The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-03-05
MISS SPARKLES.

She had the brightest eyes and the
sunniest smile to be found within the
four seas. She might have her mo-
ments OF depression, as we all have
and she might a. times flame out into
rage when things went wrong and
her blood was up. but this only re-
deemed her from the monotony OF
cheerfulness and gave her the variety
that belongs to rich nature. or the
darker the moro sullen passions. she
had not trace. and the worst that
could be said OF her was that she was
"soon up" and sometimes down"
But in general she was Miss
Sparkles." and the name expressed all
that the world loved or cared to know.
She had occasion enough for the
exercise OF her brightness for she
was an orphan with no. greater pro-
lection than might be found in a
couple OF fne-hearted brothers. one
OF whom was on a Texas ranch and
the other in one OF her majesty's
ships as lieutenant in the Australian
seas Either of these men would
have protected her with his hearts
blood; but with all these miles be-
tween her ana them, they were not
very efficient Greathearts and poor
little Miss Sparkles had practically no
one but herself as her guardian and
caretaker. For years she had fulfilled
certain duties in the house of an old
friend. She had been as the adopted
daughter of the widow who
loved her. trusted TO her. and found
her own happiness in the association
which gave herself a loving compan-
ion and Miss Sparkles an affectionate
home But trouble had come between
the two and an enemy had sowed
tares rs enemies have the trick
of doing. Anne. the old servant who
had lived with her mistress these
twenty years gone. had never quite
liked the close association OF Miss
Sparkles with the mistress. She
grudged the cares that were given on
the one side and the protection that
was granted on the other. She thought
that Miss Sparklcs would be vast
deal bettor employed getting her liv-
ing in some quasi-mcnial way that
would teach her her place, rather than
living here as the daughter OF the
house whore never daughter was
wanted. What did Missus want with
O young person hanging around when
she. her old Anne, was there TO look
| ,fter her comforts and see TO her fads
| and fancies? And II she did want
| any one. why should she not have her
own niece Oracle, sister James eldest
as fine girl as ever steppedp She
was bigger and taller than Miss
! Sparkles, and quite as good a compan-
ion; and she was the eldest OF seven,
and ii wsal1 be 1.-The worlds for sister
Jane TO find her such good situation
us this Of Missus' would be- So she
set herself to work to try and GUST
Miss Sparkles from the place and wrig-
gle her niece Oracle into it.
Heaven knows what she said, but
she said something that proved quite
efficient for its purpose; and for the
first time in their joint lives together
the kind old friend and quasi-mother
began to doubt to suspect and find
fault with her adopted daughter. The
home which had once been like soft
warm nest lined with down. became
now cold. hard prickly perch, where
footing was not too secure. Miss
Sparkles. who in times gone by had
never been known to displease. could
now scarcely please the lady. Mrs.
Grahame. who in times gone by had
never spoken O harsh word to her
bright eyed companion, now scarce
ever spoke II kind one. Poor Miss
Sparkles opened those bright eyes of
hers TO the widest but she could not
understand what was passing about
her. and Mrs Grahame did not ex-
Anne. When Miss Sparkles, poor
dear oil in angry tears and vivid flush
OF eager scorn. besought Mrs Ora
hame to tell her how or why or where
she had offended. that lady put on her
iclest look and answered primly: You
have not offended me. Maria. Have
made any complaint"
No" said Miss Sparkles vehement
~; and | only wish you had! II
would be more satisfactory to know
what had displeased you than to be
like your former self.
Am 10 DC taken 10 TASK IOr my
manner?" asked Mrs. Grahame in re-
ply. do you hold that to be n very
dutiful or respectful thing TO do from
you to me- Maria"
And poor Miss Sparkles, baffled at
each turn and every endeayor felt
there was nothing for it but silence.
patience and dong her best to recover
the affection she had lost-lost she
could not tell how.
Some deaths are mercifully swift
and others are painfully slow and lin
gering. The moral follows the physi-
cal law. and in the death OF friendship
arc repeated the same conditions as
those which surround the gradually
weakening WEALTHY OF the body--or
those which cut the tie between breath
and spirit with a stro'; as sudden as
u lightning flash. Ever influenced by
Mrs. Anne, the old lady's love for her
favorite gradually died. till at last the
psychological moment came--the
timos were fully ripe and Oracle