Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-05-25

arrange the matter with Jack. IL va
Monday nov he Was engaged ever.
night until Thursday. but then Predsrie'
vas going ou, Of town. and Thursda.
evening vas his own-,hey would q
thsn-snd % Mignonns Was formal!
invited.
Luckily Philip vsnderven,er Vas no
much q, the studio during the in,erven
ing days. and he knew nothing OF ih'
worry and bother Of preparation in,'
which Misnonne plunged. and. when thu
nigh, came, he little suspected the sur
prise In store for him.
IL Vas . few minutes before the desig'
mated time tha, he came into the liiil'
sitting room. and Jack 80, there alone
dubious and unhsppy.
Whats the trouble. Chsndran ?
ask,d hi, visitor "You look - though
you had los, your las, friend. whs, II
II, ,"
81 am afraid l have. answered Chsa.
dram. .olemnly. 81 feel so-dont mind
me. I Am lo~.spiri,sd you see;' and
then Mr.. vandsrven,sr inquired for Mig
nonne. III, the little girl ready he
Asked. and Jack replied with . sroan:
81 should think 20. he began. but
Jus, then there vas . rustic Of dnpery ia
the hall. and the door opened.
81 Am ready" said Misnoons's voice,
and then Philip turned slowly. Could
,h. be Mignonne '-Misnouns Of the
short froek and long brsids-Misnonns
the "li,,ls girl."
II Vas Mignonne's face certainly
and Mignonne's shiny hair. bat the hai'
Va. no lonser braided ehild.fashion down
her bsek-it wn gathered up In slo'
rious kno, on the very top OF her head
long. curling. goldsn.r-d lock falling
here and there over her shoulders. The
shor, frock VAS supplanted BY pre,tlly.
fashioned drrs. which trailing behind
her In sois folds, gave . ststeliness to her
slender figure. and - she stood there.
blnshing and smiling - they looked ct
her. Q sudden unsoooun,abls pain smois
Philip vsndervsntsrs heart.
Mirnonne VA . child no longer; he
had lost his liiils friend forever.
"Do you no, Ike me /. veil" shs
said. putting ou, her pretty hand half
,imidly. "Jsek 10 di'sus,ed With me. but
am too old for abort frock' any more.
the dres.maker said"
"Pi.gus take the dressmsker! inter.
pols,ed Jack.
"I am nineteen. you know" this rather
defan,ly. "and Sand so-here am.
"IIow beautiful che i'," though, Phil.
ip. a. he took her hand fOr moment.
and then. with . sudden anger. what .
fool | have oeen .-~hs, fearful and
wonderful ,imple,oa !"
All ,hl, evening he watched the lovely
face uader the pretty hat. like one in .
dream. No. one word 'pokea by the &C.
tors did be hear or understand; he even
answered Misnonns q, random. and grew
.lmo., irritable when she laughed =, his
preoceupa,ion, although he besgei her
psrdon mos, humbly . minute after.
"See 80 she said suddenly. ., the close
Of the frs, act, there is your cousin. Mrs.
v.nd,r,sn,sr. che i' bo~ing to you"
True, there Was federiea, lansuidly
waving her fan. and smiling down upon
him grseiously-lookins At his companion
meanwhile. through her Eyeglasses. With
. certain sharp. curious admiration.
"Ho~ very beautiful she s! said
Misnonns turning to him as he bowed
oons,rsinedly to his cousin. "She looks
.ach q grand lady ,ha, should be afraid
Of her," and then. catching 'ish, OF bis
distressed face. . dis,ine, crimson Hush
mounted to her very temples, aud the
quick tears came to her eyes. 80. Mr.
vand.rven,er she cried With . pi,eous
culver OF her lips. 81 Am 90 sorry! ]
wish I hadn't eome-ve can 70 home
nov can, We J"
lie turned toward her sharply. no,
understanding the sudden change. but
look =, her distressed face told him how
cruelty she had misunderstood him.
"she thinks ,ha, I Am sorry ,ha, !
broush, her. nov ,ha, fredsriea Is here.
he thought, ssvsgely. and then he an
s~ered her under his breath: "You do
no, know how upjus, you are to me.
Mlgnonne. in your thoughts.
"Ah. Mr.. Vsndsrven,sr. how are you.
Your sun, sent me to summon you and
your friend to seats In her box-by the
way. introduce me."-,his last In an
audible whisper; and Philip Wander.
ven,er. in . ,ingulafly mixed state OF
mind. performed the in,ordue,ion.
captain Merton, Miss Ch.ndrsn.
inwardly raging At the look OF undis.
gui.ed admiration on the gallant cap
tain's face, and then he hesita,ed for .
moment. Should be 20 or should he
moi, Aher all. perhaps !, would be best
to face the difficulty at once, . brave
front 10 best under al circumstances. and
90, overcoming Mignonne's ,imidi,y with
. laughing nonsense" be obeyed bis
aunt's request.
"Miss Chsndran, my aunt. Mrs. Van
dsfventsr."
The wor., ". over nov, and he
brea,ked more easily. His sun, looked .
shade grimmer than usual. but Frederies
vas gracious in the extreme. The little
shynes and ,imidi,y in Mignonnes man.
ner 1t the frat Vas simply charming. and
Frederies. looking at her through her in-
evitabls Eyeglasses. with her eyebrows
raised tribe. ". evidsn,ly favorably
impressed.
"why did you tell me such q wreiehs !
story p she whispered to her conscience
stricken cousin. "l'll never forgive you
for trying to deceive me. sir and then,
aloud, 81 concluded, at the last minute,
not 70 20 you see. and cent note to you
bat you weren't 10. Do you like tie play,
Miss Chandrsn.' p and 90 the curtain rose
on the second act.
All through the evening. Philip Van.
derventer sat communins With himself.
How the ~orld had changed to hin 10
the last few houn-how bitterly hard Il
would be to 70 on with the old life to-
sal m L. ~ Il