The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1891-05-29
MISS ASHTON.
By MARY KYLE DALLAS.
~ Continued

| man replied, "InanKS; charmed, Ill
sure" and then for the first t. me Eugene
looked at him.
Her establishment was Intense. She
had expected to find in Roy Clifford g
younger edition Of Mr.. Bunny. Here
stood man of society, whose dress was
beyond criticism, who was not over two
and-twenty, and who was certainly the
| handsomest man she had ever seen. Hell
| first feeling was intense admiration; the
next moment it vanished. This man
could not be blind to poor little Maisie's
peculiarities. His glance at the tiny
paw she placed upon his arm was not
that of lover 1t was plain to Eugene
that Mr.. Bunny had bought him for
Maisie as he might have bought doll
for her in her childhood. Romantic
Eugene had no longer anything but con,
tempt for the man and pity for poor
Maisie, SO blind that she could not see
what must be SO plain to every one else.
She was very cold to Mr.. Clifford, she
could hardly endure his presence. Mr..
Clifford contented himself with few re-
marks, but seemed unable to take his
eyes from Eugenie's face. Maisie did
all the talking. The call was brief, and
when at last the little woman looked in
the glass over the mantel to settle rose
colored bonnet and adjust fussy little
green plush wrap, all hobs and fringes
and golden clasps, her eyes had a wistful
look that was unusual to them.
"How lovely you look in that white
dress with not a single ornament she
said to Eugene. sit would neva do for
me- must have bwightness. But taste
is great compensation for beauty.
Taste have. Don't you like my bon
net?'
"It is just the color Of wild rose,"
said Eugene, and Maisie, quite content,
seized Roy's arm and skipped away; but
while she had been prinking at the glass
this same Roy had looked into Eugenie's
eyes and said in a voice too low to be
heard across the room, MAY I come
again, Miss Ashton?" and she had an
swered, whenever Miss Maisie likes to
bring you," in tone that was scarcely
civil.
AS Maisie walked homeward. Roy
stalking silently beside her, she herself
for once was silent. For the first time
since Mr.. Bunny had brought this sweet
heart home to her she was unhappy. He
had looked at Eugene as he had never
looked at her. What he had said to her
as they stood apart she did not know,
but there was glow on his cheek and a
flash in his eye that she had never seen
there before. She clasped her hands over
his arm, hoping he would place his upon
them. He did nothing of the sort, though
Maisie had lovely little hands, in very
pretty gloves. Maisie would have for
given him had he stolen kiss in the
shadow of the church they were passing,
or walked with his arm about her waist,
as did the lovers of the housemaids in
white aprons whom they met. Her whole |
soul craved a morsel of tenderness. but
1e did not offer one AT the door, though
Mr.. Bunny called over the balcony,
Come hup, Clifford; we're not abed yet,
Roy replied, "Thanks, not tonight, and
ook his leave. Maisie sighed as he spoke.
n his place how gladly would she have
walled herself of the opportunity to
niger.
For the first time in her life Maisie
aid awake and wet the pillow with her
ears. She was filled with sad PRESENT.
nents; suddenly awakened to the fact !
hat she was deformed and no longer even
young. Hitherto, despite all her chatter,
she had believed that she had charm of |
and a taste in costume that COM
pensated for everything else. Oh, the
bitter, bitter hours. The Maisie that |
awoke after troubled mornings sleep
was scarcely the same Maisie whose in
nocent vanity made her see everything |
about her through rosy glasses, and
though she tried to believe that all was
well she could not. Her misery grew
greater as days passed and Clifford did
not come to the house. She roamed about
listening to Mr. Bunny's words
hoping to hear him speak of |
Roy. He never mentioned his name, but |
there had been talk Maisie did not know
Of
One night after they had retired Mrs.
Bunny prodded Mr.. B. with her elbow.
Asleep, Lover" she said.
"No, and not likely to be so long as
you keep poking at me, missus," said
Bunny
"That's the crossest word never you
said to me, Richard Bunny" said the
lady.
"Aye, missus, I'm vexed," said Bunny.
"And l believe it is the same thing
I'm vexed over" said Mrs. Bunny.
"What spoke for was to ask you about |
this Roy Clifford. Why does he stop
away like this? Maisie is upset by it,
can see that"
perhaps they've had tiff" said
Bunny.
Indeed no." replied Mrs. Bunny.
Nov you know that our poor little
Maisie is plain and will get no prettier.
If anything is to come of this sweet'art-
ing it ought to come soon. You should |
settle it, Bunny, for the girls sake, else |
we've done 'er arm and no good. She |
was content enough in the DAYS when |
she earned 'er bread"
''Ah, l doubt we've been two fools not |
to stop with giving 'er what we could |
take from our pockets. Lovers are bad |
goods to 'andle," said Bunny. I'm
going to speak to Roy Clifford; and
though there was time when is father. |
a boy like myself then, gave me my |
passage to America and ten pound to |
boot, and so started me in life. and | |
looked up to i'm as if ed been the Prince
IF Wales, no less, why l could buy and
sell the old family today, and when l
speak I'll speak plain, mind you. Only
if tits tiff, why it's You can see lit
pest, and it's not likely ell get more
money with another girl than We'll give |