The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-01-22

1t was hardly noon on n certain four
teenth of February few years ago. yet
the gas was burning dimly in the spa
cious hall of great dingy house neal
Russell Square. 1t was hall through
which rich silks and satins had swept
Z when George was king, and up the bare
wide staircase dainty shoes had trlpped
in the far-back days of its polish and
pockets. Now hall and stairs were dusty
and empty and dull. Now and then a
passing footstep on the pavement out,
side would awaken the echoes within and
make every loose panel and stair-rail rat
! tie again. lE
| Rat-tat!
! The postman's hand was still upon the
knocker when quick, manly footstep
was heard descending the stairs
might have been heard, and the occupant
of the little room on the left of the hall
had ears for anything but the postlnan' S
knock. She was out and had the letter
box open before the upstairs lodger had
reached the bottom step. The girl,
quito unconscious that she was watched.
scanned the simple missive eagerly;
then with sigh that was almost sob,
she put it b;tck, and turned around
to find herself face TO face with the new
! HlTRe gaaight fell full hponjher slender,
dropping form in its plain black dress,
upon the small pale face, the quivering
mouth, the great brown eyes TO which
the tears were'already rising. The keen
eyed artist saw only her face, and seeing
it, read with an artiit's Insight some
thing of the yearning and loneliness and
longing for the bright things1of life that
1.r.I tb,f 6 . Maud nKtrfa
existence. Not that he knew her name.
only that the quiet girl whom he had
more than once passed, in the doorway
on his not very frequent trips to the
studio upstairs was a goyerness, and
occupied the little room soD the ground
iloof. ..al iNm' ~ J. '..
&ThG busy artist knew nothing of the
dull Christmas time. two months back,
wheu the. lonely girl had listened with
an'aching heart for the postman's ring,
wheel, Should bell her that not all the
ruined merchants S friends lad forgotten
his daughter. She had listened in vain.
Nor did he know of a hope, growing
almost into confidence as it was dwelt
upon. that one old friend of Maud's own
would remember st. Valentines Day.
iH Yet ,withlual delicate intuition, he
guessed ut these things, certain that he
had never seen q more touching picture
than the girls dropping face as, uncOn-
sciOus of his presence she turned toward
him in the full light of the gas-jet.
Maud started and colored slightly when
she found his grave, pbsGrvant eyes in
tcn.Iy upon her Then she passed quick
" into her room and closed the door
thinking bitterly how bright the two
hours OF n holiday given her by a pupils
Illness might have been had that friend
been more mindful. He of the short, fair
Vandyke beard-the only artist like
detail , in. his outward appearanee---
stood pondeiing for q moment with
tile door ajar: then he turned sud
denly and ran up the stairs again three
at time. E.E I.a-
When Maud came in from her evening
lessons. weary and listless, there was a
surprise waiting for her. On the dusty
table in tie hall lay u square, thin paper
packet neatly addressed to her, The
haudwritin" was strange. but how her
heart leapt at the sight can be understood
by those who have found themselves SO
deserted by all that even the pOstman
has forgotten them. Maud took it into
her room and shut herself in. Recklessly
She pokcd the fire into CHEEKY blaze,
aud made the tea and got out the bread
and butter and extravagantly prepared
the toust-and all upon the strength of
that paper packet, yet to be opened,
lying by the side Of the teacup. There
was no syllable OF writing insidC-only
n girls face, slightly but skilfully
sketchtd in watcr-colOTs--a face so pitt
ful IN the drooping sadness Of its plaint-
i've expression that Maud did not at first
recognize her own features. She blushcd
Wien she did, and glanced around rs If
she were being watched. Down in the
leIt-hand corner. very small indeed, were
the initials IL. G." 1t was late before
she had sufficiently admired It and Won
dercd over it. and locked it up with a
few treasures; but she little knew that
in all London there we're few valentines
sent that fourteenth of February so
valuable. even from money point of
view, as that little sketch in water-eolors
with the letters 81. c." in the left-hand
corner, ....I '.'iI
e., -
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