The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-09-21

Mrs. Delane was sobbing softly, with
her thin hand on her daughters shoul-
der; but little Rose, her bare feet peep
ing out beneath her snowy night-gown,
was watching, with her blue eyes wide
with waiting wonder, parcel that
Lillian was unfolding.
'Tis for you, DEAR" said her sister.
81 made it myself at leisure time"
AS she spoke, she shook out the dress.
1t was a pretty, glossy fabric, as blue as
June sky, and very stylishly made
up.
"Oh was there ever anything SO
pretty ~ cried Rose. Mother, mother
Think of the Melrose dance Won't it
be just the thing to wearp"
"I'm afraid you're little vain and
selfish, Rose," said her mother, reprov-
ingly. "Your sister expends all on us,
and saves nothing for herself"
oh, mother, don't, please !" cried
Lily. " Let her be happy over it. But
what about the Melrose dance, Rose ?"
"Why, there's to be dance and a
supper at the Melroses' tomorrow night
"a real old-fashioned festival and the
Squire has invited everybody" replied
Rose, as she took off her nightrobe, in
order to try on her new dress. "You
and I are to go, and have been fretting
for days about what should wear; and
won't this be glorious p''
"And what will Lily wear herself 2"
said Mrs. Delane.
"Oh, never mind me, mother" inter-
posed Lillian. don't like such places.
You know, Tom Dalton and his sisters
will come for Rose, and you and L will
have cosy evening together at home
here. This is your little present, dear
mother.''
Mrs. Delane received the warm, win
ter shawl in silence, only pressing her
daughters hand, and weeping; and
Lillian was the happiest girl in the wide
world, though her own garments were
threadbare, and her little purse now
empty.
Cold and stormy dawned New Years
Day; but the Delane cottage was cosy
and warm, and the widow and her
daughters enjoyed their dinner better,
to be sure, than If such delicacies were
common with them. AS the day closed,
the storm increased, but Tom and Mary
Dalton came down early, in covered
vehicle, and insisted that Rose must not
think of giving up the Melrose dance.
And Rose had no desire to do so, long,
ing as she did to display her new dress
to Toms admiring eyes.
Lillian stood in the cottage.door, and
watched the young people drive off;
then momentary sadness came into
her sweet, brown eyes.
"How gay and happy they will be-"
she thought, ''and Dick Buckingham
will be there.'
But what was it to her Why should
she care9 She shut the cottage door,
and went back to her work. Her moth
er was ill, and had lain down; so Lillian
quietly began some sewing. But her
hands dropped idly on her lap, and she
gazed moodily into the fire. For once
in her unseltish life, Lillian Delane was
discontented.
Presently her eyes wandered to an old
picture that hung against the cottage
wall. 1t was her grandfather's portrait
"a stern, old-fashioned man, and the
wealthiest landholder in the place, in
his lifetime.
Delane Mansion, in those days, had
been not whit behind Melrose Hall, or
Buckingham Villa, in comfort and lux
ury. Lillian could remember when they
all lived there with her grandfather, so
happy, with every wish gratified. But
then her grandfather had died, and there
was trouble about the will. The right
one, or what was believed to be the right
one, could not be found, and her uncle,
bold, bad man, got all the estate, and
her poor mother was turned out home
less and friendless. The uncle had gone
to live In London, and the Delane Man
sion stood empty and shut up.
The storm beat without. A wild wind
clanked the elm boughs, and whirled
the snow about the cottage windows.
The din was SO high, that Lillian barely
heard a rap outside. She arose and
opened the door half nervously.
/" Why, Mr.. Buckingham !" she ex-
claimed.
+" Yes, Miss Delane,n he said. ''Won't
you ask me imp am half smothered.v
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