The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-04-26
MISS A ASHTON.
Something Better than the Title Of
Countess Won bv Happy
Marriage.
RY MARY KYLE DALLAS.
tcopuiaht--Au Rights Reserved)
Marriage.

whenever she was asked, and always
looked well, and her aunt was satisfied.
It was her hope to make great match
for her, and keep her from returning to
Germany and music.
What might have happened no one
can say, but one day witch, who had
| it in her mind to change the course of
events utterly for two young women
who had done her no harm, whistled up
wild north wind, and mounting it
rode through New York, sending every
thing flying mems hats, newspapers,
loose signboards, figures on which cos
TUNES were displayed, the stock of the
corner fruit stands, sometimes the old
women who watched them. Eugenie,
! who had just entered Broadway, being
! compactly dressed in cloth and wearing
! little toque that fitted closely to her
Z, head, Jared better than many of her sex
who were abroad that day. But as she
braced herself against second gust she
| became aware of little woman Ia great
! distress, like some frail boat tossed upon
the ocean in gale-a woman with
whom the wind was doing what it
! would, since it had first twisted her
drapery about her in way which, while
1t exhibited an unfashionable quantity
Of red and white stockings on two little
limbs, thus reminding one of sticks of
peppermint candy, rendered them per-
fectly useless.
s.5ave me!' cried this little being, as
she clutched Eugenie's arm Save mel
or shall be blown over the bousetopsp
| It seemed possible But Eugene did
her best to prevent the catastrophe.
I The fair sufferer by her aid remained on
terra ffrma and found shelter in the open
hallway Of a building devoted to offices,
where Eugene smoothed down the
fiounces, untangled the ribbons, adjusted
| all the fluttering hnery. and came at last
to little woman with tiny body, a
large head, with round, red and white
face, like Holland dolls, and guam
tity Of light hair, now wildly blown
about and mixed with the trimmings of
I the most elaborate bonnet possible. As
she looked at her, memories of German
folklore rushed upon Eugenie's mind,
and she asked herself if she had caught
a gnome, and if it would grant her a
wish if she refused to let it go otherwise.
ssYou are so good" said this little
being, II shall never, never forget it.
What / looked like l don't know, or
what people thought of me- It was like
an angel coming to me out of heaven
| when you caught me.
I She was holding her bonnet now while
.so1.
so plentiful as to overload her immense
head. Curious memories were coming
into Eugenie's mind. This was familiar
face and figure. Where had she seen it
before?
'sYou are weally angelic" said the lit
I tie woman. Eugene laughed.
There comes the rain, she said, as a
shower of drops fell on the pavement.
"Oh, it poursl and you have no UNI
bwella either said the little woman.
'sBut though you may shwink you won't
spot, for you are all wool. But am en-
tirely silk and satin and shall be utterly
wuined. Mrs. Bunny told me to take an
umbwella and a waterproof. 1T viii
surely storm, Maisie, she said; but /
4
punished for it."
The right chord was touched at last
\ Eugene remembered where she had
seen this little gnome before. 1t was
\ when she was ten years old that Mr.
Bunny, a man with whom her uncle
was connected in business, and who, she
had heard, came from England in the
steerage. poor boy with his wardrobe
| in handkerchief, to become million
aire in the course of thirty years, had
come to take her to see Fourth of July
| procession that passed the balcony of
the old fashioned house in Bond street
where he still lived, though it was al
most given over to business even then.
Mrs. Bunny in a wonderful cap had
been very kind.
ssIm SO glad to see you," she said,
'sand low sweet you are in that white
frock. Give me a kiss, my dear. Maisie
love, ERE is little Miss Eugenie Ashton. :"
1 Then Maisie came skipping out of the
balcony. 'Oh, you dearl" she said. so
often Mrs Bunny has told me / should
see you, and now this is the first time.
How stwaight you are, and how nicely
you cawy yourself. ] always notice
beauty. admire it, though never had
any myself. I'm never envious. Kiss
me, dear, and we will have just the
1 loveIiest time, won't we? Such dwight
day, and the music. Tra-la-lal How
/ / love musicr' And Maisie spread her
slirts which were very full, to their
extreme width ON both sides of her and
executed sort of Spanish dance. Music
and the soldiers marching, and one can
see evwything from Mrs Bunny's beau
tifnl balcony"
At that time Maisie was perhaps TWEEN
ty years Of age. She was extremely short,
her shoulders were slightly defrned,
but she contrfved to conceal her defects
of figure very toaerably. Her good, smil-
ing face had many changing expressions.
ali of them good natured and aniable.
Eugene tooE quite a fancy to her at
once. She thought Maisie very pretty,
with the futtering ribbons, the frills OF
lace thatadorncd her costume, the stringa
of blue beads with which she bedeclxed
her neck, the bracelets she wore upon
her arms and the immense bouquet she
carried in her hand. The sashes, the
| buckles, the adornmenfs of all kinds she
displayed upon her person. It all came
back to Eugenie as she stood watching
the rain plash npon the pavement.