The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1888-10-27
Miss Cleo's Negative.
frank Leslie.7

''MOst through, Cleo :"
Eyes; almost. In ten minutes shall
have finished" The young person ad.
dressed is sitting with her back to her
sister, and all the face and half of her
head la hidden by the hood of a retouch-
ing frame. She is leaning eagerly tor
ward. Her eyes are riveted on the me-
gative book before her, aud her deft,
dainty fingers are making swift, magic
strokes ON the work under her hand.
"In ten minutes more" the sweet, mu-
sical voice repeats; sand when have
done shall place before your astonish-
ell gazs something too utterly lovely,
my Lady Jana."
Then Janet Heath lifts her head wea-
riIy from the cushions of her invalid
couch, and sighs impatientiy. Cteo's
quick ear catches that sigh instantly"
care you in pain, jamie ?"
"No, not particularly. Only think,
dare not read aloud to you any more.
I begin to think that comical genius,
Sir Royie Roche, was exceedingly cor
rect when he said that 'the greatest Of
all calamities was generally followed by
one much greater ltseems SO, actually.
Oh, dear, dear! Why don't some of
our rich relatives hunt US up AMI Insist
Oh making us a present of few hun
dretls? They could easily afford to do
it, aud only think what a godsend it
would be to us!''
"Well, for your sake, jamie, I sin-
cerely wish they would. Then you
could have that operation performed On
your eyes at once, and I should be able
10 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 Janet
the negative.
EYES," Miss Janet says, after regard.
ing the negative critically, "you cer-
tainly have done splendid work upon
II, and it is really an exceedingly nice
face; but have seen you retouching
many and many one that was fal
handsomer."
"Well, T will admit all that" the gir
answers, receiving the negative back
aud gazing down at the face. "Still
this one has Interested me greatly ever
since began working upon it. But
good gracious, this won't do! Only
look at ali the time I have been vast
ing! must scramble into my things
aud take this work to the gallery al
once," she breaks forth suddenly.
Then she flies to the closet, takes Out
a very old, quaint poke bonnet, ties i
on, and, catching up the package o
weii.done work, hurries to the door.
"We1i, jamie, here am at last p
Cleo exclaimed an hour later, flashing
into the cool, dark room, In breath
less sort of way, with her cheeks mucl
deeper in color than when she left, aat
pair of oddly excited eyes. Then pu.
ting away her "things," she sits dow
in a stiff-backed chair and fans her i,o
cheeks furiously.
"Well, jamie, do you know the mos
romantic incident has occurred this al
ternoon? Really, I do actually begi
to think there must have been som
one around praciicing black art, wha
ever that may be. There, now, don
commence to lose your patience, an
I'll begin and tell you the whole oil
occurrence right from the start. wer
to the gallery first, Of course, and CAV
in my work and got my money, all I
1t, three big, round dollars, if you pleas
Then l went to the market to get SOME
thing nice for you. From there wer
over 10 Mr.. Morton's drug store. and
told him l wanted a flask of his yer
best wine, aud 1 wanted it just as chea
as he could let me have it aud do yo