The Penn's Grove record., 1884-07-26
MIGNoNNE.

'eThat g? Oh, that's my small sister.
Mignonnp. An uncommon face. rather,
isn't it ?'' and Jack Chandran glanced
at the rough sketch which his visitor
had unearthed from an old sketch
book, and then turned back to his
work.
Your sister ?" Philip V~anderventer
looked at the bit of paper a little more
intently. Not much like you, Chan
dram. What a pretty, babyiSh look
there is about it."
"She is scarcely more than a baby"
said Jack. stepping back a few PAGES,
with his head held CRITICALLY on one side,
to observe the effect of the last few
touches. "Only a little girl, you know j;
but an uncommOnly nice one There
she is now-in some muddle over the
accounts, l suppose. We have oceans
of fun out Of our housekeeping, and
poor old Beckie does the work"
And then the door swung back forci-
bly,. and a young girl, plentifuIly adorn-
ed with blOtches of ink in every direc-
ton, made her appearance.
90 Jack ?" she cried, i've been
bothering over this thing all the morn
ing, and 1t 1Uon't come out right. Can't
you help me ?n And then she stopped
short, for she saw that Jack was not
alone.
Never mind, grille" sad Jack, see
ing her distressed face. This is Mr..
Vanderventer-my little sister, SIT.
Too bad about the accounts but I've
no head for figures, you know. Let it
60"
"May l try to help your"
Had Philip Handkerchief been equal
to the mental effort, he would have
wondered at his own readiness but he
wasn't. 1t did strike him as a little
odd, when he began his task, that he
should have offered his assistance but
the sensation of being useful was some
thing novel it pleased him for the time
being. And besides, it was such a very
pretty little girl who leant over him,
hindering him in the most unconscious
and charming manner.
Get it wrong again as quickly as
possible" he said, when the victory
was won over the obstinate figures, ''and
then apply to me. | f. ell quite refreshed
by my exertions. Don't thank me, |
beg of you | consider it a privilege.
And then he began languidly to COAX
Oh his gloves, looking cOyertly at Mig
nome. II shall come in often, If |
may, Chandran, . he said sits dull in
town now, and [ am bored to death.n
And so he departed
1t was odd how that child's face
haunted him the great, wide open,
dark eyes, with their long, straight
las es the GEAR, babyish complexion ;
the delicate, sensitive mouth and the
long, heavy braids of golden red hair,
''Such a pretty, pretty girl !" he said,
half-uncOnSciOusiy. 'Such a pretty
little child"
The next day he was at C~handran's
studio, and the next, and so on. He
had suddenly become greatly interested
in art; aud Jack Chandran was the
very nan to give HIM ideas on the sub
ject-so he said-and day after day
found him at the studio, and he and
MignOnne were soon excellent friends.
"A very Pretty little girl" he had
called her, and this conviction grew
stronger on hiB daily. "a very, very
pretty little GRIP she was indeed.
Shell make more than one heart
ache by and by" he thought, as he sat
in the little Sitting-room one day (he
was admitted ''behind the scenes ''nOw;
Jack had taken a fancy" to him, and
showed 1t most emphatically), looking
at her as size knelt before the small
CRATE trying to coax the fire into cheer
mess. "Chandran will have his hands
full and | don't envy him."
And then MignOnne, sitting down all
in a heap on the dingy hearth-rug.
4..-aI o.1,,~l r-,1 h1n, sNUI,A o,,
you thinking of that you look so cross2"
she said. sit must DE something dread
full"
"Only Of you, little girl" he answer
en-, smiling down at her. Nothing so
dreadful after all, is it ~
Sand what of me ?" The childish
persistence was very charming. What
have l done ?"
"Nothing as yet. It's what you will
do, of which l was thinking when you
are a grown young lady-when you be-
gin to think of leaving Jack"
81 shall nerer leave Jack 7" the pretty
hand-pretty although it was darkened
here and there in the argument with
the fire-came down forcibly on the
floor beside her. Never, Mr.. Wander
yenter! !"
but if you cared for any meas
you will some day, my dear child-and
Jack, knowing that you would be happy
with him, should be willing, then it
would be different, you know"
But the pretty head still shook in a
most decided negative. Jack would
V be willing, l know. And''-
there was a sudden little dash of temper
in the girlish woodland l don't like
you talking about my caring for any
one else except Jack and"
And whom p said Mr.. Vanderven-
ter, lazily admirirg the heightened
color and bright eyes. "And whom,
MlgnOnne?'
"And YOU" she said, looking up at