The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-06-10
MISS MAHONEY's LACE.

MISS MAHONEY'S LACE.
They were having good time at the
farm, as pleasant party of gay cir
graduates rs could well be put together
when Miss Mahoney arrived upon the
scene of action, and her appearance was
certainly like q wet blanket on all pleas
ure. s
The farm was on mountain side, high
up in the air; all below it q great am.
phitheater of lesser hills mellowed in dis.
lance and vapor till they looked like the
waves Ola purple sea, with now and Their
mighty rainbows spanning them; and all
above it the lofty tops of hills, whose
woods here feathered of upon the morn
Ing sky, and whose crags there jutted
sharply on the stars at night The all
was full of the song of birds, the rustic Of
leaves, the hum of bees and the rushing
Of waterfalls, and it seemed to the hap.
py young things that they were some
where above the world-in an ideal re-
gion from which no voice could summon
them. But, for all that, sharp voice
called when Miss Mohoney was heard at
the door, and the cruel common world
burst IN behind her. E4t
She came in the noon stage, and she
brought such tons of Iuggagel That had
to come on another. What did she mean
to do with 1t at the farm, where linen
lawn was full dress? And she had col
lie dog, and huge cage with magpie
in 1t, and the maybe chartered like the
confusion of tongues. Miss Mahoney
stopped at the door, opened the cage and
let the .magpie 60. "He comes back at
call, she said to Mrs. Pierson, our land
lady, who hardly looked with, kindness
on the bird of evil. "He likes to have
; his liberty and make his nest, and so
let him have it all the summer city life
is so cenfning. And Laddie keeps an
eye on him. But we all embraced Lad
die at once, as he put up his pretty nose
> and tender brown eyes to our faces, and
the collie became the best friend of all
the young girls that day, particularly
those of the prettier ones, for he had quite
taste in beauty; he seemed to know that
there was not a gallant about the place,
and he might be escort to the whole par
ty If he would, and he presently attached
himself so pertinaciously to Adele Mont
have to show him Philips picture next,
and tell Laddie that Philip was coming
in month.
Miss Mahoney came down to tea in re-
gal array. No such garments had ever
been seen at the farm as her purple
striped velvet gauzes, with their satin
understuff. AS for her string Of pearls,
perhaps they were only Roman, but if
they were real, they were worth more
than the farm; and then the lace shawl
which she knotted up round her throat
as they sat on the piazza, looking at the
sunset more underneath than above them,
"as if it had been Shetland WOOL" said
Jane; "whcn it was priceless Brussels
net"
! s'But she has oceans of lace" said Miss
Meyer. ] opened her door by mistake
as she was unpacking, and there it was
some in boxes and trays, and some over
chairs. What with laces and Jewels, the
room looked like the milky way"
"Shen think we are set OF barbara
ans, said Adele, with her quick blush,
"with hardly SO much as tucker"
And we shall think her vulgar par
venue, bringing such things to such a
place" said Jane.
"She's not mouveau rlchc, at any
rate" answered Miss Meyer. '.For she
isn't rich at all. Mrs. Pierson knows
about her. She inherited all her fine
things from some relation or other, and
has only enough money to live on;
and when she wants to do something ex-
travagant, like coming to the mountains,
she sells pearl or bit of lace"
Miss Mahoney, OF course, became an
object Of study to the girls, and was al
ways accompanied in her progress by
tonne awe and mere ridicule-the former
- the possessor of fnery that somehow
went to their hearts every time they saw
IL or heard Of il, the latter as woman
past forty, tall and angular and ugly and
Ignorant, aping the appearance and man
ners Of young girls.
II wonder how she came by Ladder
said Adele, one day.
"She gave jewel for him." said Miss
Meyer, laughing, $50 as to have some
thing to protect her other jewels. I'm
sure It's no wonder how she came by Jack.
That magpie will drive US all out Of the
house YET"
'.See him now,n said Jane Hunt, ION
the limb Of that hollow oak. Doesn't be
lock like limb himselfs'
"There is certainly something demon
lac about Jack, said Adele. sHe came
tapping at my window last night, and
when I saw those eyes of his they made
me shiver So" ,
ale was after those cakes in you,
closet"
EDO you suppose he WASH she asked,
\ a. she was going off with Laddle.
They didn't any of them suppose 90,
for ell the animals about the place seemed
to have fondness for Adele, cows and
horses, cats and doves; even the wood
birds have way Of flying low round the
Charming head as she called them. Some
ssaid it was her beauty, for she
was the lovellest little brown haired blue.
eyed, white-browed, damask-cheeked
Hpiece of flesh and blood one could imap.
Ine; and the rest fancied it was some
nearness to nature in her, or some secre,
ATTRACTION like that Of the Indian snake
eharmers.
tsThat is the same way she tanned Jane,
brother Phil" said Lucia. ssEvery one
n 1~A N