The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-03-31
ooh, madame, i dare not try after

rest were not IN perfect tune; but the
spirit of music so guided the long slen
der fingers that they reproduced tho
minor melody madame had played, so
daintily enwrapped in bird like trills
and ripping runs that she, in turn,
stood entranced.
"After me, indeed I" she sad, as the
girl struck the last chord. 81 had to
learn, but you--it is part of you. And
you have no piano ? All, that is sad.
Gould l give you mine, it should be
yours. But it belonged to my dear hus-
band, who died twenty years ago, and
could not bear to part with it. He was q
Frenchman aud professor of music. L
was an American girl and one of his pu-
pills. When l married him / helped
him teach others, and so came to be
called madame We loved each other
very much. But l shall be glad, my
dear-very glad--to have you come here
and play as often AS you will.
"Could L come as often rs / would"
said the girl, with bright smile, I'm
afraid | should soon tire you. But L
will come as often as / can. And OH,
madame" kissing the soft.
wrinkled cheeky cannot tell you how
much l thank you I"
But the "often" proved very seldom,
for some of the summer boarders staid
until the end of October; and the butter
had to be churned, and the fruit canned,
ard the younger sisters to be prepared
each day for school, and the twin boys
nothing to speak of in point of years,
but perfect Methuselahs in mischief-to
be looked after from morning until
,.xl,t TO-. Il -
and Il thousand and one other things to
DE done.
And then madame fell sick, and all
the time Viola could spare she spent at
her bedside. "Time that had much
better be spent at home," scolded her
step. mother; "for there's a servant
there, and one servants enough to take
care of two such houses as that, and
their mistresses, too, sick or well. L
have no servant.
You have me-" Viola might have re-
piled, "and no servant ever worked
harder or for less wages" but she set
her lips firmly together and said nothing.
Bat she rose earlier than ever thereafter,
that she might not leave undone the
slightest of her tasks, and thus merit no
reproach for the few hours each day she
gave her dear old friend. And now mad
anne was getting well, and, with the help
of her strong servant-maid, could go from
room to room; but she was best satisfied
as yet to lie in the wee parlor on the
lounge before the big window.
And here Viola made her appearance
the day the roses were beckoning, with a
merry greeting and dish of luscious
red strawberries smothered in cream;
but in spite of the merry greeting there
was hint of shadow on her bonny
face that did not escape madames keen
black eyes.
"Tell me about it, my DEAR" she
said, in her sweet, trembling voice.
Viola knelt beside her. You must
be a fairy, madame" she said "for
none but fairy could have guessed that
l was little sorry to-day. And for
such trihing cause I'm ashamed to
speak of it" But, the old lady insisting
with gentle persistence, she began: cit
is ball would like to go to, but can
not. / have never been to ball, and
this one-you remember the young lady
who boarded at our house last summer,
with her father and sister"
"And BROTHER" suggested madame.
"And brother" repeated Viola, never
lowering her frank blue eyes, but blush
ing from the tip Of her round chin TO
the curls shading her low fair brow.
"Well, she and 1 were good friends
then, but never dreamed she would re-
member me after she went away, for be
she, mean-is rich, and am poor,
and our ways .E life lie very, very far
apart. But Sic has not forgotten me.
See, madame, here is an invitation to u
ball to be given on her 10Th birthday at
her aunt's house, only few miles away.
And-and her brother signs it too. He
writes handsome hand, does he not,
madame ?"
"a strong, handsome hand, my dear,
and he is q handsome, manly fellow.
do not forget the messages he used to
bring me from you and deliver with such
courtly grace. You must go to the
bail.
"Oh, madame, it is impossible. I
could not go if it was the simplest of
parties, and it is to be fancy dress. L
have nothing TO wear. You know the
crops failed last year on account of the
drought? But what folly for me to let so
~
when all at home have strength and you
are fast getting we'll"
For which we should be-and no
doubt we are-devoutly thankful" said
the old lady, "and all the more reason
why you should go to the ball You said
just now L must be fairy. I'll prove
my right TO the title by being fairy
god-mother. You did not know that my
name was Violet. Take the key that you
will find under the clock on the mantel,
and open the ottoman standing yonder."
"Open the ottoman, madame ?"
Yes; it is simply chest in disguise,
and in it lies your bail dress"
The i'd of the disguised chest was
raised, D long box lifted out and opened.
An exclamation of delight burst from
Viola's lips. There lay satin dress of
creamy whiteness. 1t unfolded into
miracle of old-fashioned loneliness. Pur.
Pile violets were scattered here and there
upon the scant skirt, as though dropped
from some careless hand, and the pulled
sleeves aud short waist were made of
wealth of amber-hued lace. And then
came large, quaint fan of sandal-wood
and peacock feathers, necklace Of
pearls, high tortoise.shell comb and a
noir of satin Shoes with low fat baala