Frostburg mining journal., 1882-12-23

pretty
81 am very happy to meet Miss Fer
ris, . he said, quietly.
But there was quizzical look in his
dark eyes, queer twitching around the
well-cut lips.
AT eleven, they all trooped off to bed,
worn out, with the days exertion.
Geraldine, standing at the foot of the
stairs, looked up with roguish eyes.
"Please, some one" pathetically,
"bring some sal-volatile for poor Mr..
Redden. He looks exhausted.
"Fact = the young Londoner opposite
mumured, languidly. "Quite used up,
Hardest days work I ever did"
81 believe you p so emphatically,
they all laughed, and Mr.. Redden
wondered vaguely if that pretty little
Irish girl could have meant anything.
Half way up the stairs, she heard an
exclamation of dismay:
"We've forgotten the mistletoe |"
"Never mind" some one answered;
sit will do i'll the morning."
But, sitting by her dressing room fire,
half an hour later, her loose hair falling
round her like mantle, her shining
eyes looking dreamily into the glowing
Goals, the force of habit never to leave
to-night's work till tomorrow overcame
her. So, thrusting her little bare feet
into her slippers, she took up her night
lamp, opened the door, and ran lightly
down the stairs.
81 saw the mistletoe lying on the hall
table, and the step-ladder and twines are
just where they left them. Huldah will
be glad in the morning to find it DONE"
And moment later she was perched
halfway up the ladder in the great, old,
shadowy hall. Such an odd, pretty
picture in the greenery and gloom, with
her snowy dressing gown OF cashmere
and swans down trailing about her, the
loose sleeves falling away from the white,
uplifted arms, that shower of golden
brown hair ripping over her shoulders.
Five minutes later some one leaned
over the bannisters above, only to draw
back with Mortified gasp and shocked
face. There was cautious opening and
shutting of doors, few magical, whis-
pered words spread from lip to lip, and
then every corridor in the manor seemed
full of stealing, noiseless spectres in
various stages of dishdbi2c.
They were all moving toward the
grand stairway.
"You're sure, Huldah ?"
positive A perfect stranger 1t is
shockingp' p
But her heart was beating with exulta-
ton.
Now would her cousin be banished?
Now would she be Caspar Ferriss heir
ess?
"Dear Uncle Caspar-lookp
Half dozen curious pairs of eyes
peeped over the bannisters and saw
A great hall in shadow, save for the
light of small lamp. In the centre of
the apartment, q step-ladder. Halfway
up, slight, white, fairy figure. Di-
rectly overhead, great bunch of mistle-
toe. Below, his head not quite reaching
her shoulder, young mana very hand
some young man-Sr Cecil Leighton.
He was holding one of the girls hands
tightly in his own. Her bright hair
dropped over his shoulder.
"Oh-h from the stairway spectres.
An irrepressible young lady, changing
tine first line to suit the occasion, mur.
INJURED, mischievously:
"Over the step-ladder bends face
Darlingly sweet and beguiling;
Somebody stands in careless grace
And watches the picture, smiling"
"You will keep it q secret? You
won't tell?" in whisper, from Geral-
dine.
"On my honor-nol Now, my mis-
tletoe kiss, sweetheart"
The fair head dropped; the rosy lips
met his.
"Oh-h |"
The condemnatory sigh had risen to
faint roar.
Geraldine started and looked up. Good
gracious what was that white phalanx
ON the stairs?
Old Caspar Ferris and his niece hur-.
ried down.
"Geraldine p cried Huldah, her voice
trembling more with jealousy than
righteous Indignation, her greenish eyes
dashing, "hoV can you explain such
conduct?
"And Sir Cecil stranger-a perfect
stranger You leave this house in the
morning."
But Geraldine looked more proud than
ashamed, and blushed deliciously.
Sir Cecil laughed-a hearty, ringing,
Doylsn lauSn-iillu put one arm around
her with an air of happy proprietorship.
Not quite such stranger as you
think, Miss Ferris. Our'places in Ire
land join, you know, and Geraldine and
[ have been engaged for three years.
We were married privately month ago,
and have just returned from our wedding
trip to Paris. We came down together
to-day, but this willful little woman took
it into her pretty head to disdain her
husband for n few days. But" dole
fully, "see how soon her pie-crust plan
is broken! Any further explanations"
laughingly, "Lady Leighton will offer"
And Lady I,einhton. hlissful and smil-