Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-09-18

i guests were not disConyOlate for thex0.
ciety Of their hostess. But now, indeed
it was time for Jenny to take her right.
full place: and with many an inward
PRAYER that she would he as little une-
quail to the occasion as could lie expect.
ed of her, and a resolve to caution her
only to speak when necessary, and a
certsinty in his heart that she would at
least be pleasant to look upon, Mr.. Mac
Neil awaited his wife. needn't saw he
waited in vain; and two or three of the
servants not being able to find her, Mr..
Mac Neil, in high d;spleasure, sent Shiel
off with an immediate order for her
peremptory appearance before him.
Shiel hunted high and low, and came
back to his partner with wild look of
alarm in his face, and his now scanty
locks almost on end.
:, shes clean gone!-not a sign of
her!" he said.
Mr.. MacNeil was more mad than
giieved, for he knew she'd come in, he
said, ut the fag-end Of the feast, and
spoil everything. "She's run out
somewhere for something" said poor
Mac, little thinking of the nature of
her errand. He made an ant excuse
to his daughter, and the supper went
on successfully. Poor Shiel ate never
mouthful, and his face was as white
and blank as If he had been ghost:
but nobody minded Shiel. In truth,
Macs own appetite was little trust
rated. and as the night wore away he
was heartily glad to see the people
-trooping out to their carriages. When
all were gone, a little upstairs maid.
who had been always civil to poor Jenny
put note into Macs hand, saving that
her mistress told her not to give it to
him till the festivity was over.
Mac opened it with trembling hand.
and read poor Jenny's scrawl: :
"pm gone for good and all, dearie.
For long time I've seen that YOU and
my darling child were beyond me in
everything. l can never get up to YOU:
SO please forgive me if l stop by the
way. God bless and prosper YOU; is
the prayer of your faithful JENNY"
Mac handed it over to Shiel, and
dropped into chair as if struck by an
unseen hand. The air was a little
heavy with the breath Of his artistic
guests who had just departed, and the
scent of the exotics sickened his nos.
trils; the big blaze of light grew dim
about him, and all he could see for that
weary minute was the sweet face of a
young English girl he had known and
loved almost beyond his strength
long time ago.
Shlel had read the note for the sixth
time, his face growing more and more
distracted and imbecile, and had begun
to read 1t over again, when Mac cried
out, IN a broken voice, could any
villain be at the bottom of this. SHIELD
could auy one have tempered with
her loyalty"
Never'' cried Shiel, Indignantly.
III answer for that with nay life. know
an eye or an eff'tlhb} ip 81 size ,yay else.
know that by experience Many's the
time I've tried to console her myself
for your indifference"
" My what p roared poor Mac.
F." Your indifference and neglect, Sir"
cried Shiel. now aroused to the pitch of
of recklessness. "She was pearl of
purity and sweet simplicity, but she
was cast before swine, Sir"
"Shiel, you are always more or less
of q fool" groaned Mac, "and now YOU
are clean daft" But he listened to
Shiel as he went on to give him piece
of his mind, and took heart as he gath
cred in the evidences of Jenny's wound
ed love. "She'll be back before twen-
ty-four hours" said Mac, land we'll
all be the happier for this little bout"
But twenty-four hours went by, and
forty-eight; whole week passed away,
and no Jenny came to lift the weight
from Macs heart. Shiel advised him
to secretly consult the police, at which
Mac first revoltsd, then succumbed;
but with no success. A fortnight went
by, and even Shiel forgave every fault
of Macs, so deep and sincere were his
sorrow and penitence. The musical
abstraction OF Miss Jean served in a
measure to mitigate her grief, and an
eminent professor had offered her the
warmest sympathy and consolation a
man can offer; but poor Mac hated the
thought or sound Of music now, and
would have no commiseration save that
of Shiel, which, indeed, partook OF SO
unwearied nature that Mac chung to
it as drowning man will to a straw.
At the end of a month Shiel declared
that journalism was the only thing left
to them. He had held it, he said, as a
der''ier resort, not wanting to set the
torgues of the world that Jenny so
hated wagglng in her behalf; but her
cruel obstinancy had left them no al
tentative.
II see," said Mac-"the personal
column in the Herald. Make it as ago.
nizing as you can, Shiel. God knows il
can't hold misery enough. Tell her to