The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1882-02-14

1OCes Aoub OGO0y y 0e41GA4t8 MOG13-m&09
bread, whittier than powdesd liliss, sweet
- ambro1iA. soon aequirsa rsputstion,
and the ed lady eoald searcely bake it
fast enough. People cams half dozen
blocks to buy the yellow pamkin-pies and
the delicious spple- e-tartss children brought
their boarded pennies 70 invest in choco-
late sweetmeats, vanilie earamels, and
creAm-cakes with puffy shells and deli
cious centep Of sweetnesA The little
money-draWer grew fat with coins-and
Aunt Debby's dim eyesgrew bright and
hopeful again.
And one day Mr.. Herbert Valance,
walking by with Medara May, stopped
and looked in.
"Isn't that your cousin Grace" said
he, behind the counter 7"
Medors turned crimson with vextation.
my cousin Grace ?" she cried. @No,
indeedl We are not-in trade!"
What possessed her to utter this de-
iberate falsehood, MedoFa could not af.
terw2rd have told. Partly the sting OF
fel.. .A~-s, panty a disinelinaaion for MIR.
Herbert Valance to know that hey rela-
tions were not, to use her own expression,
Mr.. Valance locked up at the sign over
the door.
The name is May" he said indiffer-
emily.
Yes" said MedOra, angry at herself
for blushing SO deeply, "but we are NO
relations"
MIR. Valance thought over the matter
afterward he had met Miss Nav at an
evening party given by . friend, where
pretty Grace Craxall was also present.
he had taken rather . fancy to the
bright blue eyes and delicate blonde
beauty of the former Valance Hall on
the hill just out of TIE city was solitary
enough, now that his sisters had all mar
ried and gone away, and perhaps . man
might find less attractive and graceful
wife than Medora May. But,-he could
not be mistaken, he thought, in Grace
Craxall's identity !
And so, the next evening, at about
the same time, he sauntered into the
shop.
Grace was behind the daintily clean lit
tie counter, taking some newly baked ma
ple-caramels of the pars. She looked up
with smile.
"Good evening, Mr.. Valance" said
she.
$780," he thought, " wasn't mistaken,
after all. And the little blue-eyed seraph
is mortal enough to tell lie in spite of
her angelic appearance !'0
But he looked seRnely at Grace
81 did not know that you were in
trade" said he.
"Didn't you? Well" merely retorted
Grace, 81 am my Aunt Deborah's shop
girl just at present l always come here
in the evenings to help her. Because" !"
she added, with sweet shade of serious
ness coming over her face, " Aunt Debby
was old and poor-and she didn't quite
know how to maintain herself in indie
pendence. And unfortunately my wages
at the factory are not enough for US both.
So | advised her to open this business.
-1uu sue uTu auu sIIC-s doing vrIy veil.
And she bakes the most delicious bread
and pies you ever ate," so, with saucy
twinkle under her eye-lashes, eff you
know OF any customers, will you please
recommend our frm?'.
"To be sure 1 shall" he answered. in
the same spirit. Sand / am very glad,
Miss Craxall. to see that you are not
ashamed of being working girl"
~Of course I am not, said Grace.
" Why should be ?''
But your cousin Medora is
Grace gave a little shrug of her shoul-
ders. Very likely" said she. "Medo-
"a and differ in many things"
Mr. Valance bought a pound Of cara
mels and went away.
"She is beauty" he said to himself
" And she is a sensible beauty into the
bargain. One of those-r0rG arises in
our country, thoroughly well-balanced
girl"
He must have been very well pleased
with his purchase, for he came again the
next evening just in time to walk home
with Grace Craxall. Aad they talked
over Aunt Deborah's Affairs, and con-
cluded that as -four was lew just then, it
would be favorable opportunity for the
old lady to lay in her winter stock
through Mr. Valance, who was acquaint-
ed with one of the great New York grain
merchants!
Only . few weeks had elapsed, when
Medora May was electrified with amaze
ment TO learn that her cousin Grace was
" engaged"
To some master baker, or journeyman
confectioner, suppose" said she, con-
temptuously.
"No," said Grace, with eyes roguishly
sparkling, Z" to Mr.. HeFNert Valance"
t-believe-t," said Medora,
growing red, then pale.
But it's really So" said Grace. g And
we are to be married in three months.
And Aunt Debby Is to come to the Hall
and live with me, ss soon - she can dis
pose of her business to advantage. And,
dear Medora, hope yo7 viii often come
and visit me there"
Medora May did not answer. She
could not. But in her secret heart she
recognized how infinitely more successful
in Gfe's list had been Gr2ce's true, frank
honesty than her own nbtle and devious
course.
Like many another, however, the lesson
had come to her too laeei
Some wears 400 kheFS lived In a Ger.