The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1888-08-03
MISS CLEO'S NEGATIVE.
.Most through, Cleo2"

have finished" The young person ad-
dressed is sitting with her back to her
sister, and all the face and half of her
head is hidden by the hood of q retouch-
ing frame. She is leaning eagerly for
ward. Her eyes are riveted on the neg
ative before her, and her deft, dainty
fingers are making swift, magic strokes
on the work under her hand. Sin ten
minutes m ore" the sweet, musical voice
repeats, ''and when I've done / 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 sighs impatiently. Cleo's quick ear
catches that sigh instantly.
care you in pain, Janie?"
"No; not particularly. Only think,
dare not read aloud to you any more. I
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, / wonder2 Why
don't some of our rich relatives hunt us
up and insist on making us a present of
few hundreds9 They could easily
afford to do it; and only think what
godsend it would be to u.s."
swell, for your sake, jamie, l sim
cerely 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
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 1t is really an exceedingly nice face;
but l have seen you retouching many
and many one that was far hand
somer."
'Well, I 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
l began working upon it. But, good
gracious, this won't do! Only look at all
the time I've been wasting! I 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 odd, quaint poke bonnet, ties it on,
and, catching up the package of well
done work, hurries to the door.
"Well, jamie, here I am at lastr' Cleo
exclaimed an hour later, flashing into
the cool, dark room in 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
cheeks furiously.
We'll, jamie, do you know the most
romantic incident has occurred this after
noonG 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. 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 went
over to Mr.. Norton's drug store, and I
told him | wanted flask of his very best
wine, and 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 shameful ex-
travagance, but you needn't, for haven't
got any," she explains with mysteri-
Gus little smile. ''Let me see; where
was l? Oh, yes; and do you know, that
dear, kind man gave me q splendid flask,
with his compliments to the invalid, and
he hoped it would do her a 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
rushed out, and 10 and behold you, it had
clouded up awfully, and was beginning
to rain right smart, as the countryman
said. When / saw that, 1 really didn't
know what to do. OF course, Iwouldn't
have an umbrella. That wouldn't be my
luck, you know, l had so many little
packages that 1 couldn't hold up my
clothes, and was in q dreadful dilemma.
finally decided, though, that the best
thing would be to make q scamper
for home rs fast as my feet would carry
me- So took q fresh grip on all my
bundles, and was Just striding along
with my most Elizabethan like strides,
when that most exasperating shoe of
mine came untied--of course. l would
have OH those thin, low things. That
was in the plot, you see. / was going
wildly along, breaking my heart, think
ing how muddy my skirts and the tas-
sells were getting-you know these are
my grand state occasion shoes" she re-
marks, looking despairingly at them
"when somebody came dashing fran
tically along, with an umbrella far over
his head, and knocked slap up against
me, and down went that precious flask
and was shivered into sixteen million
pieces!'' she cries, jumping up and
striking tragic attitude.
"Why, what was the matter with the
man? Where were his eyes2" Janet
asks GROSSLY. sitting up very straight.