The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-11-13

ing IN her cheeks, and despite the pas
Slonate bitterness of her protest, Mr.
Norton realized there was great deal
of righteous truth in it. and he was
looking grave and thoughtful, just as
l the front door was opened and in a
minute or two uncle Tom himself
came in.
Il am sorry to have been so late for
dinner, my dear, he said, briskly, with
a smile toward IOttie; but / have
been driving in the park with Miss
Nane, and really it was dusk before l
knew it.
Somehow Mrs. Norton glanced at her
husband as she turned the urn, Just in
time TO catch the quick glance of eau
tlonary warning he sent her
Are you personally acquainted with
Miss Fane; my dear?' he said. present
ly after dilating upon the beauty of the
park IN its late autumn dress
Not at all Intimately, uncle Tom.
When l was little girl she was a
grown-up woman, and of course | never
had occasion to associate with her.
AS a child, l never fancied her. how
ever
He laid his knife down in the act of
slicing of delicious piece of brown
meat
You mean to insinuate that Aura is
as old aS-all that
Then Frank took up the cudgels in
Il don't think my wife would 'insin-
nate anything, uncle Tom. She simply
knows 1t to be fact. as ! do. and anV-
one else who cares to think at all about
1t. that Miss Nane is past forty years
Old. But, then, of course, no one ever
troubles ones self about il. -
Past foTtyl Frank, l always thought
you had uncommon good sense, and
Judgment, and perception. but-past
forty. But perhaps you don't happen
to know how delicate and lovely her
complexion is-how soft and luxuriant
her hair is-how girlish and charming,
yet dignified, is her manner
lie spoke as If in great triumph.
That goes for nothing. uncle Tom. q"
Lottie said, more mildly than Frank
had expect of her. Complexion and
hair can both be bought nowadays y
Il am perfectly aware of that fact.
my dear, although | must admit lad
not thought you capable of sDrff-Such
we the less said the- better. per
hapS. But / assure .-ou have satisfied
myself that ) ADsd IS one OF those rarely
preserves vyOmen who at thirtv-for /
havoft from her own lips that her last
birthday was her thirtieth-are more
charming and mature. and every way
suitable To discerning mans taste.
than when young and girlish'
And he looked straightly, defiantly in
LOttie's eyes.
oh. well, she retorted, stubbornly,
You II find out some day
Yes, he answered, Il expect to
ind out that the woman who viii honor
me 10y being my wife is Just what
have said she Is in all respects. Frank,
don you want tickets for the opera
tonight: I've a couple to spare. if YOU
want to take Lottie TO hear Patti. Miss
Nane and | are going -
OF course. Frank accepted the tickets:
81 VENnf I ~
TO the nursery with him for their usual
half-hour of baby-worship, she declared
she would never call him by his Odious
name again.
He shall be mammals darling RO-
land now she said, holding him in her
arms, and shOweTIng kisses on his
sweet, laughing face, and bonny dark
eyes.
Frank laughed.
You'd better wait little longer.
LOttie. Thirty thousand pounds is
worth being called A worse name than
Tom; Perhaps the old mans olsen
chantment viii come even yet"
Its disgusting, she said.
And then she said good night to her
year-Old boy, with dozens of kisses and
hugs, and gave him back to his nurse.
Il want you to go on an errand,
please, Frank, she said, suddenly, as
they went into their own room, up to
D
hairpins. VIII you, Frank?"
An invisible net. What on earth is
that? Can't YOU see il? How shall |
know when I've got it? I'll inquire" "
She gave him a little push towards
the door.
Never mind. Mr.. Impudence. You
simply ask for what l tell you, pay
what they charge, and bring it home to
me"
So goodnatured Frank put on his hat
and started off to BlandfOrd' the IA
nous hairdreSser'S, where he was 10
buy the invisible net, to meet uncle
Tom on the doorstep, impatientiy wait
ing for the carriage that was to take
him to his beloved.
There's plenty of time, Frank said,
as he stopped a minute Get your
cane, uncle Tom. and walk up to
BlandfOrd's with me-"
Uncle Tom looked at his watch.
We'll, | will. | shouldn't like tol
keep Aura waiting, though"
There's no need to-" Frank an |
swered.
And they started of, every bit OF ]
Franks determination and tact kept
continuously on the alert to prevent
the old gentleman from discussing Miss
Nane.
However. by violent effort. he sue
ceeded, by talking about the Premier's
illness and the Irish Bill. till they
reached BlandfOrd's. where an obliging
shOpman gave them seats, and begged
them 10 wait only one moment, as they
were so busy just then.
And Frank and uncle Tom sat down
and waited, close by them being a tall
Venetian screen, which neither partic-
ularly noticed, until, in a low, vet clear
ly distinct voice, they heard a sentence
or so that startled them.
How will that do, Miss Vane2 l
have applied nearly an entire bottle of
the enamel; but-paTdon me-the hol-
lows and wrinkles are so deep that il is
almost impossible to obliterate them"
1T Will have to do, | suppose. For
tunately all my new costumes have
longer sleeves than the old ones. Now
if You will make haste with my hair. !
shall wear the Perfection tonight, I
think; and, oh, please remember the
touch OF pencil on my eyebrows. They
are getting so horribly thin and pale
lately"
Beyond doubt of mortal comprehen-
sion it was Aura Eane'S voice. and
Frank actually pitied the look that was
on the old gentleman face.
And then-no one in all the world
ever knew how such an umheard-of,
awkward catastrophe happened, except
uncle Tom, whose foot reached out and
touched the dOor-the door in the
screen flew open. and revealed to both
gentlemen the startling sight of a
woman with a head almost as bare of
hair as a pumpkin-Only the merest
wisp of gray hair. twirled in little
plg-tail on the crown-and on the
dressinC-t beside her head of soft.
ripping treSSes. and a bottle of bella
donna. and a pot Of enamel, and vari-
Gus spOnCes and brushes, and other