Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-04-19
Il NEVER WILL"

II never will!'' said Madge Roper,
her beautiful brown eyes flashing with
indignation.
"Forgive me, Miss Roper" said Mr..
Schenck. IL said it in a sort of des.
peration, for l cannot-I could not
think such a passion as mine could
fail to call out a response sooner or
later"
"You are mistaken" she answered.
haughtily; land, as you know, this IS
not the first time have assured you
of the fact. trust it is the last"
II withdraw my plea and myself
finally, Miss Roper. Good morning.
He said it with such dignity that
Madge respected him more than she
had ever done, and her face softened.
But Mr.. Schenck did not see it.; he
took himself and his troubles out Of
sight. if not out of mind. But as
Madge turned to leave the parlor she
heard a boyish voice from some hid
ing place singing loudly, with mis-
chief in every infections:
"llear what Highland Nora said:
The Earlie's son will not we'd"
"Little wretch!' muttered Madge,
biting her pretty red lips; she must
be all this time in the conservatory.
And now Aunt Phemy will know all
about it. l may as we'll tell her
So she trailed the folds of her deep
blue dress slowly up the stairs to Aunt
Phemy's room. Miss Euphem'a was
sitting in her armchair by the win
dow, a tiny old lady, with soft silver
white hair, and a quaint black satin
wrapper, illustrated with delicate
laces, and the sparkle of the great
diamond on her little hand. She
was a cripple, whose sole change
was from her bed to her great chair j;
but, for all that, she was the heart OF
the house, and her keen and kindly
eyes saw everything that was to be
seen, but her tongue kept charitable
silence.
Madge's mother had died young, and
Aunt Phemy had come to her brothers
house to take care of him and his child
till his wife's place might be filled, but
that had never happened. Mr.. Roper
was a grave, reticent man, and when
the one love Of his life tluttered away
from him, like weary and storm.spent
moth, his heart shut itself for all time;
he even seemed to have little fatherly
love for the wailing baby, whose birth
he resented in his secret soul rs one re-
sents murder.
But now he was proud Of his beauti.
full and graceful daughter. proud OF her
spirited character, her good breeding,
her crowd of admirers; and Madge WAS
equally proud Of her handsome, high.
minded father, though there was little
of the diviner element of love lost be.
tween them.
Many and many an admirer fell at
Aadge's feet, and no wonder. The
girl was young, fresh, lovely and in
telligent, and every charm she had was
illumined by the .iittest results of
wealth and taste. A beautiful girl is
beautiful in spite of calico; she is en-.
chanting in lace and pearls. Madge's
profuse red.brown hair, dazzling yet
tenderly.tinted complexion, her soft
proud eyes, her slender and exquisite
ly.molded figure, her feet, her hands
were all perfect, and the insipidity OF
perfection was removed by the vivid
and variant expressions of the soul
within.
As she entered Aunt Phemy's room
this morning, with the dark blue folds
of her fine wool dress falling from her
delicate waist and her face heightened
by color that shamed the carnations
which fastened the abundant lace
scarf about her throat, the dear old
lady looked at her with adoring eyes,
for Madge was her aunty's idol. But
the girl did not come at once for her
wi oh cu,i1oI nd CHI
walked across the room to the other
window, and began to NEEDLE with the
mignonette and pinch the roSe'gerani.
ums. Aunt Phemy waited-she was a
woman who could wait-and presently
Madge fitted suddenly across the floor,
and dropped softly, as u little bird
folds up into its nest, on the brioche
beside her aunt's chair, and laid her
head on its arm.
Il could not come up before, Aunty
Fee. Mr.. Schenck was downstairs.
Miss Roper said nothing but laid her
hand tende1ly on the rich folds of hair
and looked at that beautiful head like
q benevolent old fairy. She knew
when Madge called her "Aunty Fee"
that it was propitiatory something
A6U UCCA uOAC VI OIIlu IAdG Cl1S way
ward young woman was not quite at
ease about.
"And-aunty," Madge went on, slow
ly, picking carnation to pieces as she
spoke. ''I-refused him.
II thought you Lad done that long
ago, Madge," said the old lady, with a
certain trouble in her kind eyes.
$50 I have, over and over, but he
wouldn't stay refused. ] think he will
now" Here her voice rose and rang,
and her eyes flashed. The indignation
returned. IL never will marry him,
Aunt Phemy-never! And think he
understands it at last"
Miss Roper's eyes sparkled now she
was old and wise.
Don't be troubled about it, Madge
dear, nobody can harass you on the
matter. If you don't love man, don't
marry him, if he be king or kaiser.
Jacob Schenck is good man and a
gentleman, but think he is far too old
for rosebud like yOu.'
Oh, Aunt Euphemia! you too had
been a girl, and remembered it. A
little spark entered Madge's cool eye.
''He's not so very old, aunty; fifty
isn't really old for a man.
mo it's not decrepit, but it is some.
thing more than nineteen; besides, Mr..
Schenck is only forty.6ve. However,
we can afford to drop him now, since
Miss Positive never will marry him."
N1adge laughed. but there was an I'm
certain ring in her laughter, and Miss
Phemy went on:
"Are you going to Boston. my dear?"
II don't quite know, aunty. I rath.
er hate Boston +; but love Polly.''
''Then you'll have to take your
choice between the love and hate,
mademoiselle, and that directly, for
you know Polly is clamorous for an
answer"
II believe will go perhaps Boston
may be nicer than think. It is awful
~ slow, l am sure"
"Madge!'
II can't help it, aunty; I don't
know what else to call it. Shall l say
triste!"