The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1883-05-24

you poked in every crack and chink Of
her house,
al shan't ask her to let me trv,"
laughed Louise. "But, really, Auntie,
l think you are inclined to exaroerate
my untidiness little. Surely it is not
a crime to have ones shoes unbuttoned
or a collar loose? The horrid pins never
a0iH stay"
"They would stay if you put them in
properly, Louise" said Miss Harrison,
gently. ''But you don't seem to think
neatness or order of the slightest i'm
portance.' y
81 haven't been brought up to give
them much thought, that's fact,'' Said
Louise. cat home everything is at
skies and sevens. Yet we all get on
well enough. AS mother says: What
is the use of worrying about little things
when we have minds to improve and
cultivate?'"
Miss Harrison sighed.
zone need not neglect self-improve-
ment while looking carefully after the
ways of the household she said. "But
| must not keep you up any longer, my
dear. 1t is time you were asleep. Go
to bed now, and perhaps tomorrow
may be able to convince you that it will
be well for you to have little more re-
gard for Heavens first law when YOU
become Harry Valiant's wife,
81 fear you will find me incorrigible,
Aunt Margaret, said Louise, as she
left the room. "'What is bred in the
bone viii come out in the flesh,' you
know"
A troubled look came upon Miss Har-
rison's face as the door closed upon the
graceful figure of her niece.
$50 pretty, so talented, so accom-
plished and soamiable, she murmured,
land yet fear her one fault will bring
her many heartache in the future.
Miss Harrison accompanied her niece
to Mrs. Valiant's to make formal call,
and Louise-thanks to her aunt's care
was so beautifully and neatly dressed
that Mrs. Valiant, sharp as were her
eyes to detect q flaw, had no fault to
find, and was completely won by the
young girls charming manners and
lovely face.
81 can congratulate you, Harry, with
all my heart" she said to her son that
evening. 81 like Miss Louise so well
that l hope you will soon bring her
home to me-
''And you will like her still more
when you know her better, mother"
said the young man, much pleased by
this praise of his betrothed. ssShe is
wonderfully clever. Young as she is
only twenty, you know-she has already
written several essays for scientific mag
azines, and helps her father continually
in his law work" !"
" / think you have every reason for
believing she will make you happy"
said Mrs. Valiant as she bent over her
son and kissed him tenderly. But
Harry-you know my hobby-is she
neat9 That is virtue of great inn
portance in my eyes, since you are to
make your home with me.n
"And in my eyes, too,n said Harry,
smiling. +" The necessity of order and
cleanliness has been so impressed upon
me from my youth up, that slovenly
woman is my especial aversion. But |
have never seen Louise otherwise than
well and neatly dressed, mother
.Miss Harrison is model house
keeper, / know" said Mrs. Valiant,
g and very probably Louise's home is
as well kept.n
81 will take notes for your special
benefit when pay her my first visit, ;"
said Harry, laughing.
Three days after her call upon Mrs.
Valiant Louise was summoned home by
the illness of her mother. Harry ac-
eompanied her some distance on her
journey, and promised to visit her as
soon as his business would permit him
TO do so. Meanwhile they were to cor
respond. Mr.. Harrison having given
by letter his free consent to their en-
gagement.
1t was cold, rainy day in March. A
very dismal, uncomfortable day, Louise
Harrison thought as she sat in her bed
room and looked out on the muddy, wet
street. Before her was a small table lit
tered with writing materials, fancy
work, patterns, and various odds and
ends. But she was not working, for
she had just received letter from
Harry in which he announced the
pleasant news that he would be with
her on tomorrow, and she could think
of nothing else.
81 wonder what time he will call,
she murmured, as she opened the letter
for about the tenth time and scanned
the closely-written pages. "Imust have
the parlor fixed up and tell Susan to
build a fire in the CRATE. ;"
At this moment the door opened and
her father, a tall, handsome, but rather
areworn-looking man, entered.
"Why, father, supposed you had
gone to your Office long ago." said
Louise, looking up in surprise.
"No; as usual breakfast was late,
and I've been looking for the last hour
for that bundle of newspapers put on
the shelf of the library closet a week
ago. Some one has meddled with them,
of course, and they are not to be found.
Can't you make search for them,
Louisep"
Certainly" answered Louise, with
cheerful alacrity, land if find them |
will bring them down to your Office this