The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-07-03

gone wrong; the thing would not lift
of. The pasty face of the snowman
showed a little tinge of color, and |
fancied be looked frightened. Tracy
gave the mask a few delicate pats and
nudges. but with no result.
81 never had any trouble with them
before; l don't understand why this
one sticks" said the snowman.
"Ah, l have it! the gracious young
lady has unusually abundant hair, and
one little bit has escaped without but
ter. Please hand me the scissors"
With cold horror, | watched the old
man thrust a formidable pair of scis-
sors down between my poor darling's
face and the clinging plaster, and be-
gin saving away Us if there was moth
ing so delicate rs eyes and nose-tips
within miles of him.
There, | have cut the lock Of hair
that caused ali the mischief, now the
annoying mask will lift"
But it did not lift ever yet; it moved
a little, and we tried to loosen it more,
but our efforts seemed to cause Valerie
considerable pain, for she clutched my
hand sharply, and one little foot gave,
for her, a vigorous kick.
1--WE will Try once more, and then If
it does not move, l will be obliged to
break the plaster with a hammer"
Again the murderous scissors went
down on their voyage Of discovery.
Suddenly Valerie threw up her arms
and seized whatever was in reach,
which happened to be Herr Sigwart's
beard; she drew him down and with one
hand patted about over his face, till
she touched his eyebrow, which she
stroked with marked significance.
THE stuff is sticking to her eye.
browN exclaimed Tracy.
as that what the matter, Valerie?"
| asked, eagerly. One squeeze of my
hand, for yes, came in reply.
Stupid fellow that l was to put on so
little butter!!' said Herr Sigwart, beat
ing his powdery breast.
Now that we knew where the diff
Guilty lay, it was comparatively easy to
shift the mask sideways and interpose
the scissors a little less at random. At
last, the hateful lump of plaster came
off, a success in regard to the print Of
the features, but in what a plight it
left poor little Valerie. Her face was
crimson with fright and the great
heat, her eyes were full of tears which
could not flow owing to the patches,
and worse than all, her hair had been
clipped and sawed till it looked as if
gnawed by rats, and there was one
little cut on her forehead and on one
ear. | burst into tears at the sight, for
her sake and for the consequences to
myself; for my miserable deception of
the past two weeks must be confessed
when | took Valerie home.
The Countess Lilienberg happened
to be out that evening, so l put the
child to bed, and sat by her alone till
she slept. Later, l was summoned
again to Valerie's room. She was
sound asleep, and her mother stood at
her bedside, looking down on her little
girl with a mixture Of perplexity and
annoyance on her face.
"'Who has dared to mutilate my
child in this way, Miss Langdon? |
have asked the servants, but they can
give no explanation. The Countess
was in your care, so, of course, you
know all that has occurred"
l commanded my voice as well as |
could, and made a partial confession.
As | expected, the Countess was very
indignant, and before leaving the
room she ]reproached me bitterly for
my deceit and breach of duty. The
next day l received a check for my
back salary, a months advance. and a
notice that my services for the Countess
Valerie o Lilienberg were no longer
required. Rachel CareW, in Youth's
Companion.