The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1889-03-14
Gillian, what would your father and

-Liian, what Woulu your ihtncr anu
mother and sisters and brothers say II .
they heard youl They'd shut you upin
your room and give you nothing but
baefsteak and fried potatoes for amonth.
Think of thatl What dreadful pun,
ishment for one who is as fond of broiled
birds, roast turkey and cocoanut tarts
as you are"
"You may laugh as much as you
please Kate" says Lillian with frown.
"You always were q matter-of-iact
creature, with not bit Of sentiment
about you. You cannot understand the
feeling that sprang up in my heart the
first moment that / behtld him. Had
your fortune"
'It's only few thousand, my DEAR"
interrupted Kate, ''and you know your
own is a million. But, to be serious, II
you had it you'd be looking for two
million instead of one. There, there,
don't burst into tears. l will, vow
will be serious this time. Aud / ask
you, granting that you are willing to
admit him into the favored circle that
pays you homage, how is that admit.
lance to be managed without your over.
stepping the bounds of maidenly pro-
prietys To be frank with you, he be-
lieves as | know-you needn't shrug
your shoulders-as know, say, that
your interest in him is only girlish
fancy, and the little Frenchwoman tells
me, she is in his confidence, being an
old friend-that in a month or so, to
break the letters your witchery has
thrown around him, he returns to his
own country"
skate, have you no feeling DO you
want to break my hearth Yes, break my
heart. You need not look at me in that
iucredulous way. When you speak OF
his going away forever feel as though
all the light and beauty were faded out
of my life. And if at this moment he
and millionaire stood"
ono rash VOWS, Lillian" interrupted
Kate.
81 must and will bid him hope. |
must and will, say. Kate, how shall
do it2'
"Faith, don't know" says her cousin,
with delicious mimicry of the brogue
and an air of meek resignation, ''unless,
me dear, you send him valentine"
There was large and fashionable
party at the Luttrers. And "queen rose
of the rosebud garden of girls" was pretty
Lillian Creighton.
So thought, though not precisely in
those words, for he read no verses with
the exception of comic ones: Allen
Ingram, owner of the yacht Farewell, the
fast horse Neverbeat, town-house un-
rivaled in magnifcence-a country house
uneoualed in splendor and thousands at
his bankers and elsewhere.
With world OF admiration in his very
light blue eyes, he followed the "queen
rose' about, happy to play for the time
being, the part Of her slave.
/ Mr.. Ingram was small and ignoble in
person but his fortune was grand. His
eyes were faded, but the diamonds that
awaited his bride were bright. His
brain and voice were weak but his
family was strong. Only for a few
moments that evening did he leave the
enchantress, and then it was to seek the
supper room.
At that time Robert Lear left his seat
at the piano. Lilian's companions were
clustered together before picture at the
other end of the room and she stood
alone and with his proud face all aglow
he sought her side and in deep, rich
voice he said: "Blcssed orevcr be the
postman. He brought me your precious
message this morning, aud my heart has
danced in my breast ever since | read
these words
3 Nay. fly not from the spell Of love
Lost should pine in vain regret,
But stay an con this lesson DER
Faint heart ne'er won fair lady yet"
1t was a verse from a valentine-a
violet scented valentine that he had re
ceived that day.
Lillian Creighton looked at him with
her White satin CLOAK about her as though
she felt sudden chill in the air and
turned away.
Back to his place-the place he was
paid to occupy-the young man went
while all the brightness faded from his
face and the beautiful dream that he had
been dreaming so long died out in utter
darkness.
"Could I have been MISTAKEN he
murmured.
"Not about the valentine, said a low
sweet voice, and looking up he met Kate
Gordon's lovely, plying, brown eyes,
mot about the valentine but about
everything else. What to you has been
so serious, to her has only counted as
one of her many romantic affairs. The
reality Of her life will be Mr.. Allen In
gram or one very like him."
As she ceased speaking and turned
away, Robert Lear flung back the long
hair from his brow and striking with
firm, powerful touch some grand full
chords. burst into triumphant march,
march that said to at least two listen
ers. "Sight was the wound that I
feared would be so deep, for feeble,
most feeble was the hand that struck it.
Aud though for one short moment |
faltered lost no strength, but, strong
in heart and spirit as ever l again take
my place in the grand army of the battle
of life"
And fitting reward awaited so true a
soldier, for in year he held beautiful,
, brown-eye woman in bis arms, close to
I his heart, and whispered "many grief
is joy in disguise. Had it not been for
false Lllian's false valentine, | should
have never won true Kate for my wife. u
Detroit Free Press.
Contest Over Live Mans Will.
A contest over live mans will, the
testator himself being the defendant and
appearing on the witness stand was the
novel proceeding recently held before
Judge lngraham and jury in New York
oifp "aloh xraoIthu