Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-12-31

silver mounted ivory tablets her mother
was parting with at last, were indicative OF
health, wealth, and happiness. Her
fathers remembrance was large box of
choice candied fruits, wishing Cali sweet
things for the day."
Besides all these, there was an exquisite
painting on porcelain, of her own sweet
self to give to Mrs. Cameron, who had so
often envied the one from which it had
been copied, as surprise for both.
But both boxes were filed throughout all
their seeming crevices with that sweet homo
love, without which life would notbe worth
the Price Of admission, and both boxes ar
rived Xmas morning at u small town i'll
Pennsylvania, euch heralded by that
vexatious accommodation, a postal card.
Norman Denslow, that keen, bright
Xmas morning, walked brislly to the little
express office, glanced smilngly at the
Adams Express Company sign, wonder
ing if he ever should see ii without recall
ing the hackneyed, "Why WIS Eve
created?" Smiled at the thought of the
dear, sare, queer old lady whose love had
sent him an Xmas box to the little town
in which business detained him over the
holidays, and, obtaining the box, smiled so
cordially upon the shabby boy standing
near that the depressed look quite died out
from the boys face and was replaced Ivy q
bright look when Norman offered him
generous sum to carry the box to the little
| hotel.
Soon after, Miss Denslow and the other
guests of the Camerons drove up in a
handsome sleigh, whose tinlling bells
seemed to wish all passers-by Merry
Xmas" got her box, and dashed Off again.
Half an hour afterward behold two very
mystifed young people! Norma opened
| Iary IN 1i1,rnJy and S11rlI
shouts as burst from The others at her
stare of blank amazement upon discovering
the "jolly lay out" as Ned Vanness put it!
Here, too, were the soft, gray socks and
the pictured face of dear, plain Aunt
Calista. yet beautiful face in the eyes of
one who, like Norma, saw the beautiful
soul showing in it. There were two Or
three lines written upon card, and she
| glanced at them for any chance informa-
ton of the owner. She saw nothing of
that sort, but caught one line in her quick
look: "'Mollie, darling, as youc all her, is
longing to see you. Try to find time to
run down very soon to visit u.s."
AS for Norman, he picked up one dainty
trihe after another. amused at their haunt-
ing tags Of nonsense, searching for some
| thing as a clue to the owner, and finally
came upon the portrait, ia small, proudly
poised head massed with fluffy golden
brown hair, the largest and most beautiful
eyes he had ever seen, and with more mis-
chief in them than seemed possible in
painting, red-!ipped, pointing mouth. and
ciuatcd him; he could not lay it down,
but held it perplexedly i'll his hand, look
ing from it to the name on the box, and
back again as if, could he but quiet the
mischief from the lovely face, it could
solve the mystery and tell him whore to
find lis owner.
Norma DenS'oc, Norma DcnsloM. Sud
denly he bethought him of distant cousin
of his father who, he had heard his father
say. lived in New York. This beautiful
girl must be either John Denslow' s
daughter Or a friend of hers. Norman,
the family name from time immemorial,
feminized. But how to find her? Ask the
landlord.
He went down to that talllative individual
and inquired if he knew where Miss
Denslow, Miss Norma Denslow, visited.
That did he, and began to rhapsodize over
her "purtiness, her "eddcation," hel
"perliteness to feller," her-9But, % inter-
posed Norman, "where does she VISIT"
, "Nhy, at Cameron's, that ere big house
, with the perscryatory up there on the hill.
Having obtained this information, Nor
man returned TO his room. repacked the
|
he wondered if the lovely owner would sur.
mise how her things had been overhauled
donned his ur-trimmed overcoat. and him.
self carrying the box this time, lie.
, took himself to the Cameron mansion
, thinking it best-and pleasantest-to make
personal explanation, and feeling mucl
curiosity-ah! that semi-vice is by NJ
means exclusively woman's-as TO this far.
removed cousin.
, A servant ushered him into luxurious
, drawing room. Across the broad hall CAM
bursts of laughter and merry voices, max
: ing him realize that Amas by ones self i
( not remarkably Jolly institution.
! The heavy orange silk portieres parted
, and for a moment framed the original o
the portrait, her slight figure clad in softes
e dull red, and her dancing eyes lookin
toward him.
"Miss Denslow, excuse my intrusion upol
= such day." he said, as he bowed in an
swer to her unaffected greeting. II cam
:, to hand over to its rishtful owner a DO
: that was delivered to me by mistake.
! longs to a lady, and is directed to Norma
: instead OF Norman, Denslow."
, She laughed mer,ily as she answered
= "Dont mention it, MIR. Denslow. ] ais
must beg pardon for opening yours. l di
not notice until I had done SO that it, evi
> IDENTIFY, was sent to a gentleman, and rha
it was addressed to Norman, not Norma
=, Denslow."
. The unceremonious call was prolonged
y their cousinship traced, the Camerons an
;, their friends brought in-or rather, he WI,
= taken into the library to assist in roastin
!, chestnuts--and he was cordially invited t
:. the party to lie given that evening.
9 Oh! the lights, and the music, and til
: gayety, and the jokes about the boxes, ant
h best of all, the exceeding beauty of Norm
- in her rose colored crepe, her dainty fee
. encased in those same little slippers he ha
q that morning wonderingly held i'll hi
g hand, scarcely touching the floor as sl
+ danced; looking, he thought like fros
- beautiiied sumac leaf lightly blown by tt
~ wind.
y His heart, half conquered in the morn
ing, surrendered without terms ere ii
" evening was half gone. in love for the fir
il time in his thirty-year life.
is The days passed very swiftly TO the jol
% party Of which, by SO odd an introduction
h he had become the life. Moreover h
i business detained him until, strange to sa
st the very day Of Normas return to Ne
70 York, whittier he accompanied her, M
r ~ II