Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-03-12
MUSK AND PENNYROYAL.


maid in the face one morning as the
girl was dressing her hair. How
often must | tell you not to draw the
hair so tightly back from my fore
head?" she exclaimed, "It must be
quite loose, though firmly held. You
make me fright"
1t was soft hand, yet it could give a
singing blow, as Agnesia had learned
during the last few weeks, for such
blows were new in her experience with
Miss Willis, who till lately had been
the sweetest of mistresses. She said
nothing, however, but made haste to
loosen the brown hair over that snowy
forehead till Margaret's sharp "Cosi!''
told her that the right point had been
reached.
Miss Willis was already dressed, for
she had adopted the custom of the En-
press Eugenie Of having her hair ar
ranged last When twas finished she
rose, letting slip Tie large carr brio man
tie that covered l,er. ana went 10 take tt
carelu survey of herself in !. long mir
ror that stood between the two win
dows. The result cmtld not have peen
otherwise nan p.ea' log. She wore Il
long tuniG Ot lace ana muslin in stripes
over n lavender silk. and rose. colorpd
bows on the half.open sleeves and under
her lovely chin.
"Nom c,mqIc," she owned; and.
drawing toward her vase Of large
pink-and. white fuchsi;s. she fastened
a bunch ok them in the braid tina, sur
rounded her head like q coronet. and
taking the pearl rings from her ears,
hung ftlchsias in their places.
81 am going for u walk below the
belvedere,n she said then to her maid
"Say nothing about it to any one, and
keep people away il YOU can. any Of
those dreadful tourists come here tn see
the grounds, tell the gardener to come
to the terrace and whistle"
Miss Willis went down the grand
stairs. Not = soul was ia sight At
this hour-it had lust struck eleven
from the clock in the grand fountain
all the ladies and gentlemen in the villa
except eperhaps, the master of it. tie
Marquis of San Giorgio, were in their
rooms, and would leave them only at
the sound of the breakfast bell. which
rang precisely at noon. If the MARQUIS
was out. he would be at the potteries in
the very farthest corner of the villa.
He lm0st invariably devoted the hour
or two before breakfast to his CORE.
spondence.
Following a little path that wound
among the shrubs ard trees, Margaret
descended to the level, where. from the
windows above. she might have showed
| like a large flower in the midst of the
rich green. She did not wish to be seen
from the windows, however, but to es.
cape all observation for time. and tc
study for an hour her position. with tbe
airs of heaven blowing about her. Sc
she went nearer the belvedere, and when
she saw its dark balustrade stand out
against the blue skv began to walk
slowly to and fro in its shadow.
Here was her position. She was 3
Young. beautiful and accomplished New
| England girl, rich for her native city
but not rich for one of the grand cite.
either of the old or the new world. A
wealthy and ambitious aunt. who haC
spent the greater part of her life in En-
rope, had brought her here, intendint
to find q great match for her. Margare
had gladly come abroad. but had no
Committed herself to the matrimonia
scheme-had. indeed. been verv COO
about the candidate who immediatel,
PRESENTED himself. The marquis wa
agreeable. elegant. rich and of very bigl
lineage. and he was not yerv old. SR
had no serious objection to make. bu
she had NOT vet been able to consent
though daiIy Urged bv her amt and h
| the lover himself. She could saw neithe
YES nor no. She was toe Indifferent +