The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-04-26
* NEVFR WILL"

her beautiful brown eyes flashing with
INDIGNATION.
"Forgive me, Miss Roper" said Mr..
6chenck. 81 said it in sort OF des-
peration. for | cannot-I could not
think such passion AS mine could
fail to call out a response sooner or
later
ssYou are mistaken" she answered,
haughtily; "and, as you know, this IS
not the first time / have assured you
of the fact trust it is the last
81 withdraw my plea and myself
finally, Miss Roper. Good morning!
He said it with such dignity that
Nadge 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
Nadge turned to leave the parlor she
heard a boyish voice from some hid
ing place singing loudly, with mis-
chief in every i'flaction:
"Hcar what Highland Nora said:
The Eallie's son will not We'd"
"Little wrelch!" 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. may as we'll tell her.
So she traileJ the folds Of her deep
blue dress slowly up the stairs to Aunt
Phemy's room. Miss Euphemia was
sitting in her armchair by the win
dow, 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 ;
but, for all that, she was the heart OF
the house, ami 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 brother
house to take care of him and his child
till his wite's place might be filled, but
that had never happened. Mr.. Roper
was grave, reticent man, and when
the one love of his life tluttered away
from him, like a weary and stOrm-sptnt
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 as 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
Nf +hn n txyiv 10 IF
tween them.
Many and many an admirer fell at
Nadge's feet, and no wonder. The
girl was young, fresh, lovely and in
telligent, and every charm she had was
illumined Ivy the fittest 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 redbrown 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,an her face heightened
by a 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
@osl hi hn I'D nd he
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
Nadge fitted suddenly across the floor,
and dropped softly, as a little bird
folds up into it's nest, on the brioche
beside her aunt's chair, and laid her
head on its arm.
81 could not come up before, Aunty
Fee. Mr.. Schenck was downstairs"
Miss Roper said nothing, but laid her
hand tenderly on the rich folds of hair
and looked at that beautiful head like
= benevolent old fairy. She knew
when Madge called her "Aunty Fee
that it was propitiatory something
had been done or said that this way
ward vonng woman was not quite al
case about.
"And-aunty," Madge went on, slow
ly, picking carnation to pieces as sh,
spoke, "I-refused him."
II thought you lad done that Ions
ago, Madge," said the old lady, with ;
certain trouble in her kind eyes.
$50 I have, over and over, but h,
wouldn't stay refused. think he viii
now" Here her voice rose and rang
and her eyes flashed. The indignation
returned. IL never will marry him
Aunt Phemy-never! And think b,
understands it at last
Miss Roper eyes sparkled now ; sh,
was old and wise.
Don't be troubled about it, Madg,
dear, nobody can harass you on tn,
matter. If you don't love man, dom
marry him, if he be king or kaiser
Jacob Schenck is good man and
gentleman, but think he is far too oil,
for = rosebud like YOU"
Oh, Aunt Euphemia you too ha,
been a girl, and remembered it.
little spark entered Madge's cool eye
II - -