Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-12-12

Miss Scarlett's little sister, isn't it,"
said he.
AleXia furtively whisked away her
tears, and answered.
"Yes."
"ls anything the matter ?" said Mr..
llelullyn. "Can be of service ? Pray
command me, if
"lf you could please take me home"
said eager AleXia. Every slyly indeed,
mind because I've been sent back to
boarding-school before the holidays are
out, Just because Verena, Ermengarde,
and mamma consider me too little to
see company on New Years day"
This is serious trouble indeed 7"
said Mr.. Helullyn, laughing
"Oh, it is indeed - sighed Alexia. Il
am sixteen, you know, and should so
like to be young lady, like Verena
and Ermengarde ! but you see," re-
turning to the subject, "AIiss Gardiner
is not here to receive me, and if you
would please take me back in your
carriage, [ would creep in by the area
gate and perhaps perhaps, | shall be
at home on New Years day, after
all-But," her large, dark eyes sudden
ly blazing into Indignation, you are
laughing at me"
"Not laughing at you, Miss Ardell,"
he fastened to explain "only with
you"
Miss Ardell ="
AleXias heart leaped at this delc-
ious tribute to her young ladyhood.
She felt prouder still when Mr.. IIelullyn
helped her into his carriage and they
drove away.
"Leave me at the corner of the
street, please" said AleXia at would
never do for mamma and the girls to
see me in your carriage ! And Ermen-
garde would be so vexed "
And othe little wild gipsy stole in at
the area-gate; and bribed the cook with
Il kiss and ii string of amber beads, not
to betray her surreptitious re-entrance
into the family circle, while Mr.. He
lullyn went home to wonder what there
was 50 facinatng in AlcXia Ardell's
round, dimpled face and liquid, dark
eyes
"a child indeed I" he said to him
self. "She is Il woman, and danger
ously lovely woman, too only she
doesn't know it Eyes like pools of
deep garnet brown; hair all glstening
like tangles of sunshine. Little Alex
ia, if you could only see yourself as
others see you, you might be tempted
to be vain | shall make a point of
calling at Judge Ardell's house on
New Years day, and if Miss AleXia is
not there, | shall certainly inquire for
her -
Thepink satin dress vindicated Nine.
Chaussa's fame as an artistic dress
maker; the blue damask came home in
time to be tried on and pronounced
perfect" on Saturday night and on
Monday, the Misses Scarlet dressed
themselves with judcious care, and
many lavings with rose water and
cautious applications of pearl-cream
and blush-pink.
The draWing-roOms, decorated with
hot-house flowers, and Illuminated, not
with vulgar gas, but with the white
lustre of many wax candles in myriad |
branched candelabra, had been person
ally inspected by Mrs. Ardell before
she went to make her toilet, and the !
little room at the back, where the !
Judge ordinarily kept his boots, and
oyercoats, and Turkish pipes, had been
transformed into a smilnX-garlanded |
bower where faint lights glowed .
through shades of Nile-green glass, and |
the most elegant and aesthetic refresh
ments weIe arranged in cieiS0nne en-
amelled ware, trays of repOuSSee silver,
and baskets of Dresden China.
And, just at the time when Ermen.
garde was saying to her sister How
do | look, dear 2" and Verena was
twisting herself into the shape of a
letter $, to see the back of her false |
pugS and plaitings in the mirror. little
AleXia was enthusiastically tossing
about the contents of an old cedar
chest in the sIore-roOm, which con-
tained the long forgotten wardrobe of
the first Mrs. Judge Ardell
"Oh," she cried, this is beautiful ~
and she unfolded a scented robe of
long China Grape, crimped like the
shingly bars of the finest sea-sand, and
embroidered in fantastic figures Of
scarlet silk. H'll wear HiS
"But it's 50 odd and old fashioned,
miss" said Louisa, the maid
"That is the very charm of il !" pro-
nounced AleXia. "Oh. do make haste,
Louisa, with my hair Are you sure
you can do it like the plate in the fash
ion book r.
Mrs Ardell was arranging the folds
of the point lace over her shoulders,
when Miss Verena rushed mp stairs.
mamma, Ermengarde !" she cried,
"who is the lady down stairs 2"
"The lady down stairs :" repeated
both mother and daughter in amaze
ment
"Receiving Mr. Ilelullyn in our
ON |" cried brpat hlese Va