The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-10-13

pretty Raphaella Fairlie. II shall
come and keep you company for a
whole week, just as soon as l can get
awayfrom the city. Iknew you and
Phil were moping;' nodking her cur.
ly head sagaciously.
A sudden gravity went over Fan.
ME Brudenel's gentle countenance,
yet her eyes frightened expectantly.
81 should love to have you there,
Of COURSE" was all she said.
When train time came and Fan.
ME had left Rae's pretty studio and
the city, the little artist still sat
daintily touching the photograph
she was coloring, and evidently
closely thinking of something else.
She was not sure that Doctor Philip
Brudenel would exactly approve Of
her going to the Laburnums, but she
meanttogo, for all that, for she low
ed him, and sshc could plainly see
that he had cares and perplexities Of
which she knew nothing. And
though they had been engaged over
a year, he made no proposal Of mar
rying soon, only looked modify
when the subject was approached
Rae SO enjoyed his company that
she could live with him in the black
hole Of Calcutta, she declared to her
self, but probably Philip did not
think SO. Anyway she was going to
the Laburnums, his home at Low
shore, because she felt that her love
gave her right to know what was
troubling him.
Ten days later she locked her stu.
dio door and steamed away to Low.
shore, and soon the depot carriage
had set her down at the door of a
tiny cottage hid in laburnum-trees
Fannie kissed her affectionately.
"What a delightful apparition you
are, Rae" she said, and led her into
a little sitting-room.
Everything was very plain, and
very, very tiny, Rae thought, accus.
toned to spacious city apartments
and when Fannie had taken her hat
and traveling-sachel, and gone tc
spread lunch for her, Rae looked
around and saw that the carpet was
threadbare and the furniture ex.
tremely old-fashioned.
Suddenly door opened, and an
old lady, leaning on a cane, tottered
into the room. Her face, bordered
by a snowy cap, had strange, white,
puffy look, but she yet showed signs
of having been very pretty in youth.
"What are you?" she asked Rae,
ga fairy? Do you think you can bet.
ter our fallen fortunes? No, mol that
can never be-"
Rae's cheek burned under the
strangely significant words, but she
guessed Immediately that the old
lady's mind was wandering; then
Fannie entered the room.
"Come, mother, come and rest
now" he said, gently, and drew her
from the room. She came back, say.
ing to Rae:
"My mother is demented. Do not
be troubled by anything she says"
II was evening when Doctor Phil.
ip brought his fine presence into the
tiny home. His start of delight on
beholding Rae was succeeded by a
rather sad smile.
,"What pleasure did you expect tc
find here, child?" he asked, holding
her hand.
perhaps 1 did not come for pleas
ure, Philip"
"For what then?"
"Proft."
"Ifnd very little of that here"
Two days passed. Rae saw plain
ly what the life was at the Labur
nums-monotonous, meager; but evel
since Philip had first brought hi.
sister to her studio, Rae had lovet
Fannie, who was older than herself
and patiently becoming one of th,
sweetest of old maids. So she enjoy
ed sisterly talks with Fannie. Phil
lip was absent most Of the time.
In one of these confidential chat.
Fannie said:
"You ought to have come in thu
early autumn, Rae-it is prettiel
here then. In November we hav,
nOthino ottroctiya l;taro1ly