Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-05-28


| meats, vanilla caramels, and cream
cakes with puffy shells and delicious
! centcrs of sweetness. The little mon
ey drawer grew fat with coins, and
Aunt Debby's dim eyes grew bright
and hopeful again.
| And one day Herbert Valance, walk
ing with AIedora May, stopped and
| looked in.
isn't that your cousin Grace" said
he. ''behind the counterg"
Medora turned crimson with vexa-
ton.
my cousin Gracen' she said. mo,
indeed! We are not-in trader
What possessed her to utter this de-
liberate falsehood, Medora could not
afterward have told. Partly the sting
of false shame, partly a disinclination
for Herbert Valance to know that her
relations were not, to use her express
sion, 'ladies and gentlemen.
Mr.. Valance looked up at the sign
over the door.
1.-The name is May" he remarked,
indiiferently.
Eyes, said Medora, angry at her
self blushing so deeply, but we are no
relation"
Mr., Yalencc thought over the mat
ter; he afterward met Miss May at
party given by friend, where pretty
Grace CraXall was also present; he
had taken rather fancy to the bright
blue ewes and delicate blonde beauty
of the former Valance Hall, on the
hill Just out of the city, was solitary
enough now that his sisters had all
married aud gone away, and perhaps
man might find less attractive and
graceful wife than Medora May. But
he could not be mistaken, he thought,
in Grace Craxall's identity.
And so the next evening, about the
same time, he sauntered into the
shop.
Grace was behind the daintily clean
little counter, taking some newly-baked
caramels off the pan. She looked up
with smile.
Good evening, Mr.. Valance" said
She
go" he thought Il wasn't mis-
taken after all. And the little blue
eyed seraph is mortal enough to tell
lie in spite of her angelic appearance"
But he looked serenely at Grace.
II didn't know you were in trade,
said he
Didn't YOU? Well, " retorted Grace,
~ am my Aunt Deborah's shop-girl at
present. | always come here in the
evening to help Der, because, she
added, with a sweet shade of serious
ness coming over her face, "aunt was
old and poor, and she didn't quite
know how to maintain herself in indie
pendence. and, unfortunately, my
wages at the factory are not enough
for us both. So advised her to open
this business and she did, and she is
doing well; and she bakes the most de-
licious bread and pies you ever ate,
so, with a saucy twinkle under her
eyelashes, 'f you know of any custom
ers, will you please recommend our
firm?n
TO be sure / shall, he answered,
in the same spirit. And | am very
glad, Miss CraXall, to see that you are
not ashamed Of being a working-girl y
"Of course | am not" said Grace.
"Why should be2"
.'But your cousin Medora is. y
Grace gave q little shrug OF her
shoulders.
VERY likely" said She "Medora
and l differ in many things. y
Mr.. Valance bought pound of car
amels and went away.
'.She is a beauty, he said to him
self; land she is sensible beauty into
the bargain. One of those rdrG arises
in our country, thoroughly well-bal-
anced girl
He must have been very well pleased
with his purchase, for he came again
| the next evening, just in time to walk
| home with Grace CraXalL And they
/ talked over Aunt Deborah's affairs,
! and concluded as flour was low just
4 then, it would be favorable opportun-
itv for the old lady to lay in her win
ter stock, through Mr.. Valance, who
was acquainted with one of the great
New York grain merchants.
Only few weeks had elapsed when
Medora May was electrified to learn
that her cousin Grace was engaged.
80 some master baker or journey
man confectioner, | suppose, she said,
contemptuously.
NO, said Grace, with eyes roguish-
l. ly sparkling; ITO Mr., Herbert Val
ance.
believe it, said Me
dora, growing red, then pale.
but it's really SO, said -'raco.
"And we are To be married i'm three
months, and Aunt Debby is to come to
the hall and live with me as soon as
She can dispose Of her business to adj
vantage. And, dear Medora, | hope
you will often come and visit me
there
Mcdora May did not answer She
could not. But in her secret heart she
recognized how infinitely more sue
ccs,ful in life Is lists had Leen Grace $
true, frank honesty, than her own sub
tie aud devious course.
Like many another, however the
lesson had come to her too late
Spriqq6ei4 Union.
ft l. unmarked iu Inptlon that in the