Wichita eagle., 1888-11-14
MY LADY'S SHOE STRING.

half Of her head is hidden by the hood of O
setouching frame. She is leaning eagerly
forward. Her eyes are riveted 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" tho
sweet, musical voice repeats; land when I've
done ! shall place before your astonished
gaze something too utterly lovely, my Lady
Jane" ti1er sisters name is Janet, but when
this saucy, winsome, mischievious heroine of
mine wishes to be crushing in her remarks.
eha addresses her by this high sounding
title) Like one of Sir Walters Scott 5
characters, | shall be pulled up with ma les
tic pride over my handiwork. Even you''
with a pompous wave of her left hand,
champion retOucher though you are. will
turn green with envy when you behold this.
See if you don'tl'' she ends, with a little CAV
laugh.
After this braggadocio speech there is ST
lence for a few moments Then Janet Heath
lifts her head YEARLY from the cushions of
her invalid couch and signs impatiently.
Cieo's quick ear catches that sigh instantly
''Are you in pain, Janief'
''No; not particularly"
''Then why do you sigh in that engine
like fashioni Do you want 10 blow me
awayP'
Don't be 1ippant, Cleo, for PHYS sake:
and | sighed because | feel SO cross about
everything. It's just perfect shame that
you arc obliged TO work so hard. And it's q
far greater shame that [ should have gotten
Ill at this particular time, too One would
havo thought that this awful affection with
my eyes was quite enough of a trial Only
think, dare not even read aloud TO you any
more. l begin to think that comical genius,
Sir Boyle Roche, was exceedingly correct
when he said that the greatest of all caIami-
ties was generally followed by one much
greater 1t seems so, actuallyl Oh, dear,
dear! Why doesn't some good fortune be-
fall us now, | wonderi 1t always does turn
out that way in books, You know
''Yes, in books" Cleo interrupts, dryly;
''but nowhere else that am aware Of"
"Why don't SOFIA Of our rich relatives
hunt Us up, and insist on making us a pres
ent Of few hundreds! They could easily
afford to do it; and only think what a god
send it would be to usl'
"Well, for your sake, jamie, I sincerely
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,
nourishiDg food that the doctor recon-
mended, and that fine wine that he said you
ought to-
Don't mention that again, dear. l have
quantities Of nOurishing food now that l
have no appetite to eat, and it just breaks
my heart TO think of all the hard earned
money you have spent in that way for me-"
"Humpbr' says Cleo. ''You don't seem
to understand that that is deep, dark, dia-
bolIcal plot Of Hline 10 get loads of good
things TO eat. You can't eat them, You see,
so l must-to save 'em. I'm living on THO
very cream Of the land at present, and am
getting too Sat and SISSY for any USE" she
adds, telling her little unselflsh fb with
marvellous promptness. For whatever hap
pens, poor unfortunate jamie must not guess
how the getting of these delicacies worries
her, nor how alarmingly low their little stock
of money has run. So. although there is a
mist before her eyes and a lump in her throat,
she begins humnling 81 careless little tune
In spite of Janet's deplOrable state of mind,
she laughs little ct her sisters last remark,
and surveys her beautifully nodded, graceful
figure with much amusement.
well, yes, sassy You are, l grant you,"
she says, after moments pause. But fail
-poohl Don't lay that aattering JUNCTION to
your soul Besides, you don't want to be.
1t is SO excessively vulgar to be fat A little
Of that commodity wouldn't hurt me any,
however, she goes on, lifting one slim, pitifui
arm and long, transparent hand.
As she finishes speaking, Cleo pushes back
her chair. jumps to her feet, lifts her arms
above her pretty head, and deliberately in
dIlges IN long stretch.
''Oh, myi How good it does seem to stand
once morer' she exclaims.
After that she picks up the negative she
has been so faithfully working ON, and steps
to her sisters side
''There!" she says, with dramatic flourish
and much pardonahle pride-''therel Is not
that beautifully donel Even you couldn't
have done it as well, could youi Don't dare
to say you could, or / shall dig up my toma-
hawk III ono brief instant. Isn't II a splendid
facet There is so much-so much-er-well,
there Is 50 much in if
YES. ever SO much muchness," Janet
answers, nlisohievously.
"Who ia Gippant how, | should like to
knowl Prac1ice what you preach, my Lady
Jane. But, honestly, now, isn't it hand
some facei And il does seem so very familiar,
toe, especial the eyes. Doesn't it 20 you"
"SiA. Ncs, l1l1tf, JoAlSI iSpaSsf oe-AAAe,
at the negative
Cleo Is standing ia trout Of Janet's couch
while they talk, and the light from the old
fashioned French window fails full upon her,
SO there Is very excellent opportunity to ex-
anime her face Just row Her tine, delicate
white hands are folded behind her back, and
her head is slightly raised, SO that you may
discover that there are pair Of velvety,
golden brown eyes; there are heavy, dark
curling l.Saes that shade them, and fine,
straight broNs above; there Is . pretty,
artistic nose; there is g mouth than resem-
bles a yernlihon tiated flower. and a pair of
round cheeks whose bewitching dimpies are
ike inverted rose petslx
"Yes," Miss Janet says. after regarding
the negative critically, .'yuu certainly have
done splendid work upon it, and it Is really
an exceedingly nice face; hut / have seen
you retouching many aId many enc that
was far han6soner."
"WeIl, VIII admit oil that" tho grl an.
swers. receiving the negative back and gar
ing down at the face 'Still this one has in
terested me greatly ever since began work
ing upon it. But. good gracious. this won't
Dol Only lock at all the time I've been
was,inSl | 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 thu package of well done WORK.