The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-07-14
Select Storg.
UNDER A CLOUD.

1t was cold, dark night in February
The snow had been lying on the housetop
for fortnight. The trees in the squares
seemed like frosted skeletons. Everywher,
overhead the snow was white and pure
Underfoot was damp, cold, slushy mixture
of ice and mud, such as London only car
produce, which chills the badly-shod way
farer to the bone. The lamps gave but 9
dim light in the side streets, and the few
pedestrians, marching silently along in the
quiet thoroughfares, seemed, with noiseless
footsteps, to be so many sorrowful ghosts
condemned to weary pilgrimage in ST.
lent city of mist and darkness.
Frank Denton, however, felt none Of
these things. At fve-and-twenty one en-
joys walk undeterred by fears of cold and
rheumatism; indeed the driving rain or
gently-falling snow gives zest when one
is young, well-fed, well-clothed, and blessed
with the knowledge that the struggle with
the elements can be ended at pleasure.
Frank, although he was not particularly
favored by fortune, was one of those lucky
people His father had been poor clergy
man, who being struck down by fever, left
his wife and son totally unproyided for.
Frank, then sixteen, had been placed by
one of his fathers friends in a merchant 5
Office. Here he had remained, gradually
improving his position, and gaining the
confidence of his employers.
For ha loot fru0 xyaors lo,,.r-. LII Al
misfortune to lose his mother, he had been
living alone in London, and being of quiot
and studious habits, had passed most of the
evenings in the company of his books.
He was out this evening, after couple of
hours study, and had been walking briskly
along for some time, his thoughts busy
with bright, imaginary future. For the
last few minutes he Lad been vaguely aware
of female form fitting along in front of
him, and was conscious that, whilst one
half of his brain had been busy building
castles in the air, the other half had been
as busy admiring the pretty figure in front
of him.
Just as Frank was about to pass her,
she seized him by the arm and forced him
rudely back two or three PAGES, and before
he could recover himself, there was muf-
fed sound of rushing hoofs and rattling of
harness, horse and trap dashed madly
over the spot where he would have been,
and in another moment thelvehicle was
caught against the lamp post at the corner
and smashed to pieces. In minute the
solitary street had decent-sized crowd in
it. 1t is a marvellous characteristic of
London that no sooner does the most trih-
ing accident occur than crowd seems to
grow up at once. Where the people come
from is mystery. They seem to ooze up
from the road, to emanate in some manner
from the very bricks, to descend with the
blacks, to float in upon the wind.
Frank, however, took little notice of the
crowd. He was too much occupied with.
his fair preserver, who, the danger past, had
tainted, and would have fallen but for his
in ppholding her. In two or
.hree minutes the cool night air revived
her, and they walked on together till they
found themselves in one of London's s broad
md busy streets. Here she would have
wished him goodnight, but he insisted on
accompanying her little farther, to which,
lfter faint resistance, she agreed.
The strange manner in which they had
been introduced to each other; the service
she had rendered him, for which, he pro-
tested, he could never sufficiently thank
her; the earnest rejection on her part of
any merit in what she had done, grad
nally launched them into lively conyer-
satioD; so that in short time they were
talking as familiarly as though they had
known each other for years. He learned
that she was employed at fashionable
milliners establishment at the West End,
and that she was making her way to her
home near Islington.
In spite Of her humble position there
was a tone of refinement about her, and
bis quick ear told him that her speech was
that of well educated person. Her face
was that of charming girl, and her figure
was in keeping with her face.
Too soon the walk came to an end, and
Frank had to say goodnight and once
more thank his fair preserver for the SER
vice rendered him. His lodgings seemed
very lonely and gloomy; and as he could
not settle down to his books he retired 10
rest, in the hope that he might perhaps be
80 lucky as to dream of his new acquaint-
ance.
All the next day her face kept appearing
on the ledger or the letters he was working
at, and, perhaps, it was not SO very remark
lble that soon after Mary Emerton had left
Nine. Michaud's, she met Frank. She
could not refuse to acknowledge his saluta-
lion, indeed she had little wish to do SO,
for his bright face and winning manner
had made great impression. There had
been little romance in her dull, gray ex-
stence.
Many an evening did these young people
meet, and although some would blame
Mary for admitting the acquaintance Of
one who was total stranger to her, it must
be remembered that girls who have to work
for their daily bread, and are accustomed
10 struggle in the everyday fight Of the
world, are, as rule, quite capable of tax
ing care of themselves. IF Mary did not
1t once inform her parents of this new
it was more out of shyness than
for any other reason.