party, know. All! auntie, p"
she continued, opening a small box
in the jewel case, 81 never saw
this"
She held up as she spoke slen-
der chain, from which depended a
gold locket, upon whose surface
cleaned one pearl of great beauty,
pure and large.
"Oh, how lovely" Elsie cried,
clasping the chain around her
slender throat. "May / wear it 2"
Miss Merriman was moved, as
the locket was held up before her.
Some strong memory stirred her
usually placid features, for the soft
brown eyes grew troubled, and her
lips quivered.
"Would you rather should take
it off," Elsie asked gently.
mo, dear, you may wear it.
Put in the solitaire pearl earrings.
hear the carriage. Do not keep
Mr.. Jameson waiting"
81 wish you were going" Elsie
said as Miss Merriman wrapped a
warm opera cloak over the delicate
dress. II never feel so happy if
you are home"
THANK you, dear. Now run
along"
So Elsie, already forgetting the
locket and the troubled face, kiss
ed her so-called aunt warmly, and
fitted away.
For Miss Della Merriman, who
had inherited thirty thousand
pounds from a second cousin, great
" to her own amaZement, was not
Elsie Garmans aunt. Nineteen
years before she had closed the
eyes of the girls dead mother, lift
ed a week-old babe to her own
bosom, and taken her home. Not
TO such Injuries as now surround
ed her-not to ball dresses, pearls
and gaiety-but to a small room in
lodging house. Here for IL long
years she had denied herself every
luxury of life, many comforts, to
provide food for the child, to clothe
her comfortably, to send her to
school. She was but girl herself
scarcely twenty in those days
earning her bread by making ar
tificial flowers, and working early
and late to keep the room tidy,
cook the simple food and do the
necessary sewing, when she was
not working at her trade.
But when wealth came, suddenly
and unexpectedly, flooding Elsie's
life with sunshine, Miss Della al
tered little from her former self.
True, she had leasure time, could
open her kind hands in charity,
where before she had only given
her warm, tender sympathy, but as
she had been in poverty quiet, gen.
tie and ever sad, 70, in prosperity
the same calm gravity rested upon
lip and brow, the same deep sad
ness lurked in the soft brown orbs.
Though but forty, her hair was
somewhat streaked with gray, and
premature age was the fruit of a
toilful life and sorrowful heart.
Yet she was lovely still, and good
ness ever beamed from her sad pity
ing glance.
After Elsie had left her, she put
aside the jewel case and sat musing
before the rire. She bad made 1t
one of her duties to her adopted
child to accompany her after in
PRODUCTION to society, to all scenes
of gaiety. But severe cold bad
rendered exposure to the night air