Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1888-05-02
The was never going to wash the spot
lpOn her face that i I.anca had kissed


upon her face that Lance had kissed.
THAT girl is a fool" said Aunt
Juliet, who had dropped in. 1 don't
know whether the fact that her foot
caught in q croquet wicket and threw
her down on her way to the gate after
wards had anything to do with her
remark or not,
Shortly after this Nina said, You
know L always said anybody could do
anything IL they only wanted to do it
I wanted to cook those things; and
you know what he said about them.
L wanted TO make him a purse. and
there wasn't knot in the silk. Now
1 want to learn French and music, and
all that white thing Flora Denny
knows. And you'll seer' And she
did.
Not all at once, of course, did we
see the desired proficiency; but she had
natural aptitude for music and for
art. And presently a strange quietude
seemed to have fallen on the house; and
now, instead of little brown imI
there was a slender, dark young girl
whose angles were turning into curves:
on whose olive cheek ruddy tint was
blossoming, whose lips were bow
knot of scarlet, and whose eyes-there
never were such eyes out of a gypsy IS
headl The swift capriciousness OF
movement had become a sort OF flashing
grace; Indifference to dress had changed
to a wondrous taste for the pct
uresque; and carelessness for the feel.
ings of others had vanished before heI
old, intense tenderness for one and all
OF US.
''She has been going through the
chrysalis stage" said Ralph. land
what a gorgeous butterfly she is going
to bel''
''She is not going to be gorgeou:
butterfly at all. :" said /. "All that has
resulted from some dream of Lance.
And Lance will marry her white
enemy there, OF course, and she will
ssIlden into a little brown moth OF
some SORT"
Nonsense" said Ralph. Lance
only opened her eyes. Every girl,
every boy, has to have a half-dozen
chances before the real one comes
along. Don't you remember Romeo's
Rosaland? Yes, Lance will marry
Flora, and much joy go with them.
But our Nina shall do better.''
Ralph was right. One day Flora
hand, and told us in her gentle-voiced
way of her engagement to Lance; and
if Nina had a dream the dream was
over. But / was not at all right my
self; Nina did not sadden to any eI-
tent for any length of time, and before
we could account for It to ourselves
she was brighter and sweeter and even
gayer about the house than any house
hnl haftar
your Brownie" I" she said, when / began
to perceive from how many little tasks
she saved me, how much she looked
she was in Ellie, how she beautified
the house with her pencil and her
flowers, what a bit of vital hearth-6re
she had become.
But while this pescefulness was
developing at home, there was trouble
broodIng abroad. Ralph's business
was In sad way, and creditors were
cruel, and disaster was impending.
And one day 1t came. The great oper-
alton on which, outside of his legal
business, Ralph had been engaged SC
long. fell with crash, and all our
hopes of the future, and all our Ger
tainty of the present fell with it.
Everything was to be given up, and
with all the rest our home that had
been such a nest OF happiness for all
our married years.
Of course l did what could to hold
up my poor Ralph's hands. and It was
settled that we were to 60 into lodgings
and live IN the smallest way possible
while he was picking up some practice
again, taking a desk in an Office that
was open to him.
NOW" said Aunt Juliet, "you see
what it IS to have burdened yourselve:
with another mouth to feed and back
to clothel"
nina is no burden" said L. "She
is blessing. She Is an angel We en-
tertained unawares.n
s'Oh, yes; she's all your fancy painted
her; she's lovely, she's divine. But
she's got to livel" said Aunt Juliet
'And you've got to find her the means.
Aud l don't see how you're going tc
do it without starving and stripping
yourselves. Surely you can't afford tC
keep a cook now; and I'll take Rose of
your hands. I'ye alwaps wanted her. ,
OF course, gave Rose the option ol
going to Aunt juliet.
mo, l thank you, ma'am," said
Rose. II wouldn't live with YOU
Aunt Juliet, ma'am, not if she had the
only mansion there was in heaveni"
81 always told you was your little
servant maid" said Nina. And now
L shall either 60 to work some way, ol
stay and do your work here. / cam
do too much for you. l can't do too
much for himl Do you know, once
thought for just a little while, thai
Lance was the only man in the world
Lance ISN'T shadow beside HIM
There isn't such soul alive as his
and you were made for him. Oh, If
only were good for something nowl"
I'VE will all work together" said
thinking it best to disregard her enthu
s.asm lest it become hysterical. 18th,
laundress and the second girl havt
gone; and it's just as well; for WI
shouldn't have room for them in oul
new lodings"-and then 1t was I wht
was hysterical, for 1 broke down cry
ing, the thought of leaving my deaI
home being more just then than 1 coult
bear. The appraisers had been Their
that day, going over everything. AM
It had all seemed such an intrusion ant
PROCLAMATION that it had been too muci
for me; and l wondered when an ap
parently accidental bucketful Of waite
was dashed from an upper story win
dow as they were gcing away, giving
them a thorough wettiug, if it had no
been too much for somebody else ant
the old spirit might not be again takin.
possession.
at made something flash fire insid,
me like sparks" said Nina, ito SCI
thess men turning over our dear things
Oh. why can't do something to ear
some money in a lumpi If there wer
only a millionaire for me to marry.
might marry him, you know-I'm yer.
pretty"
.Oh. NinaI" 1 exclaimed. sis thi
the end of all my teaching?" But
had to laugh In the midst OF my trou
bles. But Nina did not look at it as
did, the affair anyway being In tn
nature of a myth.
ard marry him, you know, In
minute. if I could" she said, IAN
oiye his money all to you Ii I ha
Iunt Juliet's money do you suppos
I,d take your cookP Do you suppos
I,d let them take your house? Mol i
Ne. aL. INa.