Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-03-04
all at once" she colnforted herself BY
a.

semi-lighted stairs, and knock
sounded at the door,
rs this Miss Maitland's studiop" de-
manded cheerful voice.
Why" cried Gladys, drawing
quick breath, why, Lowell
cts Gladysr exclaimed Lowell
For the young cousins had met
once years ago at the seaside, and they
never had forgotten one another.
"Why," cried Lowell, rubbing his
torch cad as if not quite certain but
that he was dreaming, II thought you
were adopted by some rich woman
here in the ethyl"
"Art is the only mother that ! know"
Gladys answered, laughing II hope
you've brought me an order, Lowell"
But, say" pers listed the bewlldered
law-student, why don't you come and
live with Aunt Barbara"
"Oh, I've tried that" said Gladys,
shaking her head, land we couldn't
get along at all together"
Speaking of Aunt Barbara" said
Lovel, mysteriously, opening paper
parcel on the table-"beholdl"
Half-a-dozen bits of old china fell
out with clink and clatter.
"Ohl" cried Gladys, stiffening with
horror ITS Aunt Barbara's painted
china! Oh, Lovel, how did this hap
penn"
Mr. Best smote himself pathetically
on the chest.
Like George Washington" he con-
fessed, g" cannot tell lie-it was II
was doing my gymnastics in the
storage war-clubs and
all that sort of thing, you know when,
all of a sudden, lost my balance and
tumbled over the pile of boxes, Down
they went! Aunt Best keeps EN-
packed, you know, in case of accident,
and, of course, the china must needs be
under all the rest, and got the hardest
thumps"
"What did she say?" cried Gladys,
with uplifted hands and eyes shining
humidity
"She doesn't know" Lowell answered,
with twinkling oimples around his
lips. "Do you suppose I'm going to
'fess' before I'm obliged toP | seized
a pattern-cup- broken in not more than
six pieces-and fed frantically to the
nearest china-shop They recon.
mended me-here To Miss Maitland.
No. --- Sixth avenue. But never
dreamed that wa coming to my old
playmatel Now, Gladys, am at your
mercy. Can these ruins be replaced,
or can they notp"
Gladys frowned. half closed her love-
ly limpid eyes, pursed up her lips in
the intensity of her attention, and
finally nodded her head.
"Yes," she said. But il will be, oh,
so expensive First we must order the
china manufactured in just that outre,
ancient shape; then it must be painted
piece by piece"
LET us hope" said Lowell, earnestly,
that there will be no grand family
festival to use the china before"
Aunt Barbara neU@ uses it," said
Gladys. "She only unpacks it at in
tervals to dream over the grandeur of
her ancestors. Courage, Lowell; think
we shall save you YETI
But Gladys" said the young man,
wistfully, ''mayn't ! tell Aunt Bar
bara that you are here alone? ! am
quite sure she would invite you to her
horse, if"
Gladys colored to the very roots OF
her hair
"If you do, Lowell" she said, II will
never forgive you. No. We neither
of us wish to see the other Let things
remain as they are"
But may como to see how the
china gets on?"
"Oh, yes" said Gladys, Frightening.
"You may come. But mind, not word
to Aunt Barbara"
The important business took time, as
all such things do, but it drew to a
close ut last, and one day the box OF
china-new, yet such a perfect imita.
tion Of the old one that Aunt Barbara
herself could not have told the diff
ference-was safely Struggled into the
back door and up to the storage rooms
Now" said Lowell, laughing, "a
shall breathe freely at last"
He gave Gladys check for hundred
and fifty dollars, but as she took it he
looked earnestly at her.
"Gladys, darling" said he, 81 can't
keep my secret any longer. love your
81 knew that, long ago." said Gladys
in the sweet, solemn way she had.
And you, dearest?'
81 love you too" said Gladys. Isn't
it the most natural thing in the worldi
But am not going to burden you will
a penniless wife, We must wait until
/ am great artist, you tt prosperous
lawyer.
Lowell Best secretly made up his
mind that nothing of the sort should
occur.
"rll go home and tell it all to Aunt
Barbara" he resolved. And if she
consents, all right; If she doesn't, al
right, just the samel Gladys is better
than dozen fortuncsr
But when he reached home, the serv
ants came to meet him with pale
troubled faces Aunt Barbara Best hat
been found sitting dead in her chair
Her will, all signed and sealed, left
all that she had to Lovel Best Gladys
Maitland's name was not once men
toned.
But Gladys was coheiress all the
same rs Lovel's wife; and, perhaps
had the old lady known it. she woulC
not have been displeased. For coming
death lifts the veil off our hearts, anC
Mrs Barbara had more than once
wished that she had not been so sharE
and stern with Gladys Maitland.
So they were married, and lived hap
by ever after. And Mrs Barbara Bes
never even knew that her preciou:
china had been broken, and riser