Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1885-05-15

| u6I 6OLlC udy III Col aNok oho O'eAtAA- se-N
kiss and take it as his right, he might
win my little Therese."
But just here the trouble was. Jo-
seph was afraid. HIS great love for
the poor young girl, the white
flower" of his song, made him a cow
ard but it was noble cowardice, and
might go far to help him some day to
high, heroic deeds.
1t was late when Tessy returned.
Miss Payne had been sitting gloomily
alone in the room, where shaded
lamplight and flooding moonlight,
pouring through the open window and
door, made the place bower Of golden
dusk.
Tossing aside her hat and little
white shawl, Tessy flung herself on
the floor at her siser's fest. Esther
placed her loving hand on the soft,
brown, curling locks yelling the
bright head.
ibid you have happy day, my
Tessy2"
"Oh, yes" was the answer, given
with magnificent indifference.
"And-was Joseph there2"
"Josef-you mean old Josef, the
bandmaster-of course he was there.
How could there be brass band with
out Josef to lead it?" replied again
Miss Tessy.
Miss Esther Payne touched with a
finger of gentle reproach the naughty
lips of the naughty speaker:
DO you think should inquire
after such person as that9"
ooh, then you meant your friend
Joseph-the one who makes quota
tons in German to show that he is
learned. Yes, certainly, he was
there. but I dia not see very much of
him"
"But whyq" And now Miss Payne's
face grew grave, her voice fell. "But
why. my Tessy2 Surely"
ooh, don't know" Tessy stretch
ed up two slender white hands, clasp
ing them indolently over her head.
"You see, Esther, when he first made
his appearance on the scene, we had
left the grounds. Most of our girls
were in the big pavilion getting our
tea at the tables; and ths horrid
Nelly Marchmont was there, and
stayed there long time"
"Well, what then2" Tessy had
paused in her recital, and was lying
half kneeling. Her soft flushed cheek
resting on her SISTERS arm. She
smiled little gravely when Esther
spoke.
what theHa Oh, nothing but this
first, I suppose l should not have
minded it, but | got fateful fancy
that it was only because of her dress
that he fingered by her; and that he
was ashamed to be seen with me"
''Tessy u
ooh. Il know it " s mean of me; but
she was beautifully dressed. She is
dark you know-dark; and she was
all in dark tissue, with broad bands of
gold on her arms and waist and in
her hair. 1t was very becoming to
her, and | suppose oseph paid her
compliments in German
"Child and Mss Payne pinched
with smile the little pearl pink ear.
well, at all events, he couldn't
call her his weisse blume CHS white
aoweD could he2" quoth Miss Ther-
ese, triumphantly. She sat up and
rested her chin on her arm to begin
again.
aud so, when at last he began to
make his way across the lawn, mean
ing to speak to me, | was engaged to
dance with Harry Wistar. | really
hadn't time to waste on Joseph.
They-the other Joseph was playing
my favorite music.
The witch stepped aud began to
hum one of G ounod's delicious airs.
And really didn't see him"
"Oh, Tessy How could you do 500
And Joseph is SO kind" There were
tears ready to break through the
tremble of Esther's panied voice.
"Kind2" broke in Miss Tessy, indig-
nantly. 81 don't know what your
ideas are, but / call it far from kind
to snub me So, and, after all, l don't
think he would have minded it SO
much-so very much-but slight
shower came up while we were dane
ing, AID we all rushed back to the
pavilion"
! Here Miss Tessy paused again. A
dimpling smile stole into her round,
rosy cheek.
There was little spot of marshy
RIouhA ot bAiO PoaSh1 eshu LuC ldlD Adu
made it worse. So, when we came to
that-you see, l had on my light shoes
Harry threw down his coat, and
nothing would do but l must walk
over it. And when l looked up, just
as we entered the pavilion, what an
expression there was on Joseph's face
l do believe he was swearing to him
self-in German"
Esther was silent, with a panied
fear at her heart. What could she
say2 How could she chide tAis beau
tiful young creature, who was SO dear,
so winsome, SO worthy of love2 How
could she help and not hurt7
"Well, exclaimed Thorese, au.
thoritatively, growing tired of the
silence.
my DEAR" said Esther, timidly,
don't you think with me that Mr.
Wistar's attention was little out of
place-that il was conspicuous2"
Miss Tessy vouchsafed no reply to
this.
Don't you think, dear, you might
have reached the pavilion safely, as
the others did, simply by walking on
the bare groundW
81 am tired and sleepy; 1 must go
to bed, SAID Tessy, suddenly getting
up.
Then she glanced at Esther's face.
"Smile" she commanded. do
you think l am going to say good
night to such eyes as thosei Smile at
oncep
The grieved look melted swiftly
into tears. With loving arms twined
around each others neck, the two
sisters cried-silently. Bat their good
night kiss was the sweeter for those
tears.
In the quiet days that followed
perhaps because they we're living
nearer together, more in sympathy
with each other-these two sisters,
Esther noticed that Tessy was more
than usually silent, that under her
joyous laugh shone the GUNNER of
crowding tears. But Tessy observed
that Esther grew more thin and wan,
that her strength seemed to be CON
sumed as if by some eating fire.
Oae evening Esther IN her chair
drew Tessy to her. The young girl
came and knelt by her side in the old
familiar way, the pretty bronze brown
lovelocks rufh'ng over her lap, the
.l~.a al. L.