Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-07-30
MIGNONSE.

MIGNoNNE.
THAT Oh, that's my small sister.
Mignonne. An uncommon face, rather,
isn't it ?'' and Jack Chandran glanced
Al the rough sketch which his visitor
had unearthed from an old sketch
book. and then turned back TO his
work.
Your sister ~ Philip Vanderventer
looked al the bit of paper a little more
intently. Not much like you, Chan
dram. What a pretty, bahyiSh 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 :;
but an uncOmmOnly nice one. There
she is now-ln some muddle over the
accounts, 1 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 young girl, plentifully adon-
I'd with blOtches of ink in every direc-
ton, made her app arance.
so Jack p she cried, 1--WE been
bothering over this thing all the morn-
ing. and II lrOnt come out right. Can't
you help NE ?'' Aud then she stopped
short, for she saw that Jack was not
alone.
Never mind, grille" SAID Jack, see
Ing her distressed face. This is Mr..
EandeTventer-my little sister. sir.
Too bad about the accounts but I've
no bead for figures, you know. Let il
90"
May try to help you?"
Had Philip kanderyenter been equal
to the mental effort, he would have
wondered at his own readiness; but he
wasn't. Ii did strike him rs little
odd, when he began his task, that he
should have offered his assistance; but
the sensation of being useful was some
thing novel ii pleased him for the time
being. And besides, it was such very
pretty little girl who leant over him,
hindering him in the most unconscious
and charming MANN +.
Get it wrong again as quickly rs
possible" he said, when the victory
was won over the obstinate figures, land
then apply to me. l feel quite refreshed
by my exeTtiOns. Don't thank me,
beg of you; consider it privilege.
And then he began laGguidly to coax
on his gloves, looking covertly at Mig
nome. Il shall come in often, If
may. Chandran, - he said ''it'S dull in
town now, and | am bored to death. !"
And so he departed.
1t was odd how that child's face
haunted him; the great, wide open,
dark eyes, with their long, straight
lashes /; the clear. 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 pretty
little child"
The next day he was at Chandran'S
studio, and the next, and so on. He
had suddenly beesUe greatly interested
in art; and Jao4 ChandTan was the
very man to give iIm ideas on the sub
ject-sO he said-and day after day
found him at the studio, ard he and
MignOnne were soon excellent friends.
"a very pretty little GIRL" he had
called her, and this conviction grew
stronger on him 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 ''takeE fancy" to him, and
showed 1t most alphabetically, looking
at her as size knelt before the small
CRATE trying to coax the fire into cheer
mess. ''Chandran will have MS hands
full and L don't envy him."
And then Mlgnonne, sitting down al
in a heap on the dingy hearth-rug,
turned around upon him. ''What are
You thinking of that you look so cross"
she said. at must be something dread
full
"Only OF you, little girl" heanswer-
en-, smiling down at her. Nothing SO
dreadful after all, is it 2"
"And what of me ?'' The childish
persistence WAS very charming. "What
have | done -
Nothing as yet. It's what you will
do, of which WAS thinking when you
are a G own young lady-when you be-
gin to think of leaving Jack"
II shall nerer leave lck ~ the pretty
hand-prttty although it was darkened
here and there in the argument with
the fire-came down forcibly on the
floor beside her. Never, Mr.. Wander
Yenteri''
But if YOU cared for any one-as
you viii some day, my dear child-and
Jack, knowing that you would be happy
with him. should he willing, tlen it
would be different, you know"
But the pretty head still shook in
most decided negative. ''Jack would
never be willing, l know. And''-
there was a sudden little flash of temper
In the girlish volce-''and | don't like
you talking about my caring for any
one else except lack and"
And whom - said Mr. Vanderven-
Ter, lazily admiring the heightened
color and bright eyes. 'And whom,
MlgnOnue?'
And you," she said. looking up at
MN IN her frank, childish way. | like
You, Mr.. Vanderventer."
lie laughed, lazy little laugh-sbe
was such pretty little girl, and so
Cnildlshly honest. ~ am very glad you
40 :, he said. ''But why ?''
Because you don't wear velveteen
coaJ because you don't smoke a hor-
iid pIpe; because you don't talk slang
pe because you keep your hands nice and
oecalse-because | do ~
A., Thanks" How refreshiagly can
t1n .iu she was. And like YOU, too, lt-
Se sin- We are excellent frieuds. But