The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-15

pocket and drawn out little red-leather
purse, gilded, gilt clasped, with portraits
of the Queen and Prince Albert still recog-
nizable on the back; and the hand that
held it was braceleted with string of
brown berries and garnet beads!
She tossed it into her lap and drew forth
another, big and useful purse. Then
something in my looks struck her.
81 don't suppose yOu ever saw purse
like that. 1t was bought at st. Brides, at
Brides Fair, years before you were born.
The Queen was just married, and they were
all the fashion,"
l don't know what made me do such a
thing, but drew from my pocket. the fell
low purse to hers, found in my uncle's old
bureau, and held it out to her. She looked
at it and then at me, with white
cheeks and scared eyes. y
"What is it? Do you know me? Are
you his daughter?
81 am John Mallowdale's niece. Who
are you, and what brings you here"
sob! | have done no harm! | have
broken no promise. | felt must see him
once more. John, my john" and she burst
into bitter weeping.
After few moments she grew calmer,
and, speaking with sort of sad dignity
that impressed me, said: "You must
please listen to all the truth now, or else
you will be making guesses, maybe, at a
falsehood."
She took up her purse and opened it.
There was pocket in the green silk lining
from which she drew small glazed card,
''Mr. John Mallowdale," in print on it, and
underneath in my uncle's hand: "With
respectful devotion" On the back of the
card was scrawled Tomorrow, dearest,
at eight" and tied to it was a crumbling
scrap of dried flower.
Then she took my purse and looked in
fl1n nnf 1Nnnlvnt
folded paper in it from which curl of
dark brown hair slipped and uncoiled itself
dry and lustreless.
She laughed and unfolded the paper-an
old playful of the Theatre Royal, Cross
holme."
Somebody's Benefit appeared in large
capitals, and far down the bill one name in
small print was underlined with broad
black strokes. "Miss Millcent Tracy"
The same name appeared again as singing
some song sin character" between the
pieces, and again in the last performance.
slip tenderly.
Eyes, he stayed to the very end of that
stupid little farce to see me-" she muir
INJURED.
"Are you Miss Tracy" asked.
"Mrs. de Vesoi Trent" she replied. "You
have heard of me, dare say?-Nor"-with
a look of surprise in her fine eyes-"Well,
=
nown since those dear happy Crossholme
days when l was a mere slip of girl with
nothing but bright eyes and tolerable
voice to recommend me-"
"Where did Uncle John meet YOU"
''At the theater, of course. 1 saw him
directly, in the stage-box, with number
of other young gentlemen. l had never
seen such a bright, handsome country boys
face before, and he looked so interested in
all of it. Romeo and Juliet for Mrs.
Delancy's benefit. was the Count Paris
page, and had plenty of time to look about
me. You see, had never been out of
London before. CrOssholme was the first
town on our provincial circuit. He stayed
to the very end of that rubbishy little
farce; and next day at rehearsal there he
was with old Delaney. That was the man.
ager-my uncle. L lived with him and his
wife-good old souls How they and every
body joked me about my admirer!"
She reseated herself on the trees-tump,
her lap filed with the poor relics of her
past, her day of youth. A shaft of light
athwart the soughing pine boughs struck
and broke and danced on her shabby old
gown and the aged wrinkled fingers, round
one of which she was twining idly the long
nut-brown curl of hair. l felt dizzy with
the medley of incongruous ideas that she
had raised in my mind. Uncle John,
gay, handsome country boy" whose dead
face as | saw it in the coffin still haunted
me, grim and silent. Harder still to link
memories of love and admiration, songs
and dances to the actual sight of the gray
old face before me. Her dark eyes flashed
suddenly upon me as | unused.
"Don't be afraid of long story. Mine
was short enough. Meetings, compliments,
bouquets and formal proposal at the end
of week. Old Mr.. Nationwide and his
wife were away, you see; and that was
how Master John came to be all by himself
if1I chAlf No thnfa a,.ID =
was fastened to the bouquet he threw me
| one Saturday night. We were to go out
| for the Sunday as an engaged couple.
| Fancy our holiday! A start in a chaise in
| the early morning, and a long drive through
the fresh country lanes to breakfast at
| farmhouse, and then on to Filby Ness. Do
| yOu know it?'
"The pretty headland and bay about ten
miles off? Yes"
"Well, think of seeing the sea there for
| the first time in your life, with your
| first sweetheart beside you! We played
on the sands like two children, picked
| shells, repeated all the poetry we knew till
we were tired, and then found an elder
thicket where we unpacked our picnic
| hamper. After dinner we set to work
| seriously to discuss our prospects. We
| agreed, remember, that if my beauty,
virtue and talents did not melt the hearts
of his stern parents, he was to forsake all
| ACTUAL ClefkSnlp ana possible partnership
for me, and under my able tuition rise to
| fame and fortune as an actor, special line
| to be decided hereafter. The bells were
| ringing for afternoon service in the little
church close by. We went and sat hand
in-hand on a gravestone with our feet in
the sweet long grass, and kissed and settled
| to be married in that church and no other.
| o, what a sweet, silly, sunshiny time.
| Laugh if you care to at the notion"
"No, no, not for worlds" | exclaimed.
earnestly. l was strangely interested in
4 this odd woman with her sweet voluble ut
| terance; now checked by a sob, now by a
half-cynicallaugh. Little Mimi was asleep;
her head on my knee.
| my story ended next morning. De-
| lancy received visit from old Mr.. Nal
| lowdale that threw him into a violent pas
sion and made him weep over me and use
bad language about John till was utterly
miserable and scared. After rehearsal he
dragged me off to the White Hart and there
| in the coffee-room was a fierce old gentle
man who said many things that | don't
care to repeat. He belonged to a school
that didn't hesitate to clothe coarse ideas
| in strong language when occasion re-
| quired. | thought of John and held my
ground against him easily enough. John
sent me encouraging notes, and appeared
night after night pale and stern in his box I;
but Delaney forbid any nearer meeting.
"Then one day l had very different
visitor; your grandmother, my dear, and a
very clever woman she was! Bless you, it
! makes me laugh and cry now to think how
.l,. Tod Ia