The Newtown bee., 1892-08-19

yet, have you, Aunt Penelope?" panted the young lady.
 "Not yet. Why!'' | "Don't send Clara Anneslie's.' Not send Clara Anneslie's invitation Why not?" exclaimed Mrs Ferningham. with wide opened eyes, and mouth grad ually elongating itself to correspond.
 ''It's all true about her money being lost in the San Antonio.'
 her lawyer?'
 "No, but I saw her. She's selling flowers at Hardie's counter. Next we know, she'll be galloping up and down the opera house, selling bouquets on a board. Clara Anneslie never had any pride. Why couldn't she take in sewing, or give music lessons, or do something genteel, if she must earn her living?''
 "DId she see you?''
 "Yes, of course she did. We looked each other full in the face" "Did she speak?'
 ''I didn't give her a chance. I turned away, as cold as ice. It's just as well that she should understand first as last that the aristocracy will not put up with that sort of behind-the-counter bus iness!''
 ''That was right, 'said MrsFerningham approvingly, as she tore up the scented note that was to have been sent to Clara Anneslie, the open sesame of the soiree, where no expense was to be spared.
 Miss Ferningham frightened up at once. It had been the darling ambition of her heart, before ClaraAnneslie's beau- ty eclipsed her humble light, to become her cousin Herbert's bride. Perhaps it was just yet upon the cards that she should gain this acme of happiness.
 So she put on her torquoises, freshend- ed up her laces and tied pale blue rib bons in her lustreless flaxen hair. And in the pretty childish way she affected when with her cousin Herbert, she told her tale.
 ''A horrible bore," said Herbert Fern ingham, playing with his oynx sleeve buttons. ''No end of nuisance. And Clara Anneslie, the brettiest girl out, too. What is it that Shakespeare says about a dear gazelle? I've got it some where in an: old scrap book, I believe. But of course there's no use in fellow making eyes at shop girl. If I marry at all (if-oh, poor Miss Celestia } it must be girl with money. Didn't some one say that Hattie Courtenay had 5000 a year of her own?''
 ssClara, my dear!" Mrs Estcote check ed her little ponies on the corner of the street and beckoned her young friend to take seat beside her, "where are you going?'
 ssTo Surini's to look at some basso re- lievos."
 ''Well, I'll take you there. Jump in Have you heard the news?'
 1T have heard nothing special"
 'sSo I concluded" said Mrs Estcote "People are always the last to hear what directly concerns them selves. You didn't know, then, that stay, here comes Herbert Birmingham! Let's see if he will bow to you"
 ssOf course he will bow to me. Why | he bow to me?" said amazed 1 Clara.
 But just as she was making ready to ncline her head in the most gracious and | ady like way, in response to the expect d salutation, MT Ferningham passed on, ieeply intent on the engraviDgs in the opposite shop window.
 q thought so.'' said Mrs Estcote, with curl on her lip.
 ssWhat does it mean?. asked Clara, in not unmingied with mortifica- ion.
 ssTo come back to our news,n said Mrs Estcote, whipping up her ponies by way if an escape valve to excited feelings.
 .sYou haven't heard, then, that you ave lost all your property--that the Jan Antonio was wrecked?''
 ssThe San Antonio was wrecked, ' Clara immediately made answer. ssbut hat made no difference to me. Myl .uardian sold her a month ago to Messrs solightly and my property is all in ested in good, safe bonds and mort ,age.s