Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1880-02-08

sight Of the toast and the chocolate con
auered, and Mable permitted hersalf TO b,
coaxed into the gossip she really enjoyed
1T was glorious last night, wasn't il
Madge, was it only imagination, or did b,
really paw me more marked attention p
Madge laughed.
"He was very courteous to everybody
Yes, come to think Of it, Mable, he die
dance with you three times, with Mist
Lester twice, and with other less fortu
nate creatures only once"
(which latter list includes yourself
Evidently he wasted no special admiration
on you" said Mable.
The cruel, uncalled-for sarcasm GU
Madge to the very heart-that fond, true
womanly heart that knew no jealousy,
no envy.
Her answer was very quiet, very hon est,
but her sweet, sensitive lip quivered.
"No, Mr.. Ermine wasted no special
! admiration on me. Why should he, when
| you were there? How could he, anyhow,
! when there is nothing about me to attract
any mans notice? All the same" and
the old, sweet content thrilled through
her tones, IL am very well satisfied. You
shall make the grand match one of these
days, and mamm and l will live alone
and keep each other company"
Mable sneered.
Its very little comfort you'll get I'M
der such an arrangement. Mamma does
need more waiting on than any one | ever
saw, and You are silly enough to humor
all her whims. Well. thank Heaven, the
prospects are favorable for my getting
ont Of this stupid little hole. There,
Madge, I've spilled that greasy chocolate
on the table cover. Run-get a cloth
and wash it off,"
Madge gathers up the cups and went
into the kitchen, where the man stood at
the door, waiting evidently to thank her,
which he did. in a broken patois. Madge
guessed at more by his gestures han any
thing else.
"That's all right. my man. You're
welcome to such as it is"
II # # n y n
Ermine, walking to and fro on the
balcony that commanded a view of hill
and dale, valley and stream, watched the
wide carriage-road down which presently
came the barouche, its prancing horses
and liveried servants, and from which be
saw Mable Cl~arrence's exquisite pink and
fair face, with its laughing. joyous eyes
and floating, lovely hair-a vision beauti-
full enough to have made any mans
pulses stir.
Only that it was the sight of another
face beside Mable's-pure, thoughtful, al
most plain, yet so throughly womanly,
streDgthful and happy-Madge C~larrence's
face. the sight of which thrilled Caryl
Ermine to the very soul. the touch OF
whose hand as be assisted his summer-day
guests from the carriage he had sent for
them, sent his heart all a-throb.
T4kIa NIL Ill - - HF.
Ermine cared for her until that day, when
told her so.
"If it had been Mable, Mr. Ermine,'
he said, in her sweet, unselfsh way.
How ever could you have passed our
beautiful Mable to-to-look at mer"
"Does tina. mean you don't love me; or
that you think that l had better transfer
my allegiance to Mable, the beautiful ?''
She nestled closer to him, looking up
with such tender eyes.
"Oh, no. mol 1 could never give you
up-now. Only l don't understand it at
ALL"
He smoothed her ripping hair softly.
LET me tell you a little story. Once
upon a time there was a-a- well, we,
call him a best, who agreed with beauty
that it would be quite fair to disguise him.
self and see if beauty could detect him,
which she was sure she could do. Well,
this beast did disguise himself, and instead
of beauty discovering him, he discovered
a wonderful pearl"
# II # II n Y #
That was all Mr.. Ermine ever told, and
it was all Madge ever knew, while Mable,
chagrined aud disappointed at her i'll
luck, at last yielded gracefully and made
a very fair sister-in-law, never dreaming
in all her life that the man in her mother, 8
kitcnen had altered all her life for her.