The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-09-13
ViOlet's BappiqeSs,

oi0' Ab0PF2o
Standing in the open doorway Of the
farmhouse of the Ashtons, where
she had been visitor since the first
blossom had begun to be showered,
like rain Of fragrant snow, on the
velvety grass, Beatrice Brandon made
striking contrast, in her young,
proud strength and pulsing vitality, to
the tiny little thing sitting SO demurely,
so quietly, on the lowest step of the YER
anda-a slight fragile girl, with pale,
delicate skin, like the petals Of tea-rose,
with big, sorrowful eyes.
Violet herself was so like child that
her eighteen years of delicate girlhood
seemed almost a dream to look back
upon-to that time when she was left
motherless baby on the hands of the
then young farmer, when a gentle
voiced, sad-eyed woman, herself scarce
more than girl, had laid down her own
| life, and given to the mercies of utter
strangers this little waif, who from that
hour when the dying mother had whis-
pered, "Call it Violet" to the midsum-
mer day when she sat on the farmhouse
steps, looking up into Beatrice Brandon's
face, had known no home but Croft
Farm.
Violet was sitting very demurely and
quietly on the lower step of the porch
that lovely sunshiny day, when Beatrice
came to the edge of the verandah, 80
beautiful, so strengthful, so soft-voiced
and smiling, as she first looked down
upon, and then spoke to Violet.
"a silver penny for your thoughts,
Vie; although l am sure l can guess
about what they are. You are wonder
ing what it means-what Mr.. Ashton
and his mother have gone to the city to-
day to buy, with that old pocketbook
stuffed full of banknotes.
Her bright eyes did not betray the
) .eagerness she felt, nor did she allow her
low, even tones to manifest it.
Violet had flushed ever so slightly
when Beatrice's voice had quite startled
( her from her dreamy little reverie, and
: the mention of Charley Ashton's name
had deepened it a little; for it was of
= handsome Charley, who was always so
= good, so thoughtful, so tender, that her
girlsh heart was dreaming.
|, The practical matter-of -factness of
q Beatrice's question dissipated the slight
confusion she imagined, and wrongly,
S that her companion had not seen.
a Her voice was very sweet-soft as
= Beatrice's own-and with true melody
n in it.
d Eyes, know, for auntie told me-
she had been taught to call Mrs. Ash.
e ton auntie. "They are going to re.
d furnish the parlor, and buy piano, and
l. Charlie is to have a bedroom set Of
walnut, marble tops"
II II Her frank blue eyes were looking in
o nocentlyinto the half-mocking dark ones
whose expression matched the smile or
e Beatrices lips as she replied:
d "Of course l know all that-CharleJ
consulted me about it. But | asked yor
h if you knew what it was all for ?"
e Violet looked surprised.
u "All for? Why, for nothing but tc
4 have the house look nice and more fash
/, ionable. What else wouldit be for?"
At Beatrice spread her rustling silk skirt
- over the clean steps as she sat down.
ss "Is it possible you don't know an,
+ more than that, Violet2 Why, didn'
1t you guess there was going to be wed
ding p
>. The blue eyes opened suddenly wider
e. "a wedding? Why, no! Whose wed
le ding, Beatrice?
81 81 There was slow dawning of whit,
pain on her face, of which she was no
is conscious; but Beatrice saw it and wa
W satisfied.
o. "Yov baby! Why, Charles of course
W Whose would 1t be p
"Charley's9 Charley married? Ho
Oh do you know who told your
in Her earnest pain-stricken eyes we,
'lf looking SO searchingly into Beatrice
a. a face, and the latter blushed and turne
away in o pretty confusion Of mai