Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-12-25
LITTLE MISS PRIME.
A Happy Christmas Story.
BY EVELYN THoRP.

How old was Miss Selma Prime-always
spoken of as Little Miss Primer" To judge
by her soft blonde locks you would have said
not so far on towards forty. But to hear her
talk-to observe her self-effacing shrinking
into the ranks of the old and the faded, and
the shclvcd-beyond all question you would
have amended the judgment with ''Surey,
there is q mistake. Little Miss Prime must be
quite an aged parsonage.
eff you would only crimp your hair, Aunt
Selma, and wear your gowns of u little more
modish cut-not that you need to, for you're as
pretty as you can be just as you are-you would
look-well, nearly as young as | do.'
Thus Hannah Prime, called Mamie and the
belle of the little New England town if ever
there was one, over and over. But Miss Selma
would only blush in a half-shocked way. She
wear modish gowns and crimp her hair Dear
me, what notions young people had. Such
things were not for women of her age. But
women of her age, 1t appeared, might take
prodigious yicarious interest in the crimped
hair and the pretty modern dresses of others,
for was Miss Selma ever more earnest than
when engaged i'll aiding Mamie to render her.
self even more charming than nature had made
her?
Tonight she gazed upon her handiwork with
more than usually beaming eyes.
Dear, if you will let me move that geranium
little lower"
''Not another thing shall you do for me-"
enunciated the tyrant of this household of two.
'The rest of the geranum is for you, and wear
1t you SHALL just to give little spot of color to
that Quakersh gray of yours you dear, prim
unreasonable little woman!'
And with imperious fingers the niece tall and
dark and brilliant in black tulle and punches of
red blossoms, fastened the flowers in little Miss
Primes fine bit of lace, Notwithstanding sun
dry denurring eXpostulations.
1t has been already understood by the reader,
doubtless, that Miss Selma and the Young lady
were on festive thoughts intent that night
ut hol or lIn fnr tn1.i
her place among II group of elderly maidcns
ranged with great marshallng of respecta-
hility along the wall, and the latter was start
ing off on the arm Of an eligible Young man to
the pusating measures of a waltz.
How lovely she waS Miss Selma sat and
watched her beautiful niece as she walked or
danced, always surrounded with partners-and
the best in the room, too-and delicate flush
of pleased excitement rose to her smooth
checks. Who could possibly be good enough
for Mamie? She SO handsome, so brilliant, SO
clever. He must be u very knight and king
among men who would dare to WOO her and
wear her. And perhaps, thought Miss Selma
with very faint little sigh, there We're not
many such. Some seemed to be; hut then the
sequel proved other things. Well, life was full
of disappointment, and one must not Judge too
harshly. Who could tell the hidden causes
that lay beneath seeming mysteries? And
once more Miss Selma, grown for an instant
oblivious i'll part OF the gay about her,
sighed gently.
But then the temporary mists of memory
cleared away, and she caught a glimpse of her
beautiful niece talking to IL tall, broad-should-
cred man. OF sudden the pink flush faded
ont Of Miss Schnas checks. Had any of the
matrons been looking her way, they must have
noticed that the small hands in the pearl
gray gloves, that had been so neatly cleaned
into immacuatcnCss with painstaking bread
crumbs, had closed conyulsively over her fan,
which was Nannies last Christmas gift. But
the matrons were looking elsewhere. Miss
Selma, as failing to hold original or authorize
tive views on the management of servants and
the training of the infant mind though at all
times most defcrental listener to the expo
sitions of Others on matters of such and similar
import, was apt TO become somewhat neglected,
perhaps, of these ladies, though assurclly not
i'll the least conscious of the fact herself.
You would not have thought Miss Selma was
possessed of much uf that quality known vul-
carly ms grit" had you looked ut her. And
yet here she rallying all her forces to-
Gethcr to meet this tireadfully sudden shock
that had come upon her, all unpreparcd as she
was. and succeeding far better i'll the cndcavorS,
too, than many another of her SEX adjudgcd
strong minded of the world, would have done.
But surely they We're not coming toward her?
Yes, Mamie, flushed and impcrious, with her
black cloud of drapery trailing after her, was
crossing the room ON the arm of the tall man,
and both were steering directly towards the
shrinking little figure in gray.
''Aunt Selma, here is II gentleman who was
interested i'll me as he knew nv name
Prime. He said he had known a Miss
Prime years ago, and, of course, it must have
been YOU"
And Mrs Selma, though with o most COM
posed little air of bravery, was extending
tremulous hand and murmuring something to
the effect of ''having met Mr.. Dilbcroglue be-
fore"
The tall man sank into the chair beside her.
Miss Mamie drifted off again on the arm of a
fresh adnircr Mr.. ID lbcrogluc turned to the
little woman and looked at her steadily
''You are not changed at all, he said brus-
quely. Indeed, with the vivid color of excite
ment in her checks, Miss Selina's soft face
looked like that of young girl. But the COM
pliment was not to be returned. Mr.. Dilbero-
glue had changed; changed much. Miss Selma
stole side glance at the rugged features the
thick beard streahed with gray, and tried to