Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-01-17
TWO MoNoLOGUEs A HALF-M0NoLoGUf
AgDA BRIEF DIALOGUE.

Miss Eleanor Slinglander sat il
her crimson boudoir on Christmas
morning. regarding with scornful
.expression n little bronze figure
which she held in her hand-the
figure OF pretty peasant girl, in
cloak and hood, carrying covered
basket on her arm. And a scOrnfal
expression, though rather, and ia
rare instances, very becoming to
some girlish faces, was not ia the
least becoming to Miss Slinglander.
| 1t wrinkled and shortened her nose,
widened her nostrils and pointed
her full. red lips. ALI of which, a.
her nose was trifie too short, her
DOstrils trifie too wide and her
lipssa trifie too prominent, tended to
seriously 'detract from the beauty of
| her face.
"The idea 7" said Miss Slingland-
er, the scornful expression giving
place to a frown, which brought
her much too near eyebrows so close
together that they seemed like one
| straight, heavy line, sof Spencer
Royal sending me this thing for a
Christmas present. Why, expect
cd something splendid from him
with an offer OF marriage. Heaven
knows he's been dangling after me
long enough-half a year nearly
and I'm sure his mother and sisters
have set their hearts on the match.
OF course they have, and with good
reason, too. for with the help of
my money Spence could carry on
the business in much more prince
ly manner than 1t was carried ON
during his fathers lifetime, and the
returns would be much more prince
ly in proportion. And I've been
agreeable, for they're decidedly
aristocratic family, and Spence is
by all odds the handsomest fellow /
know and has very taking way
with him, though Jack Raynor is a
hundred times jollier and three
times as rich. But Pm not going
to stand this shilly-shallyingi any
longer. I've been waiting for him
TO speak for the last three months,
and not a word on the subject has
he said. Something he dropped
last night led me to believe the pro-
posal was coming tins morning.
But instead comes this thing-pret-
ty enough in its way and artistic,
L suppose, but don't want 1t. The
house IL full Of peasant boys and
girls and shepherds and shepherd
esses, and cupids, aud all the rest of
them now. What shall do with
it? Why, declare, it looks like
Ella MelIis. I'll send it to her.
She's been sewing for US the last six.
months and no doubt she'll expect
Christmas gift-that kind OF people
always do-and / don't feel like
spending any money on her, so. OIL
this goes. She'll be delighted with
it, and / can keep her an hour or
two beyond her work hOurs. some
times when In needing dress in
a hurry, on the strength of it. And,
Mr.. Spencer Royal, if Jack Raypora
comes ACQUIRING me to-day, my
money will never help. you aud
your family to greater nagnifieenee.
A bronze peasant girl, indeed, when
expected at least an elegant soll-
tsire."
An hour later Ella Mellis sat in
the plaipiy-furnished room which
served her and her widowed moth
er for sewing room, dining room
and parlor, holding the bronze fig
ure in her little right hand-on the
second finger of which was a well
worn silver thimble--andl viewing
it with look OF delighted admira-
tion that added wonderfully to the
attractiveness OF her delicately feat
ured face, lending as 1t did a charm
ing light 10 her soft, tired brown
eyes and flush to her pale cheeks.
4 n lA "a
OF me at alI,' she said In sweet
voice, tremulous with joy, ..afid he
has not only thought of me. bat
sent me this beautiful Christmas
present. Why, we have never met
but half a dozen times since | be-
came sewing girl, and then al
ways in the presence OF Miss Sling
lander, with the exception of that
night when l slipped on the ice in
front of her doOr-she had kept me
very late helping her dress for
ball-and he, happening to be near,
helped me 90 my feet and insisted
on accompanying me home, saying
so kindly, 1T is too late for any
young lady to be out alone and
came In and talked to mamma for
an hour afterward. Poor mamma /!
how glad she was to meet some one
whose father had known and loved
papa"
Slinglander will be--tOr. of course, !
he is going to marry her-though,
for my part, I'd like lover a little |
more Iover-like. I've actually |
caught him yawning when she was |
talking to him-and / don't wonder,
for she does run on so about style |
and sfashiOn'-and I've never seen |
him look at her in an adoring way. |
In fact, really think he-looks-
kinder-at-me. But among veal
thy people everywhere, suppose.
matches are made much as they are
among royal personages. Love isn't
consulted at all. M
"Oh dear, if papa hadn't lost all
his money 4 might-for l think
Spencer used to like me little in
those days.
"But how perfectly lovely Of him
to send me this, though no doubt
he cent it as much Tor mammals,
sake as mine, remembering what
she said to him that night about her
love for artistic thugs.
Miss Ella Mellis.' How much
he writes like Miss SIinglander, and
how simple and pretty this Christ.
mas card is, with its wreath OF
flowers surrounding the words,
From Spencer Royall.' But those
words are not in the same hand
writing. All, see, some one else
has written the address.
"You dear, darling, little peasant
girl! / wonder what you are car
rying in your basket. Good gra-
cious! the cover flies up when the
handle Is pulled and there's some-
thing inside. A tiny velvet box, i'm
it the loveliest of rings and-a note,
yes, a note to me!
"tMY DEAR ELLA-By this ru-
raj maiden j send you an offer of
my heart and hand. 1t may seem
strange to you that / have never
spoken to you OF my wish that you
should become my wife. but the
fact is, have been waiting until
my financial affairs, somewhat dis
ordered by my fathers sudden
death, should be brought into prop
er shape again. Now all seems clear
ahead, and il you will consent to
give me yourself for Christmas
Gift / shall be most happy. 41t
: 'Anxiously awaiting your re-