Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-09-10

lsh, and was angry win inySei iof
so appearing, "IIang the girl ri
thought gazing salsily NJ her whereat
10 nv aslonishmeul, she stuffed her
handkerchief Into her mouth, aud gave
vent 10 a little scream oi laughter say
ingi
"Oh, dear DIDO excuse me- But
YOU do look 10 h hinnocent, yon know
500 very much like Your photo
graph !"
To say the very least, this remark
completely myStitied me-
"Aod pray said l "Sl'Ss' ="
"Jones will do" suggested the young
lady or, "Smill suit yourself Ell
ther will suit me-"
"Then Miss-a-Jones, II may ask
the question without impcrtlnenoe,
where have you had tho pleasure Of
seeing my photograph =
As | spoke scanned my fair COM
panion'- face very closely. Vague sus-
picions ins!nuated themselves into my
mind. thought OF newspaper stories
concerning fair cnchantresses, nimble-
fingered, and shivered.
Here was n poor lone man in the
power OF this ogress
~ believe" remarked the ogress
hy.tericolly, "that I have the spremq
happiness of addressing the valiant
Chevaier Thomas Rand. Pardon
my mirth, but Oh, dear you-youve
pulled one whisker all out Of shape
81 am sure Miss jones'" | replied
with rs much dignity as l could mus
ter for the OCCASION, shat esteem it
great honor to be the object OF ridi.
cule from so extraordinary a specl'
men Of the fair sex as yourself"
ala, ha, hat laughed Miss Jones,
merrily. II do believe that you are
trying to be sarcastic. Please don't
look at me in that horrible way. am
conyulsed with fear"
1t was impossible TO view Miss Jones
while she spoke, lighted up with the
JOY cf pure heart and a merry spirit
aud consider her an impostor. l re
peuted OF all the evil l had thought.
Nevertheless, it must be confessed
that the young lady's style of discourse
somewhat disconnected me.
Miss JONES'" l said with a good
deal of trepidatior, ITO be frank, your
knowledge OF my name and photo
graph seems to me nothing short OF
the supernatural. Would you be kind
enough to enlighten my darkened
mind ?"
"Your name Mr.. Rand" quoth the
maiden with more comrosnre than
she had hitherto evinced, 81 discover
cd partly by taEi"e tho 'iVe''' vr''oH- VI,
ing at your elegant hatbox. There 8
where it appears in letters bright and
beautiful, Y. Rand Circumstances
of rather curious nature led me to be-
lieye that Il. stood for Thomas AS
for your photograph, it is in my
pocket"
At this disclosure 1 was complete
ly perplexed. A thousand suppose
tions crowded into my mind at once
but all proved inadequate to the tas'
of dispelling the mystery. looked
in hopeless wonder at my fair visa
Wis.
II see you are astonished Mr.. Rand
said she, "aud I like to astonish peo
ple. You looked so awful angry
while ago, and it was not becomln!
to "your a-a-'hinn ocent' style o
beauty, I actually compared you men
tally to one OF Raphae''s cherublm -.
won't say which now you look
charming like the other. However
. now I shall take pity on yon ano
clear up your doubts. Behold in mt
the twin sister of your Intended Given
doline Dunscombe. You will at ono
perceive how I became possessed o
you photo, which is abominable, ex
J cuse the adjective, and also hos
i. I found but little difficulty Il
establishing your identity. Ipresum
, that you are on your way to Duns
S combe Hall r ......
1t took me sometime to recover my
a composure after hearing so startling
statement as the above.
When 1 felt tolerable calm, bethipE
ng myself Of the picture which uucl
/. Melancthon had given me as being
:. faithful likeness Of my fate, and r.
membering its extreme ugliness,
e mustered up courage, snatched it fro'
: my pocket, and ensconcing myse
, beside Miss Dunscombe, alias Mi'
d Jones, gave veut'to'my feelings SOM