New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-08

came fearful lest Claire should pierce by sort OF
adroit ignorance, her veneer of academic snam'
She had q narrow little peaked face, OF prevailing
pink hue, as though 1T were being always bathed
IN some kind of sunset light like the rosy after
glow of her own persisted responsibility. Her
nervous, alert head was set on pair Of sloping
shoulders, and she wore its sparse tresses sbaped
into roulades and bandeaus which had AN amateur
ish look and seemed to initiate the deft handwork
of some long-depsrted tirewoman. She carried her
small frame with erect Importance. She was
always referring to vanished friendships with this
or that notability, but time and place were SO
ignored IN these volunteered "reminiscences as to
make her illusions acquire tender mythic grand
eur. Clare had watched well her teachers real
and native elegance, and she haa set this down rs
sol,d fact. Perhaps tho child had probed hef many
harmless falsties with equal skill. AS for Mrs
Carmichael, she would sometimes pat her pupil on
the cheek and praise her in no weak terms :"
wish that had only known you long time ago,
my little LADY, she would say, In her serene treble
yoics. al would have brought You up as my own
dear child. for never had . child of my own.
would have given you place in the world to DO
proud Of and have watched with interest the
growth of your fine mental abilities, surrounded by
those poor lost friends of mine who would have
delighted in so clever girl as yon are"
sWhen you speak of your friends as lost, birs
Carmichael" Claire had once replied. do you mean
that they are all dead nowp
At this question the lady slowly shook her head
with just enough emphasis not to imperii the mod
ish al chitecture of her locks.
"Some of them are dead. my DEAR" she muir
mured with the least droop of each pink eyslid,
abut the rest are much too grand for 1t present
They have quito forgotten me-" Hero Mrs. Car
michael gave quick. futtered congh. and then
touched the tips of her close pressed fingers 10 tho
ges OF her close pressed lips.
Claire privately thought them very churlish
friends TO have forgotten anybody % high-bred and
winsome as Mrs. Carmichael. And she publicly
expressed this thought at supper the Same evening.
while she sat with her parents in small lower
room opening directly of the kitchen. weary
maid, whose face famed from the meal she had inst
cooked was patiently serving IL. Mrs. Twining,
who had lent no light hand toward tho Mondays
washing was In the act OF distributing newhat
mcagre beefsteak. which fate and an incompetent
range had conspired to cover on both sides with
LAYER of thick sooty black. Mr.. Twiniug was wait
ing 70 get piece Of the bcefstesk he did not yet
know of is disastrous condition. for large set OF
pewter casters reared It's uncouth pyramid between
himself and tho maltreated wand; but although
such calamities of cookery wero not rare to bis
board he was putting confidence, as usual. In the
favors Of fortune. ana preparing himself blandly
for o fresh little stroke OF chagrin.
Outside II was mldwintor DUSK and bleak
wind was blowing from the ice-cboked river. pale
and dull under the sharp stars. observation-disclosures
twelfth-st. was in those years much wilder spot
than now it, buildings. like its 1ag-stonss. were
capricous Incidents dts boon OF the elevated rail-
road was yet undrcamed of by capitalists; you rode
10 IL in languid horsecars from the remote centres
OF commerce. upward past parapets Of virgin rock
sst.- .tofs ha s9ffe roetr inf
houssess highway where even the aspiring tavern
had not dared TO pioneer. Mr. Twining had just
ridden hither by this laggard means. and he
tired and hungry he wanted his supper. a little
valued chat with his beloved Claire. and caress
or two from the child we'll. After these he
wanted few hours Of rest before tomorrow re-
daw ned. with It's hum-drum austerities. One other
thing he desired. and this was n blessing mose
often desired than attained. lie had the wish Tor
peaceful domestic interval. as regarded his wiies
department. between homecoming and departure.
But tonight II had been otherwise decrecd. Mir,
Twinings faint spark Of innate warmth was never
reused by the contact Of suds Monday was her
day of wrath you might almost have fanced that
she had used n bit Of her rupcrauous soap vainiy
irving 10 rub the rust from her already furnished
hopes.
The small room where the trio sat was void Of
any real cheer A plgmy stove. at ono side of Il.
STOOD fuel choked and nearly florid in hue. From
this strong volume Of heat cugulfed Mrs. Twin
ing in its oppressiv We SPELL but lost vigor before 10
reached her husband Claire, aud left the corners
of the apartment so frigld that gaunt sofa, oil
where the light of the big oil lamp could only
vaguely touch IT, took upon its slippery han -cloth
surface the easy semblance of lea. Two windows,
not fashioned 10 thwart the unwonted bitterness
OF the weather. wcre draped with nothing moro
resistant than pair OF canvas shades, gorEeousiy
pictorial in the full light OF day. when s'en by the
passer who seldom passed. fheso shades were oil
similar designs; In justice 10 Mrs. Twinlns II must
be told that they had been rented with the house.
On each plumcd gentleman gondola held
fond converse with a dlshevelled lady In balcony.
The conception was no less Venetian In meaning
than vicious in execution; but tonight, for any
observant wayfarvr, such presentments of sunny
Italy while viewed between blotches of wan frost
that crnsted the intervening panes. must have APP
psared doubly counterfeit. Still. the chief dlscom-
fort of the chamber just ut present. was layer OF
broodIng cold that lay along Its floor. dosgody In
eYtermnable, and the solo approach TO regularity
Of temperature that ts four walls contained.
IL had made Claire gather up her feet toward the
top rung Of her chair and shvor onco or twice but
II had not chilled the pretty gayety of her childish
talk, all Of which had thus far been addressed to
her father.
@And 80 you like Mrs. Carmichael, my dearT
Twinlng had said in his smooth. cheerful voice
Awoll, am glad Of that"
aOh, yes. like her" replied Claire, with slight
wise nod Of hoad where the clear gold of youth
had not yet given way 10 the bIOwn-gold Of maid
enhopd. g But think 1t strange that oil her fine
friends have dropped off from her. That's what
she told me to-day. father; truly, she did! Why
don't they care for her any moref Is " because
she's poor and has TO teach little Ounces like mel"
Twinings feminine blue eyes scanned the rather
dingy tablecloth for q moment AM afraid IL IS