Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-12-20

near Lake George, called Helullyn Hall.
He drove pair of superb, high-step-
ping horses, and owned private pic
ture-gallery; and Ermengarde Scarlett
had selected him as the special target
for the arrows of her hazel eyes. this
season.
Mr.. Helullyn recognized Alexia at
once.
Miss Scarlett's little sister. isn't it ?"
said he.
Alexia furtively whisked away her
tears, and answered:
"Yes."
as anything the matter ?" said Mr..
Helullyn. "Can be of service ? Pray
command NE, if"
eff you could please take me home"
said eager Alexia. VERY slyly indeed,
mind l--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 !"
said Mr.. Helullyn, laughing
ooh. it is, indeed r sighed Alexia. ii
am sixteen, you know, and should so
like to be a young lady, like Verena
and Ermengarde but you see," re-
turning to the subject, Miss Gardiner
is not here to receive me, and if you
would please take me back in your
carriage, l would creep in by the area
gate, and perhaps-perhaps, l shall be
at home on New Years day, after
all-But," her large, dark eyes sudden
ly blazing into indignation, "yOu are
laughing at mer'
Not laughing at you, Miss Ardell," !"
he fastened to explain-"only with
you p
"Miss Ardell :"
Alexia's heart leaped at this delic-
ious tribute to her young ladyhood.
She felt prouder still when Mr.. Helullyn
helped her into his carriage and they
drove away.
Leave me at the corner of the
street, please" said Alexia. "1t would
never do for mamma and the girls to
see me in your carriage And Ermen-
garde would be so vexed p
And SO the little wild gypsy stole in at
the area-gate; and bribed the cook with
kiss and string of amber beads, not
to betray her surreptitious re-entranee
into the family circle, while Mr.. He
lullyn went home to wonder what there
was so facinating in AleXia Ardelrs
round, dimpled face and liquid, dark
eyes
ga child indeed :" he said to him
self. "She is a woman, and danger
ously lovely woman, too-only she
doesn't know it Eyes like pools of
deep garnet brown; hair all glistening
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 point of
calling at Judge Ardells house on
New Years day, and if Miss Alexia is
not there, | shall certainly inquire for
her p
The pink 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 judicious care, and
many Iavings 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
overcoats, and Turkish pipes, had been
transformed into smilax-garlanded
bower, where faint lights glowed
through shades of Nile-green glass, and
the most elegant and aesthetic refresh.
ments were arranged in cleiSon1le en-.
amelled ware, trays Of repou$See silver
and baskets of Dresden China.
And, just at the time when Ermen
garde was saying TO her sister "HoW
do look, dear ?" and Verena was
twisting herself into the shape of &
letter S, 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 store-room, which con
tanned the long forgotten wardrobe o1
the first Mrs. Judge Ardell.
"Oh," she cried, this is beautiful p
and she unfolded a scented robe o.
long China Grape, crimped like thC
shingly bars Of the finest sea-sand, anC