The state herald. (Holyoke, Logan County, Colo.) 1887-1921, 1893-08-11
THE LOST IDEAL.

Miranda was Q charming little girl
Of seventeen; she was also o bundle
Ut contradictions = cultured aud
orude. clevor and foolish, sentiment
TIL and worry much alive to the
ridiculous. She was also extremely
pretty, in the Irish Way, which Is
perhaps The prettiest way In tho
world. Hef father, the rector, was
Irish, and he and all his family We're
geIiSl. CHEEKY folk. who laughed and
grew fat Miranda was rather
ashamed Of her OWL keen sense Of
fun, which belonged, she supposed,
TO hcr CLOVER nature" She liked to
pose to herself as ernest. with lofty
ideals OF life. love and che dignity 81
womenhood.
Ono September day tho beaming
rector whose beams had mover boon
obscured except when his only child's
mothSf disd, ten years before, called
to Miranda ffofh his study window.
"Chickl" cried he. He 6fteri called
her Chick" sd she did not Mid
much, although tho dignity o; woman
hood might be little hurt.
Miranda, who was walking In the
garden with rough-edged parch-
ment-bound poet, stopped and looked
up.
"Chiek, would you like to como to
London with me for b weekp"
"Yes. papa,," she said i'll d iittid
languid voice, and with a dreamy
gaze beyond him into infinity.
She hid very nearly jumped for
Joy, but rcccllected the dignity Of
womanhood in time, and waited until
she got into her own room. Then
she did.
They went to tho house Of her
fathers sister in London. She was a
rich and lively old maid, then gaily
caring backachc at some German
baths, and spending most OF her time
with much choerfulness up to her
chin in them.
One morning the rector had to go
into tho city on business. and loft
Miranda all alohc. Sh6 meant to RS.
cline in an easy-ctair and read
Browning; but shc got rather
strained over .'Sordeli6." which
many who can run cannot read.
Now Miranda, reclining in her
casy-chair, found It SO much easier
than Browning that she fell asleep.
She was shocked at herself when
she awoke aud found the poet promo
Mt her feet However. she got up,
stretched her arms, and thought she
would explore the three drawing
rooms In search OF now toys and
curiositlcs. OF which her aunt WAS n
great collector.
She came to the smallest room at
the end; and even Us she crossed the
threshold, her eyes fell on-a face!
She stopped short, thcn went forward
with claspcd hands and stood 10 gaze.
1t was only the photograph Of very
hand some young man. stuck Into the
last lea! OF ID photograph screen
standing on n little table: but in that
moment Miranda thought she fore
tested tho rapture Of = realized ideal.
In thoss dark ayes sho seemed TO
read genius and sweetness; In that
counterfeit prescntment she seemed
TO recognize the Ferdinand Of her
dreams
Almost shyly she slipped the fatc-
full carte out OF tho little screen.
without oven u glance at its com
panions there. The Image had no
suporscription; tho upper and lower
edges of The mount had been pared
away 70 admit OF It's insertion In tho
screen. This only added tho fitting
touch Of mystery.
Miranda could not bring herself TO
replace and resign what seemed al.
most sacrcdly her own. almost heaven
sent She put tho hsxven-sent Ferdi-
nand into her pocket; and whom tho
rector and his daughter went home
To tho rectory. Ferdinand went too.
| Thereafter Miranda spcnt much
tlmc In contemplation OF that sun
pictured face. In point OF fact II was
a badly executed photograph. for
there was haziness In some Of tho
outlines, n want Of finish In somo OF
the details This. however, en-
HANGED Its Significance In Miranda's
eyes. and appeared TO her 10 imply q
peculiar value In tho portrait MS a
portrait, Independent OF Its merits Us
. work OF art
Miranda passed the winter In
trembling expectation. half hoping,
half dreadipg that hcr aunt would In
SONG OF her letters. nllude to the
missing treasure. and at tho same
tImo tear tho veil from its mystery;
but no such enlightenment came, and
In May Miranda was 20 go and stay
In London with hor fathers sister.
Meanwhile. only two things hap.
penod TO her at tho rcctory. One
was her eighteenth birthday, tho
other nm Offer Of marriage from her
fathers curate. which II mood scarce.
iy bc said that sho refused. afiiAnccd
as she felt herself TO her IDEAL
Tho curate was = good young man
Handsome. too. with good brains,
good heart. and good expectations.
lie was devoted 70 Miranda. and his
sober fancy had never pictured any.
thing 80 fair and sweet NJ this reality.
She liked him very much indeed,
appreciated his pleasant talk. his
pleasant ways, but II was quito I'm.
possible 10 IdcalIxo him.
Tho poor young occlssinstic was
very unhappy when sho refused him.
lie never smiled again for at least a
wcck.
In May Miranda fand Fordinsnd)
went 10 London. whore tho protty
country girl was n good deal admired
and enjoyed hctsclf very much. In.
deed. sho was pronounced bcwitching
there was no monotony about hcr,
and there was u touch Of inuoacnt
eoquotry. Truth TO gay. Ferdinand
faded n little from her thoughts n,
this tlmc. M photographs Rrc apt IA
fade. sun. no Rildcd youth had
pushed him from his place.
Soon after sho reached hcr aunt's
hourn, Miranda had ponr into TINT