Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-01-24
CLARA'S FORTUNE.
By L. u. 7.

1.-The parlors are TO be decorated with
real flowers and smilax in your best
style. My aunt wishes this to be the
most elegant entertainment of the sea-
son."
The florist bowed low.
1--WE want the conservatory nearly
filed" weitt on the young lady, "and
to hire an orange tree in fruit Tor the
evening
''But, ma am, I'm afraid -"
Expense is no object" emphatically
pronounced Miss birmingham. "My
aunt sa, s."
But here she checked herself, at the
same second fixing her eyes with a
strong glare of naughty surprise on n
tall, slender girl. who stood behind the
counter, busily making up a bouquet
from the piles of. pale, fragrant vio-
lets, crimson rosebuds, fealhery Ste
phanotis, and scarlet carnations shat
lay in profound drifts on their beds Of
wet moss.
Miss Fernigham stared ut her rs if,
like ancient Medusa, she would trans
form her to stone, brt the fair disciple
of Flora took no sort OF notice of the
fossilizing look.
''Have you small pink camelia, Mr..
Hadiep" she asked, rs she went briskly
ON twisting vine stems around the flow
ers, and slipping bits of green fern and
dainty geranium leaves among them TO
relieve the too great exuberance of odor.
'sHere is one, said the florist.
Take care; YOU are getting that bou-
quet too stiff. )"
"No, am not. Look"
She held up the rainbow tinted mo-
sale of flowers as she spoke
Miss Ferningham gave great smile
of contempt as she turned away.
you'll be sure to remember" said
she 10 the proprietor
81 shall not forget" Mr.. Hardie an
swered, courteously. Except the
orange tree in fruit, l am not certain
that"
1--WE must have itr' insisted Miss
birmingham. II tell you again that
your bill will be promptly settled.
whatever the amount may he.
And then Miss birmingham, stepping
into her silk. cushioned landau, babe
the coachman 'drive home at once
She hurried up stairs into her aunt's
surrounded by crested envelopes. per-
fumed paper and fancy writing ma
terials.
You haven't sent off any of the in
vitations yet, have you. Aunt Pene
lopez" painted the young lady.
mot yet. WhyP'
Don't send Clara Anneslie's."
mot send Clara Anneslie' S invitation!
Why not?" exclaimed Mrs. birmingham
with wide open eyes. and mouth gracu-
ally elongatlng itself to correspond.
''Its all true about het money being
lost in the San Antonio"
"How do you knowP Have you seen
her lawyer"
mo, but have seen her. She's sell
ing flowers behind Hardie's counter.
The next thing we know she'll be gal
Looping up and down the aisles of the
opera house selling ten-cent bouquets
on board. Clara Anneslie never had
pride. Why couldn't she take in sew
ing or give music lessons, or do some
thing genteel, il she must earn her own
livingp"
''Did she see you?"
Eyes, of course she did. We looked
each other full in the face.
s'Did she speak,"
II didn't give her chance. turned
away, as cold as ice. p"
'sThat was right" said Mrs. Fern
ingham, approvingly, as she tore up
the scented note that was TO have been
to Clara Anneslie the "Open Sesame
of the soiree, where no expense was to
be spared.
Miss birmingham frightened up at
once. 1t had been the darling ambition
of her heart, before Cara Anneslie s
beauty eclipsed her humble light, to
become her cousin Herbert's bride.
Perhaps it was yet upon the cards that
she should gain the acme of happiness.
So she put on her torquoises, fresh
eped up her laces, and tied pale blue
ribbons in her lusterless flaxen hair
And. in the pretty childish way she at,
fected when with her cousin Herbert
she told her tale.
ga horrid bore" said Mr.. Herber
birmingham, playing with mis- sleeve
buttons. mo end of nuisance. An
Clara Anneslie. the prettiest girl out
too. What is it that Shakespeare say
about dear gazclleP I've got it some
where in an old scrap-book. believe
But of course there is no use in afelloV
making ewes ut shop-girl. Ii mar
nv at all it must be girl with mosey
Didn't some one say that Hattie Courte
nav had three thousand year OF he
ownP" .aE.
.Clara, my dearl'' Mrs. .Estcot
checked her little ponies on the corne
of the street and beckoned her youn
friend 20 take seat beside her; ''wher
are you goingP" -
10 Surini's, to look at some bass
relieves
"Well, I'll take you there, Jump IL
Have you heard the newse'
81 have heard nothing special.
so concluded" said Mrs. Estcot'
laughing People are always the las
TO hear what directly concerns then
selves. You don't know, then that
stav. here comes Mr. Herbert Forming
ham, Let's see ii he will bow to you,
"Of course he will bow to me. VIII
shouldn't he bow to mep" said amaze
Clara.
Hut lust as she was making ready
incline her head in the most gracio'
.cd ladvliko way In response TO the e.