New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-06
THE RAGS SECRET.

nnpils were busy working offerings to present TO
| their Mother. and watching with special lnIeresC
| the progress of the flowers in tho garden.
l. tell on day set III the TART OF June; the EsteIs
nevertheless considered Il a special sign Ol heaven
grace upon it that it constantly proved 30 iar lhs
| year the day rose as usual. reSplendent In gar
| ment of Sunshine and gIIde OF leaves. and the
nuns again said this to each other as they gathefed
tho blossoms in the cool OF the morning ,.i.oa %
Visitors from the outside world were inElteu 10
ION tho festivities; refreshments were lald IN i'e
| refectory the afternoon was to be spent III me
| Garden. II was tire only anniversary upon winch
| MIss Martha relaxed her tq'Ouche habit OF keeping
| away from her Kind on their holiday occasions.
Her broad figure usually appeared one OF the irSI
at the Convent gate bag on arm the tlasis H'e ei
| FURNISHED: she always wore dOvr-colored silk
Gown OF skinny proportions displaying the bravery
Of her hest "a ndal snoes and open worked stock
ngs and sportcl red Indian scarf. strongly smell
ing of poi-poarr. Iei big bonnet had new strings
| aud n fresh rose-cOlOred ribbon Huitered at lier
| throat. Mis- Martha always brought bouquet 10
the Mere SupfrieuTe. the arrangement oil whlch
She bad supervised at tie MarchG aux iieurs. =,
1t WAS afternoon now the shadows were length
ening IN the orchard where y ine sat with group
OF sisters There vas stir Of scamperlng leet anu
sound Of cries all round. She had ju9t risen to 80
indoors to fetch her tapestry. when she noticed
| thought she discerned Refine waving her handker,
chef, as If giving signal The circumstance qua
| variety Of games. She. leIsurely walked up a
| slightly ascending path on the summit OF Wmoh
| stood q bower. IL was charming retreat Ihder
| the Intervening branches of creepeTs bench was
placed from whch could be seen the square towers
| of Nore Dame. the nearer tower OF ST. Snlpce; AS
| she apDroacbed s1e caught glimpse OF q dove
colored dress shall surprise some one asleep on
that bench smiled Aline. The sleeper, she iouhd'
! was Mis-, Martha The old lady's head was thrown
| back her bonnet had slipped oil, holding ny lts
| strings to her wrlnkled throat. AS size lay IN the
abandon OF ecp all the sword strokes all the sears
that the years deal in Their passage came out PLAINLY
| visible Awake, she had n mobility OF expression.
| brightness OF the eyes which kept up an appear
! gnce OF youth but in seep age had Its rev euge
If the clock of the old MAIDS life had stopped some
gtrI< n lp
| had Como recording the passage OF time. ana
| showed the hour IN the surrender OF laS@tuue'
| Allne marked the wrinkles, the snnken temples,
the rcddencd oyeids, the weak dIoop oil the opened
mouth through which came the heavy breath Al
| the dust OF life gathered III the thuning har she
| was touched. She thought there was valiant
! cain upon the old race. As she stood moment
! there wishing she could place pillow under MISS
| Marthas head something struck her as missing IN
her appear ance. She could not think what II was
then ii flashed upon hcr-it was the bag! The bag
| was gone Quickly she looked about Tor IL on
| every side. IL was nowhere. linen she Iehem.
Dored that swarm OF girls disappearing within the
| Convent.
She SGT on with run Her bounding young feet
carried her soon over the garden. into the honse;
mast the payloiy where the chairs, disturbed from
helr formal array, stood abOut IN sOclaDle groups;
up the stairs into the dOrnitoreS the nuns cells
the rooms of tho NGurS tOHrcrscs-no sign OF the
u,lfcreIs anywhere: all was still a. the sunshine
pouring in As she stoou ponderng where she
would 90 next. u muiled sound OI laughter struck
her ear til FL q peal quickly snOthered. mere was
n garrrt-a remote attlc-ffOm the WINDOW OF
which glimpse of the Rue Ste. Croi1 conld he
obtained. Quick as thought she was on ITS thIeSh-
Old The rusty key did not turn IN the lock, but
a chair barrcaded the door. Alne pushed 1t back
with violence.
.Ab mon Diem exclaimed some startled voices
Then n laugh Of recognition.
'tnre.-dopC. but don't make noisei for all the
world must not be found out: MISS Martina
you she does not know tins attic. crleu helhe
She was he central figure al group OF girls kneel
Ing or squattlng Oh the uO0r
Aline recognized ihe bag In her lap; she CON
III tI,..H
ters and "a variety of objects All; 6nt II Is mia
mous-it Infamous hat you are doing she cried
Not bit of IT. replied RENE unabashed. talk
ing rapidly. Before hiding the bag, we are only
examining rs contents II ~ INST what sadm, ,It
We only want to give the old maid start we'll
help hor to find it-her dear bag-aiter she has mad
a good LOOK for IT.
Il fell yor tnat il is odous-that IL is like
rlege' Ahne answe cred with abored breath.
Bah Don't let her GET ont. Marie. stand before
the door, Keep her hands from her ears She
must listen ion will see how interesting IL Is
Miss Martha's lover is a9older-an oihcer-hand-
some fellow blonde moustaChe. III tie air OF prlde
quite une DtiEiairc There is his miniature
Mahrook Sen rd-t-n gucr1e. All you must
hear; he languishes burnside bursts with love
'Ahe grevcd Aline, whom two laughing girls
were holding back. you don't kn0W-you don't
knOW-what you are doing"
There are all sorts Of things in the bag " con
tinucd RENE, IN an explanatory voice; "a coc@ade
"A medal-a soIled gauntet-qnite Il museum OF
romantic old clothes-a gold thimble-a pearl ring
-some faded nowers-overything; and little com
uaTtmcnts sewn into the lining for everything.
That is why nothing ratified. Now listen: Mai
brook il gone vislt-.iirst partng-great despair
-egoism Of ove-Niiss Martha has bdden him not
To be too happy without her.
I'm a French nccent slowly Refine began to read
Happy away from you ! am as stupdly mlsor-
able a. ever poor loye-slck boy was-ahu you
know it. My heart IS away Waiting before that
shabby green garden dO0r--wutcnlng 10 see III open
and let you ont. see the damp steps leading down
10 the river and you coming tripping along on your
y feet 4
waist; your dainty ankles your checks blooming
like roses; your eyes Az alght with MISCHIEF ana
fun used to say There's Dymph tor you.
Such girl the poets saw when they wrote about
the nymphs.
'Miss Maitha a nymph'
A nymph. went eddying rou nd Aine OIL smoth
cred scrt ans of laughter.
BAT what | see oftenest continued Refine not
needing the Interruption, is the hedge Of lavender
that blessed hedge in he garden-and that morn
ing wheE you on one side and on the other, we
picked the flowers for Aunt Priscllla's pot pOH'r.
My dear You bad used me shameiully. | had no
spirit for anything; my cigar had lost It's coliolt-
ing power; my heart had been on the chill pave
ment twenty times a day but all at oLce-do you
remember Our hands met across the hedge and |
would not let yours go-l would not-qntII you had
promised they would rest in mine in that c asp
death alone can part. You might laugh rs much rs
you liked after you bad promised, and say youId
marry me some 3Oth Of February or on All Fools
Day did not care | could laugh too | knew |
was the luckiest fellow in tho world. Bless you
for ItP
Amen !! said the auditors
lou SIX how like the miniature (Reine began
AGAIN from another letter. Passaby only. There
is "A sort of resemblance; but what onTages me is
that fancy | detect the painters part a ruff
fanly intention to beaufy yOu. lie has tired TO set
right. what he may facetlously call "Out of draw
ing" in yOur taco He has not given that gentle
squeeze up of the left side that makes eye. one
eyebrow. and especially one noStrll, little higher
than the other. That delightful, awry look, so
perplexing and tormcnting. OF course he has not
done Justice 20 yOnr eyes | did not Expect that
those wicked, charming
of the hair is Just so. il looks the shade and
braided up tight, ACCORDING to Aunt Prsca's no.
tons of Sunday proprloty. Loose and in the sun
light what Is that hair likeY think of amber,
champagne. n'mbus! That is your hair
The explosion of laughter that followed this
string of SMILES no longer Jared upon Aline. She
was nhsnrhed: she did not hear il She no lOnenr