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

All, NandeTYenteT, hOW are you T
Your aunt sent me to summon you and
your friend to seats in her box-by the
way, introduce me. - This last in an aud
ible whisper /; and Phi ln ..i~I0rventer,
in a singularly mixed state of mind
performed the introduction.
Captain Merton, Miss Chandran,"
inwardly raging at the look OF undis.
guised admiration on the gallant Cap
taIn's face, and then he hesltated for a
moment. Should he go, or should he
not latter all, perhaps it would be
best to face the difficulty at once a
brave front is best under all circurh-
stances, and so, overcoming Mlgnonne's
timidlty with a laughing nonsense"
he obeyed his aunt's behest.
Miss Chandran, my aunt, MIS-.
Nanderventer my cousin, Miss van
~derventer."
The worst wa over with now, and he
breathed more easily. Ills aunt looked
a shade grimmer than usual, but Fred
erica was gracious in tine extreme. The
little shyness and timidity in Mig
nonne's manner at first was simply
charming. and Frederick, looking at
her through the inevitable eyeglasses,
with her eyebrows raised a triie, was
evidently favorably impressed.
why did you tell me such a wretched
story ?" she whispered to her conscience
stricken cousin. I'm never forgive you
for trying to deceive me, sir" ana then,
aloud, Il concluded, at the last minute,
not to go, you see, and sent a note to
you, but you weren't in. Do you like
| tho r1nvr Mo, fNIn-T.nY, 90 av,I ca tho
curtain rose on the second act.
All through that evening, Philip
VanQerventer sat cOmmuning with
himself. How the world had changed
to him in the last few hours-hOw bit
terly hard it would he to go on with the
old life tomorrow. The old life with
all the brightness taken away from it
for he was engaged to his cousin-apd
in the Gear light which had come to
him at last, he saw that he loved Mig
nonne-little Mignonne-and her alone.
"Merci =" it was Frederica's voice,
and Frederica's eyeglasses were direct
ed toward him, 'hOw dull you are,
Philip. Captain Merton is crucifying
himself to entertain us, and you are
not assisting him In the least. Has
anything gone wrong, sir ?o There was
a keen, but not unkindly look in the
blue eyes behind the glasses, a look
which deepened as he reused himself to
answer, with a jest, and then she turned
away.
81 shall call upon you again, very
soon, Miss Chandran," she said, very
~graciously, as they rose TO go. you
were not in when | came beforehand
you must come and see me-you and
Philip" and then Philip, busy with his
aunt's draperies, was astonished to see
his stately cousin bend and kiss Mig
nome warmly. Some way he admired
her more at that moment than he had
ever done before in his life, and then
she gave him her hand. not languidly,
as usual, but with a cordial pressure of
| friendlinesS.
1t was decidedly odd-the more so
that she turned, at the last moment,
and said, in her old, imperious way,
Come and see mt tomorrow, at five
I think YOU will have something to
tell me. Goodnight 70 and she was
gone.
What a delightful walk that was
with Mignonne. She was SO happy, 50
tIlIlitll plSdot' Win ltt NtlOit tNtIlIlS,
50 full Of 'anticipatiOns of ''what Jack
would say" when he knew about it
it was simply charming to hear her
talk, but suddenly, as they drew near
her door, she paused a moment.
Il had almost forgotten" she said,
your cousin asked me to give this to
you it is a surprise, she said, and she
thought it would be a pleasant one,'
aud she gave him a folded slip of paper
They were neal a street lamp, and he
unfolded the little missive hastily, his
fingers trembling as he held it it was
a note in Frederica's delicate, unsteady
hand.
81 have read your story in your face
to night" it SAID. ''anu take the respon-
sibllity of breaking an engagement
which ought W to have been made.
We shall be better friends than lovers.
Your Mignonne is a darling. and 1 am
sure you will be happy; and land l
am sentimental enough to be glad Of
it, and that vas all.
For nj moment, Philip stood look
ing at the little slip of paper which had
brought such a change to his life 4; oddly
enough he liked his cousin Frederick
more at that moment than he had e
done beforehand then he turned to
Mignonne.
Read it," he said, and he watched
the bright color rise e the fair face
as she did so.
"Mignonne," he said, at last, "Mig-
nOnne," aud then the lovely, blushing
face looked up at him, the heavy eve
lasheS glittering with sudden, happy
tears, and there In the little, narrow,
deserted street, Philip Vanderventer
bent and kissed her, not once, but many
times.
"Mignonne, my little Mignonne, my
very own always" he whispered, and
size did not draw away from HIM, or
auswer ''no."