Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-07-13
LADY MAJEND|E
CRATER xxI-Continued.

She had wondered in the carriage how
she should meet Jack; but he came
swiftly up, with warm shake of the
hand, and was bere, there, and every
where, with ratherI: boisterous fun. All
seemed like a dream. the noise and the
warmth and the shouts, as they played
EARTH air, and water; and for half mo-
ment she shut her eyes to try and realize
it all; but she was summarily reused by
shs"p blow from the ball, land shout
of earth, l, 2, B. 4, S, 6, 7.
'"Trout, salmon, eagle!' she cried. in
an agony of hurry, and then followed 8
burst of laughter; she was fairly reused,
and found herself playing with as much
vigor as little Dick, the youngest Gret-
hard, still in knickerbocbers. Then
came pause, and in marched the butler
carrying a magnificent dish of snap
dragon and the lamps were carried out,
and the fun rose to the highest pitch.
One of Lady Armine's children, little
Alice, was rather frightened, and Dita
held her hand to coax her. Then the
salt was thrown on. and the usual effect
produced-Jack and the boys adding to
the terrors by the most horrible grim
aces.
At O'Clock the little children dis
to dress for dinner, while all the per-
formers in the evenings amusement
joined in a school-room tea.
Perdita begged to be allowed to join
them-she was the merriest among them;
once, when the recollection of her
troubles flashed across her. she wondered
at herself, and fancied that they were
all untrue-that her troubles could not
be real-only mistake.
When the charadeS were over, dane
ing began. Dta was still afraid to VEN
ture, but Mrs. Lee Aston made her sit
close beside her, and she enjoyed it al
most as much.
mot one dance?' asked Jack, will
you not dance even one? What fatal
first ball that was!"
"Dita gave little shiver; but she an
swered gayly. mot one; my dancing
days are over"
81 wonder what my Mabel is doing!"
said Lady Armine, wistfully; and her
thoughts were wandering away to the
first of her nestilnxs who had taken wing.
Far away in Dunmonaigh, Mabel was
standing at her window alone, and the
large tears were rolling down her cheeks
Christmas day, when all families meet
together, and the boys are home from
school, and life Is at its brightest, she
stood alone, looking out on the frozen
lake, where the moon cleaned over the
snow, and each black Scotch fir was
shrouded with white. 1t was very cold,
and her heart was full, longing for the
father and mother who loved her so
fondlY, for the noisy brothers and the
merry sisters who overlooked her home;
all was so dignified, and all seemed so
old, she would fain have been silly and
childishly merry again. Angus was
kind, and Lady Grisel was even too
anxious to do all for her she could; but
they were so wise and old, and Mabel
felt as if she were fluttering in a cage:
and as she looked out, she pressed her
forehead against the cold window-pane
and sobted, and kissed the great packet
of letters that had arrived that morn
ing. the loving blessings from her par
ents, the pages of school-roomI news from
her sisters. and the boyish MERRY
Christmas" from all the boys.
Then she started on hearing her hus-
bands voice, aud carefully wiped her
eyes and put the letters away. He had
thought them silly in the morning. and
she would rather he did not speak of
them again; so she smoothed her soft
hair. and stole down stairs for fear An
gus should come and seek her.
The dancing at the Lee Astons' went
on till past midnight; then all was over.
and Perdita went to bed. What q
strange long day it seemed! and then
she started and gave little moan. for
the pain came back to her heart
with sudden pang; and she knew that
it had but slept for a time, and that it
lived and was very keen. Her little sim
pie PRAYER went up for distant friends,
for Edward and for Mabel, and when
she fell asleep her pillow was wet with
tears.