News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1890-12-25

mean. There is an expression in her
eyes when she speaks of you"
"GoOd heavens Stella, you are
raving,' interrupted Paul, springing
up and regarding her fiercely. 81
forbid you to harbor such thoughts
for a moment. Miss Stanhope is as
far removed from me as if she were OF
royal blood. Evidently you do not
realize the difference between an
heiress and penniless concert sing
er. IL
But, Paul" interrupted Stella in
her turn, you must not forget you
are a gentleman born and our fam
lilies were friends in the years gone
by"
"a gentleman ?" repeated Paul,
disregarding the last clause in her
sentence. ''Yes, the son of an OBJ
scure curate, a vagabond by adop-
tion. And am to WOO dear Lady
Disdain' Good God You drive me
madl"
Stella watched him blankly for a
moment as he flung about the room,
then She threw herself on the lounge
and burst into hysterical tears. Nat
urally this brought him to his senses
at once and he patted and petteG and
soothed and pacifed her until the
storm was over
Thursday, October /, dawned, but
1T brought no prospect of the Ferris
dining at Kensington.
There came instead a small note
which read as follows:
| "NO. 10 SALISBURY STREET, Oct
My Dear Miss StanhOpe: My sis
ter is so very much worse to-day
that it would be impossible for us to
dine at your home this evening. She
desires me to convey to you her re-
gret and disappointment. Yours,
very sincerely, "PAUL FERRIS"
Margaret received it at luncheon
time, and after she had read it twice
or thrice she turned to her huge mas
tiff, who was sitting bolt upright be-
side her, and thus addressed him ::
Christopher, | am afraid your sex
is hopelessly obtuse. Now what
would you think of letter like that,
coming from an individual whom
1 you had known in childhood, had
PLAYED with and sQuahbled- -ygitiAiA'a'
I dreds of times
Christopher gazed at her fixedlv
and solemnly thumped his tail as a
dirge like accompaniment.
"Never mind, Christie, you love
me, anyway, don't you, dear? There,
old man, don't lick my face. You
think am crying, don't you? but it
is not SO, | assure you. Why, Chris
topher, do you think | would shed a
tear for Paul Ferris? Come, we will
get ready and 90 to Stella, since she
can not come to us. An errand of
love, my son, with roses and jasmine
for our Offering"
There were many such errands of
love in the ensuing week, for Stella
grew weaker day by day, and her re-
covery seemed far off and uncertain.
The poor child would fain have
been well. She would talk for hours
between spasms of coughing about
the things she would go and see, the
books she would read, the places she
would visit when she would be better
again.
1t was Christmas eve that the end
came. There was q sudden attack
of hemOrrhage, a message sent to
Paul at her majesty's theatre, a few
hours of hushed waiting, a little
struggle-and it was over. Margaret
Stanhope was there and it was in her
arms that Stella's life fiickered and
went out.
Toward the last she begged Paul to
sing to her.
Something that will make me go
to sleep soOn," she said, YEARLY.
And Paul went to the piano in the
adjoining room and touched the keys
softly.
When he had finished he felt light
touch on his shoulder. He turned
and saw Margaret with the tears like
rain on her face
"She is asleep at last" she said,
brokenly.
When Margaret had done what she
could she went away and Paul did
not see her for months.
1t was better so, he told himself.
Her way was not his Their paths
lay far apart and he could not at
! them. And so life went on for him
dulIy. drearily. with never break in
the monotony until spring came.
Then one morning he met her on Re
gent street. She was just stepping
into her carriage, but she stopped
him and gave him her hand, and
drew him aside for a few moments
conversation.
Il am glad l happened to meet
you," she said. 81 wished to speak
to you On-On a matter of business.
1t is u favor | am going to ask of
you.
"No; do not be so rash as to grant
| it beforehand, but promise to come
to the house tomorrow morning,
and we will talk it over | shall be in
until II O'Clock. Good-by, for the
present.
When Ferris was shown into Miss
Stanhope's drawing-room the next
morning he found it deserted. A
cheerful fire was burning in the CRATE,
the sun struggled in through the lace
curtains, and on the window-sea
boxes of snow drops were lifting their
delicate heads to receive the warm
trays.
Margaret appeared very shortly
and greeted him with her usual frank
kindliness. She asked him to be
seated, and after a few common
place remarks, evidently made an eff
fort to plunge into the subject weigh
ing on her mind.
Il asked you to come here because
| have something to say to you that
concerns us both-something | wish
to ask of you" she began.
Anything that | can do for you,
Miss StanhOpe. You must know |
am yours to command"
lit is rather difficult for me to tell
you now that you are here, she
went on, nervously.
"The fact is, Mr.. Ferris, think of
sailing for New York in a fortnight