The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1889-05-25

| pdSSeu ike HiSE.
Let us go home-to my home, saic
Mary Devereux. We can talk it ovel
quietly there.
The return trip was gloomy one, II
marked contrast to tn E gayety Of the
outward journey. Arrived in Mrs. De,
vereux's drawing room, Miss Milllngton
flung herself disconsolately in an easy
chair aud closed her eyes thus shutting
out the vision of this troublesome world
How much money was in your purse
asked Mrs. Devereux in a sympathi
zing voice.
Fifty dollars, replied Miss Millington
with deep sigh. And it was not my
money at all, it was my aunt's. l had
drawn it from the bank just before l
came here. She needs it, must have it
the first thing tomorrow morning to pay
rent.
think persons in our set suppose
you and your aunt to be very well off,
said Mary quietly ; you dress so fash
ionably.
Oh, [ am handy and make things 60
long way, explained Miss Millington.
My aunt supports me-she has very
small income-and now | have lost her
fifty dollars On what shall | doP
Mary Devereux was sadly perplexed.
She counted the money in her own
purse-twenty dollars.
Dear Miss Millngton, she said, will
this be of any service to you? 1t is all
| have by me.
Miss Millington gathered the crisp
bits of green paper to herself, but heaved
another sigh of despair.
Thanks, she murmured family, but 1t
is not enough. l must have fifty dol
lars. Then my aunt can settle her rent,
and l will repay the sum by degrees
after | am married.
The case was so urgent that Mary
felt justified IN going to her husbands
private desk, where, to her great de
light, she found twenty five dollars
Miss Millington absorbed the fnan-
cial reinforcement with some appear
ance of satisfaction, but her voice rang
with added tragedy as she queried
where the remaining five dollars were to
come from?
Never would the proposal have been
put by Mary Devereux that the ser
wants should be appealed to 1t was
Miss Milllngton who suggested the ne
cesslty of laying the case before them
as women and sisters. Good creatures
Their hearts were soft as their hands
were hard, and between them the need
ed five dollars were without difficulty
raised.
Scarcely had the arrangements reach
ed this happy conclusion when Paul
Devereux returned.
Still here, Miss Milliogton he ex-
claimed, in his pleasant hearty voice.
Glad of it. Stay to dinner and go to
the theatre with US this evening.
And oh such pretty present as he
had brought home for his wife. A
handkerchief of finest French cambria
with frill and entredeux of Valencien-
mes, and the M embroidered in one cor
ner. Just like my darling husband
said Mary Devereux, kissing him furi-
lively, when Miss Millington's back was
turned.
At dinner Mary showed her new
treasure, which Miss Millington greatly
admired.
How sweetly pretty she exclaimed,
examining the dainty muchoir with her
eyeglass. Marked with your initial, M
mine too, by the way.
One which you will soon lose, quoth
Paul, archly.
Oh no, you mistake, she replied, my
name is Matilda.
The dramatic performance was inter
esting. The three young people were
in high spirits until just as they were
departing. when Mary Devereux made
an annoying discovery. She had lost
her new lace handkerchief
Paul was more than annoyed he was
downright angry. The little article had
cost money, and he said there was no
sense in losing it right off in this way.
He had seen it in his wife lap not five
minutes before where could it have
got to?
The natural inference was that she
had dropped it, and all three looked
about the floor of the theatre, whence
the crowd had now departed.
If it's found I'll save it for you, said
an employee of the place call to-mor-
row.
Meantime Paul's quick eye observed
strange thing. Miss Millington, who
was condoling with his almost fearful
wife, kept her right fist tightly closed ;
but between the little finger and the
palm thereof a shred of lace was visible.
Without a with-your leave or by
your leave Paul wrenched this article
out of her grasp.
What's this ? he cried.
1t was the missing handkerchief.
Is this joke ? he exclaimed, glaring
angrily into the blanched face of Ma
tilda Mlllington.
The woman, who had covered guilty
under his accusing glance, took heart
of grace at the word he kindly used.
Yes, yes, quite so, she gasped, with a
hysterical laugh joke-a mere joke.
1t is very bad one, he retorted
savagely.
The three walked in silence to the