Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1885-03-18


You're the prettiest little piece of roses
md dimples I ever saw. Don't your
Elass tell YOU the same thing? Ten
S'clOckl Why, where on earth has the
zine slipped to? / ought to have been
Down town half an hour ago. It's all
so5r fault, Della"
And Mr.. Theodore St. Volens hur-
RED off, chucking Della Stephens under
the chin as he went By.
81 wonder" thought Della. IF he
really loves me. I wonder"
"Dellal Dellal what are you lettering
RbOut?'' cried a shrill, high-pitched
voice '.Ten O'Clock, and the poodle
not washed yet. the canaries neglected,
and the drawing-room not dustedl
Really. Della. don't know what's come
to you of late"
aI-I was detained. I'm Just through
here. ma'am," falteTed Della, flrshing
crimson up to the very roots of her halr
as she hurried out Of the room.
Della Stephens was Mrs. st. Volen's
parl0rnaid and especial attendant. She
had feen a milliner7s apprentice before
the rich lady saw and took faLcy TO
her. when she-Mrs. st. Volens-was
debating as to the trimming of fall
hat.
How much do you get here?'' said
Mrs. st. Nolens, and Della answered
meekly:
''Only my board. ma am -
"I'H give you ten dollars month";"
said Mrs. st. Voiens.
And Della Stephens abandoned her
trade and came to live with the rich
lady.
She was q farmers daughter from
little inland village, and now that she
had obtained this fine situation, as it
seemed To her. she wrote home a letter
of triumph
81 might have stayed there in the
wilderness all my days" wrote Della,
''and never earn anything more than /
my board"
It was half an hour or so afterward, |
and Della was fiuting some wide Nalen- !
ciennes lace for her mistress, when Mrs. }
St. Nolen's shriu voice summoned her |
upstairs. And Della knew from the /
very accent that something was wrong. |
Mrs. st. NollenS stood in the middle |
Of the room as Della entered it, a red |
spot on either cheek, and bit of card |
board in her hand.
"L0ok here. Della Stephens said |
she. The bousekeeper has just brought F.
this to me-a photograph Of my nephew, /
Theodore. She SAYS she found it IN /
your roOml'
Della turned scarlet, and felt iustinc- |
lively in her bosom.
II must have dropped it." said /
she. scarce considering her words.
''Then it is yours?n
"Yes. ." fa'tered Della.
"HOw came you 10y it?' sternly cate
chiSed Mrs. St. Eolens.
''He gave it to me-"
"Heg WhO?"
''Mr. Theodore" p"
Mrs. St. Voleus' face grew grim and
hard as adamaut. You are dischar-
ged, = said she, turning on her heel.
And Della. stunned and bewildered,
went up to her room to pack her few
belongings and think what she should
do next.
Mr.. Theodore St. Volens was con-
siderably surprised that afternoon to see
his aunt's maid walk into the down
town Office.
Little Della,'' cried he, shaping a
pair Of eve glasses to his eyes. at isn't
possiblel"
Yes said Della, ''it isl. Oh, Mr.
ThOdore, what am TO do? Your aunt
has dismissed me.
Dismissed yOUl And why?' de-
manded the young man.
''She-she found your picture in my
possession" D." faltered Della, beginning
to CRY.
And what a precious fool you have
been to let her find it." SAID he impa-
tlently. "What else could you expect,
DeIa?"
"And what am to do now?" she
questioned piteously.
'Do?'' repeated Mr. st. Volens.
"Why, get another situation, to be
sure"
GLOW can I, with no references?
ssNow, look here,'' said Theodore,
irritably, "all this is no business of
mine. / don't sec why you should come
here bothering mel''
''No business of yJurs?" vaguely re-
peated Della.
''Not at all.''
''But it was your fault that lost the
place"
My faultI'' echoed Mr.. Theodore,
with a strident laugh. "My fault,
because 1 just told YOU what a pretty
little thing you are, and Aunt AnaSta
sia got mad with jealousy and spite.
Come, that IS a little too good"
-But-but-," hesitated Della, with
a deadly chill settling around her
heart, didn't you mean anything al
the time?''
''Meanl No; what should l mean?
Really, Della, this is becoming annoy
ing. Now yOu are crying againl On,
cenfOund it alll'
You need not 90, Mr.. st. Volens,' -
said Della with what dignity she could
command. Il stall rid you of my
presence at once. Excuse me for making
such a mistake as to suppose you were
an honorable gentleman"
Mr.. st, Nolens WINGED a little under
the cutting irony of her words as she
walked ont of the Office and went to
MademOiselle FeTrOmieUe. the miliner. |
Perhaps" " thought Della. ''she will
take me on again. for can't starye."
But Mrs. st, NOlenS. as she discovered |
TO her grief, had been beforehand with
her. Mademoiselle Ferromiere rolled
up her eyes.
She was very sorry for Miss Stephens |
but really il WAS a very improper
thing to be making eyes at her mistress
nephew. And Madame st. Volens-
and besides she had the characters Of
her young women 10 look TO, and
But Della, who was as innocent Of
any guilty thought or deed as a white
daYe, turned away with = shudder.
''DO-dO they think | have done any
thing wrong?" she asked herself. ''Oh,
has il come to thiS?"
Della went home to the little brown
farm house in the countTy-but even
there a letter from the indignant Mrs.
st. VOleus had preceded her. Her ,
father met her with cold, averted eyes
her mother burst into tears.
-'Oh, Della, to think that you should
come home so, And We all thought j
your fortune was madel''