Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1888-08-18
MISS CLEO'S NEGATIVE.


~ es. almost, In ten minutes 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 riveted on the mega
tive before her, and her dcft, dainty
fingers are making swift, magic strokes
on the work under her hand. I'm ten
minutes more, The sweet musical voice
repeats ''and when I've done | shall
place before Your astonshed= gaze some.
thing too utterly love'y, my Lady Jane
Then Janet Heath lifts her head
wearily from the cushions Of her invalid
couch, and slghs impaticntly. Clco's
quick ear catches that SIGH instantly.
Are You IN pain. jamie"
No, not particularly. only think, I
dare not read aloud to you any more.
begin to think that (omical genius Sir
Boyle Roche. was exceedingly correct
when he said thst . the greatest of oil
calamltios was generally followed by one
much greater. 1t seems 50, actually.
OH dear, dear, Why doesn't some good
fortune befall us now, | wonder Why
dop'l some o. our rich relatives hunt us
up and insist on making us a present of
a few hundreds They could easily af-
ford to do it; and only think what
godsend il. would be to u.s.
Well for your sake, jamie, | sin
cercly wish they would Then you could
have that olcrat on performed on your
eyes at once, aud should be able to
get YOU all the nice, nourshlny food
that the doctor recommend, q. and that
fine Wine that lie said you ought to
Now, see this and she handed Miss
Janet the negative.
''Ies, Miss Janet SAYS, after regard
ing the negative critically. You GER
tainly have done splendid work upon It,
and il is really an exceedingly nice face; !;
but | have seen YOU letou, hing many
and many 4 one that was far hand
somer
well, | will admit all that, the girl
answers, receiving the negative back and
gazing down at the face ''St Il this one
has interested me greatly ever since
began working upon It. But. good
+, gracious. this Won't do Only look at
/ all the time I've been wasting must
scramble into my things and take this
4 work to the al,ery at onc G, " She breaks
/ forth suddenly.
Then she flies to the closet, takes out
avery odd. quaint poke bonnet, tics it
on, and catchin,: up the package of
! well done work, hurr1es to the door
Nv ell jamie, here am At last !" Cleo
exclaimed an hour later, liashIng into
the cool, dark room in a breathe;s sort
1 of way, with het check much deeper in
color than when She left. and a pair of
wild, oddly excited eyes. Then. putting
away her things >he sit, down in a
very stiff backed chair, aud fans her hot
checks furlou>ly
'Well. jamie, do YOU know the most
romantic incident has occurred thi> after
noon Really | do actually oCin TO
think there must have been some one
around practising black art. whatever
that may be There. n0H. don't COM
mence TO lose your patience. aud Ill
begin and tell YOU the whole odd oce ur
renee night from the start. | went L
the Gallery first, of course. and gave IL
my work and GOT my money, al OF 1t
three big. round dollars, if you please.
Then | went 10 the market 10 get some
over to Mr.. Noiton,s dug store, aud
< iolu lIfH | Wanltl II Ia \ ti Ills Scf|
best wine. and wanted I lUSt aS cheal
as he could let me have It. and do vou
know now don't say a word | know
YOU are t>ing 70 cold me for my sham
ful extravagance. but You neeiu't. for
haven't got my, She explains, with ;
mysterious little smile. II ms see
where was h yc- ana do YOU know
that dear, kinl man gave ms q sp'eniit
flask. with his compliments 70 tn
invalid and he hopcd it would 10 her
world Of good. Yes; | know hy tna
look that you are going II ask me
where il il. and if you'll Jus, g.N'
me time. I'll make fun confession
Pont run away with the idea tha
drank it. though. because didn't
AS soon as ia thanked him | rushed cut
and 10 aud behold on, il had cloude'
NJ awfuly. and was beginning 10 ran
right smart as the countryman said
When | saw that | feaily didn't know
what TO do. OF course. lwouldnst hav
an umbrella That wouldn't G my luck
YOU know, and l had so many LITTLE pack
ages that couldn't hold up my clothes