Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-11-21

he Instantly renen,b ered, came forward
and III broken English sought TO dis
cover Monsieurs wishes. Algy, not
one bit Disconnected, declared that his
mission could only be fulfilled by Nine.
Stephanie herself, upon which the fore
woman parted some heavy curtains at
the further end OF the shop, and diselos-
ed tiny apartment in which madame
was seated ather writing table. She
laid down her pen aud rose in
stantly, but, at the first glance of
the approaching figure, she started and
would have shrunk back into the shade,
but that Algy had caught q glimpse Of
that pale, agitated face, and with q
bound forward seized her hand.
"Mrs. Molynenx you !"
II Eyes, l." she answered, striving to
smile. "Only please call me Nine.
Stephanie, and remember that you are
my customer"
e cannot understand this mystery
broke in Algy, eagerly. "To think it
should have been yoa all this time who
have SO interested me, and that / never
guessed the truth !" .
!" Alas for man s power Of penetration !!
But please go now; that good woman
yonder is astonished, as well she may
be. Twill be mercifnl and let you off
q purchase this time, for I suspect Curl
osity and not any Of my wares tempted
you hither. But should you dare re-
peat the offence, my most expensive
article shall be forced upon you
y must see you, + mustspeak to You.
Do you think I shall be satisfied with
this half glimpse: There is SO much
I must hear" - ~
Nine. Stephanie reflected moment.
"Wnat must be, must" she replied,
half smiling. "Well, I will meet you
at Stanhope Gate at o'clock, when my
business hours are over. Does that
satisfy you?" #
Perfectly. But you will be sure and
come ?"#'&' +. ~
II will. But please go now" And,
so without further demnr, he went,
overwhelmed with astonishment, love
and incredulity. u.. ~1 +
Three years before, Mrs. Molyn eux
had been the acknowledged belle of the
season; even royalty had, to remark
able extent, worshipped at her shrine,
and poor Algy's heart was not the only
one laid at her feet, But Mis-. Molyneux
was rs cold as she was beautiful; she
accepted homage, but it awoke no an
swering passion in her breast. and she
speedily gainedfor herself the soubriquet
OF THE leo Queen" Her husband WAS
small, dark and ugly, with violent tenn
per and but two passions, gambling and
drink. Surely, society said, it was not
for his sake that she remained SO imper
vious TO alteration! 1t is hard nowadays
for society to accredit any one with
pride and purity. The Ice Queen had
her reign; then came the final crash.
The pretty. house in Park Lane was
sold, and crowds went to see what the
famous beauty had collected about her,
and bought her furniture at fabulous
prices, and charity annexed their own
story to each table and chair. The
Molyneux disappeared. Society saw
them no more. Report said he was in
a madlouse, and his wife living abroad;
but nothing was known as certainty.
Other beauties sprung up less proud
and cold to take the absent ones place,
and the Molyneux were speedily for
gotten. Algy alone remembered al
ways. He had loved che more be-
cause his passion had been gently
but firmly repulsed. He acknowl.
edged and: worshipped the purity,
even while he swore fiercely against the
GOODNESS that forbade his love. It was
with a beating heart that he awaited his
queen, and went to meet her at the first
glimpse of the stately figure moving
toward him across the grass.
"Have you got over the shock Of find
ing your old acquaintance has turned
saleswornan p" she asked half playfully,
as they turned and walked slowly side
by side, "Well, I always fattered my
self 7 had excellent taste, andI am
turning it now to good account, am I
not? Besides, labor is honest, and to
feel honest is a delightful sensation"
EDO not jest" exclaimed Algy, impa-
tiently. "rell me all that has passed
since we last met. Why are you here
and alone? Are You FREQ"
She put up ner hand and stopped
him. II ~ .s
"My husband is alive, but I would
rather not speak of him. It is
enough that we are parted. I
could not go into all the details
that led me to take the, step
I have in thus hiding from him.
Life with him became impossible.
Every womanly feeling was outraged
while I remained by his side. Exist
5ence was a hideous nightmare I could
not be his dupe, his deeoy dr1ck-my
whole soul revolted from such a career !;
L left him to his own devices and be-
came what you see me--Mme. Ste
phanie."t s< = @ss'5 w.
"Why did you ever marry him?" ex-
claimed Algy bitterly. ia
I, All! that is q long story. and my
mother were alone in the world. She
was old !: we were poor. Mr.. Molyneux
was rich, he would give my mother q
home moreover, hedwas then madly in
love with me. ! was young and mex
perienced; / acted for the best, and,
God knows, honestly carried out my
part Of the bargain. My marriage,
unfortunately, benefited my mother
but little, for she died soon after. Then
Lady -- took mo up. Society dis:
covered / was q beauty, and my ahus-
bands ambition was satisfied. All!
few guessed how, beneath the rich
dresses and jewels, the heart was
weary and sad. Situated as I was,
neither man nor woman could
help me. Love Twas not free
to give. friendship, I soon learned,
was but d name. II { was the fashion.
My master was satisfied. u. He encour-
aged me in every extravag ance, then
. al m q II Ir.,at 81 q, Ii