The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-09-08

piece OF paper, did not look up, or
answer, for a moment or two, and | saw
her brother raise his head and look at
her angrily.
eyes" said Belle, at last, 81 want you
to write lot of invitatious-there's the
list. And when that's done, you must
help us to fix dresses for tableaux this
evening"
Miss Marshall bowed slightly again,
as she took the list, and her graceful,
lady-like air struck Belle and irritated
her, for the naughty young Canadian had
no notion of servants taking airs.
Cant you speak," she said, sharply.
"Be sure you hurry, too, for you must go
and hunt up dresses, and fix them
after you have finished. Get one of the
other servants to go with you, and you
will find enough in the attic"
| did not venture to look toward Ar
cher; for felt instinctively, that he was
excessively angry, but the calm face of
the young girl was unmoved.
Certainly" she said, quietly, as she
took the list and sat down by a distant
table to write.
"And now, Alf," continued Miss Belle
"you go and get Il carpenter to fix stage
in the drawing room, so that we can have
everything arranged before evening"
Her brother arose Immediately, as if
glad to get away, and Charlie Lucas,
Travers and Curtis arose too.
"We had better leave the girls to plan
and plot together by themselves" said
Charlie, 'for the rest of the morning. !
know they want to get rid of us" And
passing an arm through that of Archer
and Travers, he went off, singing Dick
Hatteraick's song:
"And three wild lads were we, brave boys,
And three wild lads were we,
Thou ON the land, l on the sand,
And Jack on the gall0WS tree.'
"There they 60" said Belle, looking af-
ter them, "four of the widest, most hare
Drained fellows this side of the Red Sea.
And now, let me see---we four are all to
perform, so where is the music to come
from? we must have an orchestra, you
know. We can have our two pianos
moved up to the stage, but who is to
play? 1t won't do to ask any of the au-
dience."
"Well, said Mary Dinsmore, II will
take possession of one; | don't much care
for taking part in the tableaux."
go, will you, Mary? What darling
you are! Well, | suppose we must dc
with one since it can't be helped"
Il will play on the other, if you choose,
Mr. Archer said Miss Marshall, looking
up calmly. "That is, if you can get no
one else"
"You" cried Belle, with a broad stare.
"Yes; if you wish it,"
"My goodness! DO you play?"
Her supercilious tone was positively
insulting, and Sues eyes flashed indig-
nantly, but Miss Marshall WAS perfectly
serene and composed.
"Yes--a little"
Belle looked round at us; but seeing
we looked grave, and Sue positively an
cry, she restrained her sneers, and said:
"Perhaps you will favor us now, Miss
Marshall, that we can judge whether you
can tonight"
"Certainly," said Miss Marshall, rising
instantly, and taking her seat at the
piano.
She played beautifully, brilliantly, and
with ease, the most difficult pieces from
memory, and when she arose, Sue, Mary
and | broke out in rapturous praises of
her skill and execution. She smiled
slightly, and bowed her acknowledge
ment, but with the same calm, composed
face rs ever. | began to wonder if the
girl was made of ice.
"Why, she'll beat you all to nothing,
Mary" said Sue, "and you were account
ed the best player in the pensionnat."
"Theren said Belle, testify, CTS lucky
she knows-it will save some trouble to-
night. Have you finished the invitations,
Miss MarShaliT
eyes"
"Then go and hunt up some old fash
ioned dresses and things, and fix them
for us. You'll find lots in the attic"
"Let me go with you, Miss Marshall y
said Sue, springing up; "I'll help you to
sew them--Tyc an immense talent that
way. | was born to be dressmaker, ]
think"
Miss Marshall looked up with q smile
at once, so surprised and pleased, that
it was evident she was little used to such
kind tones. 1t altered her face wonder.
fully, that smile, and she looked for 8
moment another girl.
"We had better all help you to sew
these, | think" said /, cor you will never
be able to have them done in time"
perhaps it would be BETTER" said Mis-:
Marshall.
Dwell, hurry, then," said Belle" half
pettishIy, "there is no use standing al
day talking about il"
"What a cross old thingyou are, Belief
said Sue, passing her arm Familiarity
round Miss Marshall's waist. Come
before Belle bites our heads off.
Belle bit her lip in angry silence. She
was not, on the whole, an ill-natured girl
but she was inclined to be arrogant anc
overbearing, and had taken an cspecia
dislike to her mothers pretty sewing-girl
"Sue is so absurd" she exclaimed, il
an irritable tone. "Making such q fus
about a servant girl! | suppose she vii
be asking her to take part in the tab