News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-07-19
MISS CLEO'S NEGATIVE.
"Most through, Cleo 2

eyes; almost. In ten minutes 1 shal
have finished" The young person ad
dressed is sitting with her back to hel
sister, and all the face and half of hel
head is hidden by the hood of r retouch-
ing frame. She is leaning eagerly for
ward. Her eyes are riveted ON the mega
tive before her, and her deft, dainty
fingers are making swift, magic strokes
on the work under her hand. fIn ten
minutes more the sweet musical voice
repeats; f'and when I've done L shall
place before your astonished gaze some
thing too utterly lovely, my Lady Jane. "
Then Janet Heath lifts her head wear
ily from the cushions of her invalid
couch, and sighs impatiently. Cleo's
quick ear catches that sigh instantly.
care you In pain, jamie ?"
"No; not particularly. Only think, l
dare not read aloud to you any more. l
begin to think that comical genius, Sir
Boyle Roche, was exceedingly correct
when he said that the greatest of all
calamities was generally followed by one
much greater 1t seems so, actually.
Oh, dear, dear Why doesn't some good
fortune befall US now, l wonderl Why
don't some of our rich relatives hunt us
up and insist on making us present of
a few hundreds? They could easily
afford to do it; and only think what
godsend 1t would be to us !"
"Well, for your sake, jamie, l sincere
ly wish they would. Then you could
have that operation performed on your
eyes at once, and should be able to
get you all the nice, nourishing food
that the doctors recommended, and that
fine wine that he said you ought to
Now. see thisl" and she handed Miss
Janet the negative.
eyes, Miss Janet says, after regarding
the negative critically, ''you certainly
have done splendid work upon it, and it
is really an exceedingly nice face; but /
have seen you retouching many and
many one that was far handsomer."
"Well, will admit all that" the girl
answers, receiving the negatives back
and gazing down at the face. "Stlll,
this one has interested me greatly ever
since l began working upon it. But
good gracious, this won't do! Only look
at all the time I've been wasting! l
must scramble into my things and take
this work to the Gallery at once, she
breaks forth, suddenly.
Then she flies to the closet, takes out
a very old, quaint, poke bonnet, ties it
on and catching up the package of we'll
done work, huTTies to the door.
'sWen JAMIE, here am at last" Cleo
exclaimed an hour later flashing into the
cool, dark room in a breathless sort of
vav, with her cheeks much deeper in
color than when she left, and pair of
wild, oddly excited eyes. Then. putting
away her ''things" she sits down in a
very stiff backed chair, and fans her hot
cheeks furiously.
''WeII, jamie, do you know the most
romantic incident has occurred this
afternoon? Really, 1 do actually begin
to think there must have been some one
around practicing black art, whatever
that may be. There, now, don't com
mence to lose your patience, and I'll be-
gin and tell you the whole odd occur
renee right from the start. L went to
the Gallery first, of course, and gave in
my work and got my money, all Of it
three big, round dollars, if you please.
Then | went to the market to get some
thing nice for you. From there L went
over to Mr.. Norton's drug store, and L
told him I wanted flask of his very
best wine, and wanted it just as cheap
as he could letm have it, and do you
know-nOw don't say word. L know
YOU are fixing to scold me for my
shameful extravaganza, but you need
MT, for haven't got any" she explains,
with mysterious little smile. 'Letme
see; where was L? Oh, yes; and do you
know, that dear, kind man gave me a
splendid flask, with his compliments to
the invalid, and he hoped it would do
her q world of good. Yes; know by
that look that YOU are going to ask me
where it is; and if you'll just give me
time I'll make full confession. Don't
run away with the idea that / drank it,
though, because didn't As soon as
I'd thanked him L rushed out, and 10
and behold you, it had clouded up aw-
fully, and was beginning to rain right
smart, as the countryman said. When
/ saw that, really didn't know what to
do. OF course, wouldn't have an um-
brella. That wouldn't be my luck, you
know, and had so many little pack |
ages that couldn't hold up my clothes, |
aud was in a dreadful dilemma. 1
finally decided, though, that the best
thing would be to make scamper for
home as fast as my feet would carry me.
So took fresh grip on all my bundles, |
and was Just striding along with my
most Elizabethan-hke strides, when that