River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-10-15

expression dis lldilf Va thtu1 were. I1eT
trim little jacket had been worn before
and the premiere jeunesse had left the
hat which was perched on the top of
her fair curls, but she was very pleas
ant to look at.
.'Are YOU busy" | asked, when she
had arched her interrogative eyebrow
more than once, on ascertaining that
it was !.
Il have to sing all this directly" she
answered, smiling as she held ont a
sheet of music paper with very few
bars scrubbed on top. care they go
ing over that scene againP"
mot without cause, | think. Miss
Shaftesbury does not seem to know
much of her part, nor to play what she
does know particularly WELL and she
certainly can't sing the music, | said.
Kind little Nellie wanted to find an
excuse for her directly.
''Well. you see. it's rather an awk-
ward part to play, she urged.
Then the authors intention will be
thoroughly realized, for she's certain
to play it awkwardly. / came here on
purpose to find you, Miss Burton. A
friend of yours and of mine, wants very
much indeed to see you. > said, taking
her little apart. Can you guess who
it is?"
Her lip said mo" but her face very
plainly said ''Yes.
1T is Clement Sandering, con-
tinued.
II can't imagine what Mr.. Sander
ing can wish to see me for, she re-
piled, with an effort at haughtiness,
which did not much accord with the
eager way she glanced round to see if
he was near. as she asked, 'Where is
he?"
''In the square; waiting very
anxiously indeed to see you," | said.
II am quite at a loss to understand
what he can have to say to me. VIII
you please ask him TO write it ii there
really is anythingp" she answered.
ITO a certain extent, Miss Burton |
am in Clements confidence; and if !
were not, your tone would lead me to
think-seVeral things
Il am sure my tone is just the same
as always she said, looking up with "a
faint twinkling of coming tears in her
bright eyes. Mr.. Sandering is nothing
to me. and | had rather not see him.
"Of course, if you had rather not,
| there is no more to be said; but he will
be greatly panied and hurt at your
refusal-your unkind refusal, for he
came all the way from Saverton this
morning on purpose 80 see you. | did
not think that you would have CON
demned any one without hearing the
defence. Circumstantial evidence is so
terribly deceptive" | rejoined,
She did not in the least know what
to do, and so she tried to be angry, and
rolled up her sheet of music without the
slightest regard for the legibility Of
the writing.
'WeH, goodbye Miss Burton; | will
say that you are too angry to forgive
him, shall I?'
There's nothing to forgive, and I'm
not angry bit, she said, quite as
sav"gely as it was possible for her to
speak.
"What is the word?' / answered, re-
pressing a slight inclination to smile.
Annoyed, hurt, grieved, veXed, dis
appointed? There is evidently some
thing wrong between you, for you were
excellent friends when his play was
produced If you see him, in three
seconds he viii probably explain, and
then you will be very sorry that you
hesitated in hearing him. Indeed, |
have very good reason for believing
that his explanations will be entirely
satisfactory to you. which had not;
but then it strengthened my shot, and
knew that when they had once met, a
good deal might be left to Sandering's
native wit and persuasive powers if
the girl had ever been really fond of
him.
She unrolled her music, and studied
the signature at the beginning of the
stave with great diligence.
my cue will be coming directly"
she said, at length.
''And then you will see poor Glenn
ent?'' asked.
Indeed, | don't know why you call
him poor Clement. Yes I'll go, if you
don mind waiting a minute more.
She went down the stage, did her
scrap of duty, and then we left the
theater together.
Sandering was coming toward us as
we turned into the square. He threw
away his cigar, and raised his hat as
left Miss Burton and retired; he seemed
uncertain whether or not to offer his
hand, for her obstinate little paws We're
tightly holding her parasol. / looked
after them, however, when they had
gone little way, and saw one hand
slowly relax its grip and resign itself
for moment to Sandering's custody,
antcipatory of its retention for very
much longer period; and when present.
ly they overlook me-, a glance convinced
me that all was right. Nelly Burton
appeared well on her way to making a
good match.
The future Mrs Sandering lived in
rooms up a good many stairs in one of
the streets which surrounded Russell
square; and thither | used sometimes
to accompany my friend; when our
pretty little hostess RECALLED us with
cups of tea, and sang songs for us at q
tinkling little piano which tried siren
uously to be gay and festive and make
good music, but whose age and decrepi-
tude would sometimes assert themselves
by the sudden cessation OF note or
two, which grew tired and refused to
speak any more-very unlike the mis-
tress who was never tired of talking a
great deal IN those happy times.
Here, too, we examined her drawings
she was a very clever little person
and sketched admirably-and looked
over the precious volume in which
were pasted the few newspaper cut
tings criticising her performances;
mostly from country chronicles, though
there were nearly two lines from a
London morning paper which had
afforded her so vast an amount of pleas
ure that. if the writer had known the
qualification his pen gave, he would
have put in half column.
One of these afternoons, about a
week after our arrival in town, we
were looking over a portfolio of
sketches, and Sandering was amusing
himself by chatting Nellie's draw ings.
"The only suggestion have to
Offer he said, putting a sketch on the
mantelpiece and looking at it with the
burlesqued air of connoisseur. is
that body should put titles and ex-
planatorv notes to her drawings, be-
cause body is so apt to misunder-
stand.
II wish Won wouldn't keep on teasing
me about saving "a body just because
used the expression once" she said,
spelling laugh with pretended pout.
lyon should be very careful what
expression you make use of, for YOU
want all You can muster to put into
these works of art. dear. Now here