Passaic City record., 1893-09-02

emily. She lit the gas and sat downto
wait for her pupils. They did not
come. Fifteen thirty minutes passed.
Then the poor girl realized the decep-
ton of which she had been made the
victim, and, laying her head upon her
table, burst into tears. AS soon as
she could control her emotion she
rose, and stealing silently to her own
room, locked herself in such beants-
full musicl But Marion could not lis
ten-she must not listen. Oh, how
bitter it all was-how bitter
Invitations were out for the grand
musicale. It was to be the most bril-
liant social affair of the season. Ey-
erybody of note had consented to
come. There would be simply blaze
of wealth, genius, and beauty.
The day arrived. Such prepare
tionsl Such profusion of rarest flow
ers; such store of the choicest re-
freshments; such magnifcence Of
plate; such splendor of appointments !
Leslie and Max helped, Marion helped,
even Mr.. Perrin helped. The servants
did not need them, but they helped
simply because they could not escape
the infection of it. Such occasions
engulf a whole household; the excite
ment is like whirlpool.
ssMax, you will tire yourself out!"
cried Leslie. s.Go up to your room
and rest Remember that you are to
be the hon of the evening.
ssI shall not go unless you do, mon
frere," replied Euna. But just then
Leslie was holding ponderous vase
while Marion filled it with flowers.
How could he go under such clrcum-
stances? To be sure he might have
set the vase down. But that never oc-
Cured to him.
Marion did not know whether to
dress for the evening or not. But at
last her longing heart overcame her
and she put on the. one fine gown she
had-a cream-colored silk that had
been her mothers, but which a cum
ming hand had remodeled for the lovely
daughter. How she longed to hear the
wonderful music and look upon the
great musicians, whose names to her
were like the names of demi-gods
And then. there was another reason
why she ..longed to go downstairs.
Marion would not openly confess its
power, but it surged about her heart
like sea of rapture. Leslie Perrin
had said, as they separated after din
ner:
~ hope you will come downstairs
tonight, Miss Wilbur. / shall not en-
Joy the evening unless you do.
Just as Marion was putting the fin
ishing touches to her toilet there came
tap at her door. She rustled across
the floor in her rich, old-time silk, and
turned the door-knob. There stood
Mrs. Perrin, resplendent in diamonds
and lace. For moment the vision OF
radiant loveliness before her seemed
to strike the self-possessed woman of
the world dumb. Marion looked like
the picture of some queenly colonial
beauty who had stepped down from
her massive frame of oak. The girl s
glorious hair was piled high above her
forehead in that regal way of the old
time bellies, and the low-cut frill about
her snowy neck suggested the stately
ruff of Martha Washington.
ssYou wished to speak to mel" Mar
ion said.
eyes, replied Mrs. Perrin, coldly.
II prefer you would not come down
stairs tonight. 1t will be very dis
tinguished company, and you would
have to be introduced. I do not care
to have it said outside that Herr So
and-So, the eminent composer, was in
vited to Mrs. Perrin s to be introduced
to the governess of her children"
Every word was like the thrust Of a
dagger. Words are the steel with
which women slay each other.
Marion's face changed not a muscle
till Mrs. Perrin had turned upon her
heel and gone. Then the sensitive girl
closed the door, locked it, and finging
herself on the floor beside the bed,
buried her face in the counterpart.
How long she crouched there she
did not know. 1t might have been an
hour 1T might have been an age.
l Ard ali 'tha ti,oa che 'eo,.ld mot rbo1 a