Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-08-17
MISS CLEO'S NEGATIVE.

EDIost through, Cleo"
eyes; almost, In ten minutes I shall
have finished" The young person adj
dressed is sitting with her back to her
sister, and all the face and half of the
head is hidden by the hood of retouch-
ing frame. She is leaning eagerly for
ward. Her eyes are Tiveted on the mega
tive before her, and her def, dainty
fingers are making swift, magic strokes
on the work under her hand. ''In ten
minutes MORE" the sweet musical voice
repeats; land when Pve done 1 shall
place before your astOnished gaze some
thing too utterly lovely, my Lady Jane
Then Janet Heath lifts her head
YEARLY from the cushions of her invalid
couch, and signs impatiently. Cleo's
quick ear catches that sigh instantly.
care you in pain, Janice"
''No; not particularly. Only think, I
dare not read aloud to you any more. 1
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 wonder? Why
don'G some of our rich relatives hunt us
a few hundreds? They could easily af-
ford to do it; and only think what
godsend it would be to us!'
"Well, for your sake, jamie, 1 sin
cerely wish they would. Then you could
have that operation performed OF your
eyes at once. and l should be able to
get you all the nice, nourishing food
that the doctor recommended, and that
fine wine that he said you ought to-.
Now, see this!" and she handed Miss
Janet the negative.
eyes," Miss Janet says, after regard
ing the negative critically, you GER
tainly have done splendid work upon it,
and it is really an exceedingly nice face;
but l have seen you retouching many
and many one that was far hand
somer"
"Well, [ will admit all that, the girl
answers, receiving the negative back and
gazing down at the face "Still this one
has interested me greatly ever since 1
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
L
on, and, catching up the package of
welI-done work, hurries to the door.
''Well, jamie, here am at last" Cleo
exclaimed an hour later, flashing into
the cool, dark room in a breathless sort
of way, 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
checks furiously.
''Well, jamie, do you know the most
incident has occurred this after
noon? Really, 1 do actually begin to
think there must have been some one
around practising black art, whatever
that may be. There, now, don't COM
mence to lose your patience, and Phi
begin 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 l went to the market to get some
thing nice for you. From there went
over to Mr.. NO1ton's drug store, and 1
best wine, and l wanted it just as cheap
as he could let me have it, and do you
know-now don't say word. / know
you are fixing to scold me for my shame
full extravaganza, but you needn't, for
haven't got any," she explains, with a
mysterious little smile. ''Let me see
where was 1? 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 a
world of good Yes; 1 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 a full confession.
Don't run away with the idea that
AS soon as I'd thanked him rushed out,
and 10 and behold you, it had clouded
up awfully, and was beginning to rain
right smart, as the countryman said.
When 1 saw that L really didn't know
what TO do. Of course, Wouldn't have
an umbrella. That wouldn't be my luck,
you know. and had so many little pack