The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-01-03
A LOVE TEST.

Oh, mother what do YOU think? I've
Just heard the awfullest news Mr.
Stacey, the great merchant, has failed
in business, and Nora has gone TO work
for her living actually, mamma gone
to be paslry-cOok"
Great heavens, Lillian, YOU re mad!
Nora Stacy, the beauty and belle,
pastry-cook' Absurd. Where in the
world did you hear such NONSENSE
Mrs. Langdons face was the picture
of CONSERVATION Her daughter paused
before the long mirror and arranged
her blonde crimpS with an air Of salts
faction
Belle Lindsay told me-" went on
Miss Lillian. "She says the Staccys
have closed their fine house. and gone
of somewhere all but Nora, and she is
at Mrs. Parsons, in the elevated capaci-
ty Ot pastry-cook. Belle says there is
no mistake about it, for she called on
Mrs Parsons purpose TO find out the
truth.
You know that Belle is quite at home
there, and she invented some excuse to
get into the kitchen, and there she saw
Nora Stacey, just as plain as she ever
saw anything in her life, with big
linen apron on. her curls tucked away
into "A knot behind her ears, her sleeves
rolled up, aud her hands in pan of
dough, just as hard at work as any
Bridget YOU ever saw! Isn't it dread
ful?n
shocking absolutely shocking.
Well with a sigh Of infinite relief, ''let
lis be thankful that we made the dis
covery in time. Lii, wonder what
Mr.. Greville will say now?n
That's just what I'd like to know,
mother. | believe that the loss of her
fortune would make little or no differ
cnce to him, for he has enough and TO
spare. But he is the pr lest man in
existence, and never would endure the
shock OF hearing that the woman he
loved had demeaned herself in such u
fashion, depend upon it, mamma"
Lillian Langlon paused, aud glanced
listles,ly from the open window They
were passing the summer at the R
Hotel, and it was overcrowded that
season. She started in confusion as her
eyes fell upon a huge lounging-chair
tipped lazily back on the cool yerandah
outside the window a pair OF arms in de-
cidedly masculine coat-sleeves, a white
hand upon which huge diamond
sparkled, holding newspaper, while
Whit Of fragrant cigar smoke curled up
into the Dir. Charlie Grevilc had over
l., 80 al of
The proudest man in existence
folded his newspaper and arose, with q
comical expression upon his handsome
face.
"What can that chattor-boX meanp
he muttercd, as he moved slowly away.
"By Joyc, its worth iuquiring into"
There, Dell. hand me the raisins;
you've stoned them very nicely Beat
the eggs now for the icing. That's the
next thing in the programme. | believe;
isn't it, Mrs, ParsonsP'
Nora Stacey turned pair of roguish
blue eyes upon the kind face beside the
kitchen table,
Whatever might he the extent of the
Staccys' reyerscS. they seemed to trouble
Nora very slightly,
She wore a pink calico dress and
white linen collar; her hair was knotted
simply at the back Of her head n pink
rose, from the rosebush Just outside the
kitchen window, nesting amid the curly
brown trcSses, huge linen apron COW
ering and protecting her dress
A week before she had appeared in
Mrs Featherbrain's drawing-rooms, at
tircd in costume which had cost n
cool thousand, and u set of pearls tit for
Il royal princess; but she had not looked
one half so pretty rs she did this June
morning, standing in the great cheer
full shady kitchen 'up TO her eye" in
baking
Nora Stacey was II highly accom-.
plished young lady. She could sing
divnely, and chatter French like n mag.
pie; she could dance like sylph; could
do wonderful execution on the piano;
work and morc--shc could make the
lightost, snowiest bread, the most de-
licious cake. and the puiliest, flakiest
pastry imaginable
A ring at the door.bell Little Dell
(NIrs. Parsons housemaidD disappears
for moment, returning painting, eX-
cited with II square of bristol-board in
her hand,
For Miss Nora she says, laying il
before the Self-same young lady.
Nora glances over tho top of the cake
which she is icing, and reads the name
from the card aloud, coolly;
"Charcs Grcvilc."
Her blue eyes flash, and her pink
checks grow pinker
Mrs. Parsons" she cries laughingly.
but with an under current of earnest
ness in her manner, which shows Of
how much Importance 1t is to her, 81
am going to receive Mr.. Greville just as
] amp
Mora"
"Plcase now, do not object! Ihave a
reason, you-you know"
Mrs. Parsons smiled.
every well, nv dear. I'll say no more.