Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1884-08-07

you, sir, that, if you would not think
it any harm, she would send you her
--. Oh, no, / don't mean that, sir !
She said | was not to say who it be-
| longed to, but she would cut the
bands off the sleeves and the lace
from the neck, and it would be long,
and nobody would notice that it was
night -gown, sir; and, if you didn't
mind, sir / would go and fetch it at
once, for there is no time to lose
The girls concluding remarks were
only too true; and, however much he
might have hesitated at her suggestion
in cooler moments, he was thankful
now for any solution of the difficulty.
'Tell your mistress that | shall be
very grateful for the loan she pro-
poses, if she thinks the deception will
not be discovered.
The servant vanished and was soon
on the spot again with a snowy linen
lad been torn down to admit broader
shoulders, and linen handkerchief
had been hastily stitched in to hide
the rent Most of the ornamentation
had been cut away; but enough re
manned TO prove that the garment be-
longed to lady Of very dainty tastes.
Thankful for this semblancc of a
SUrplce, and too hurried - feel
amusement, Mr. Byron arrayed him
self, entered the chancel, and the SER
vices began at once. lie observed
with sigh of thankfulness that the
chapel was very dark, ard this en-
abled him to read without much
nervousness. Two gentlemen came
forward with the baby and its nurse,
and for brief time during the ser
vice the young clergyman saw indls-
tinctly the slender figure of lady
standing in the dimly-lighted aisle.
Before the end OF the ceremony her
feelings seemed to overcome her, for
she left the church sitting what
might have been a sob, but which
sounded strangely like laugh
kWhat Mr.. Byron feared would be q
trying ordeal was soon over, and he
re entered the vestry room with a
much lighter heart than when he left
it. While disrobing, name in indel-
ible ink on the gown attracted his
attention. Perhaps he should have
respected his fair benefactress' wish
to remain unknown, but the tempt
alton was too strong. He turned to
the light and read the name Miriam
Douglass under the tucks aud en-
broidery of the robe which he had
Just discarded.
Was it coincidence, or had kind
of fate led him to the shrine Of his idol2
The uncertainty was not to be borne.
"Will you ask Miss Douglass ii she
can grant me five minutes interview
before | go2" he said to the girl who
came, in great trepidation, for tn
novel sGrplice.
la a cosy little reception. room
Julius Byron was presently received
by her who had been the companion
of his happiest dreams during more
than three years The blushing bash
fulness had disappeared, leaving in
its stead a graceful womanly dignity.
She was a sweeter, fairer Miriam even
than Of old, "divinely tall and most
divinely fair,
80, Mr.. Byron, how Mortified you
must be- You signed initials only to
your note and | little imagined to
whom l was offering that garment. |
recognized you at once in church, and
in spite of the solemnity of the occas-
ion / had to laugh. 1t was such an
uncommonly bad fitn'
1T was a great boon to me, and |
shall be everlastingly grateful to you
for coming 10 the rescue.
A sudden indifference as to the
hours of departing trains seemed to
take possession of Mr.. Byron and he
found himself with certain amount
of equanimity accepting an invitation
to spend the night at the Hall.
AT the conclusion of her visit TO her
cousin, Mrs. NARROW, Miriam betook
herself to the house Of a friend, who
extended many formal invitations to
Mrs. Byron as we'll
One soft fragrant evening, among
the June roses, Julius Byron told his
love story and Miriam listened with
look in her eyes which told her
lover that he spoke not in vain.
"How provoked you, in your turn,
must have been at finding my surpllce
instead of the fancy costume said
Mr.. Byron to his friend Willis when
they again met.
II was IN a rage at first, I admit, ="
answered Mr.. Howard, s'but affairs
turned out not so bad, after all. I
put on the surphce to see how it be
came me, when one of the maids,
catching a glimpse Of me through the
window, set up a scream, declaring
that she had seen a ghost, This
brought a lot of visitors out of their
rooms, among whom, to my surprise,
was Edith Fulton-my Edith, yoU
know. We had quarreled and parted,
never to meet again; but the ridicu-
lous feature of the scene seemed to
break the ice between us, and.
/ Well, Byron, bave blessed the mem
ory Of your surplce ever SINGER
THAT contretemps of the satchel
was q lucky thing for us both. "
piper and Tipson and their hum
Z Z IL II rAt