Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1894-12-15

Que was also extremely pretty. Her
father, the rector, and all his family
were genial, CHEEKY folks, who
laughed and grew fat. Miranda was
rather ashamed of her own keen
sense Of fun, which belonged, she
supposed, to her GLOVER nature" She
liked to pose to herself as Earnest,
with lofty ideas of life, love and the
dignity of womanhood.
Indeed, an ideal Ferdinand, (she
always thought of him as "Ferdi-
nand") already haunted her maiden
meditations-an adorable being, un-
dreamed of in maturer philosophy
a splendid guest to whom the doors
OF her heart were to fly open Fer.
dinand who seemed, alas! very un.
likely to be cast on the shores of her
conventional and dreadfully comfor.
table little existence.
One September the beaming rec.
tor, whose beams had never been OBJ.
scured except when his only child's
mother died ten years before, called
to Miranda from his study window.
"Chick |" cried be.
He often called her "Chick |" and
she did. not mind much, although
the dignity of womanhood might he
little hurt.
Miranda, who was watching in the
garden with rough-eged, parch-
ment-bound poet, stopped and look.
ed up.
Chick, would you like to come
to London with me for week ?"
" Yes, papa" said she, in little,
languid voice, and with a dreamy
gaze beyond him into infinity.
She had very nearly jumped for
joy, but recollected the dignity OF
womanhood in time, and waited un.
til she got into her own room. Then
she did.
They went to the house of her
fathers sister in London. She was
a rich and lively old maid, then daily
curing a backache at some German
baths, and spending most of her time
with much cheerfulness up to her
chin in them.
The happy old parson, who did
not often give himself a holiday en-
joyed it thoroughly, and so did Mi,
randa.
He took his Chick to all the anus
ing things that were to be had in
September, and that were respecta-
BILE. Among others to clever bur-
lesque, where Miranda entirely for
got culture, dignity and ideals, and
sixty and seventeen laughed togeth.
er till they cried.
One morning the rector had to 90
into the city on business and left
Miranda all alone. She meant to
recline in an easy chair and read
Browning; but she got rather strain
ed over "Sordello," which many who
can run cannot read.
Now Miranda, reclining on her
easy chair, found it SO much more
easy than Browning that she fell
asleep.
She was shocked at herself when
she swoke and found the poet prone
at her feet.
However, she got up. stretched
her arms and thought she would ex-
plore the three drawing rooms in
search Of new toys and curiosities, of
which her aunt was a great collec-
tor.
She came to the smallest room at
the end, and even az she crossed the
threshold her eyes fell OLA face
She stopped short, then went for
ward with clasped hands and stood
to gaze.
1t was only the photograph of a
very handsome young man stuck in-
to the last leaf of photograph
screen standing on little table, but
in that moment Miranda thought she
fertasted the rapture of q realized
ideal. In those dark eyes she seem.
ed to read genius and sweetness in
that counterfeit presentiment she
seemed to recognize the Ferdinand
of her dreams.
Almost shyly she slipped the fate
full carte out of the little screen
without even glance at its compan-
ions there.
The image had no supsrscription ;
the upper and lower edges had been
pared away to admit of its insertion
in the screen. This only added the
fitting touch of mystery.
Miranda could not bring herself
to replace and resign what seemed
almost sacredly her own, almost
Heaven.sent. She put the Heaven
sent Ferdinand into her pocket, and
when the rector and his daughter
went home to the rectory, Ferdinand
went, too.
Thereafter Miranda spent much
time in contemplation of that sun
pictured face. In point of fact it
was badly executed photograph.
for there was a haziness in some OF
the details. This, however enhanc-
ed it's significance in Mirandas eyes
and appeared to her to imply Pc
| culiar value in the portrait as a por.
| trait indenendent IF ito ynorifa au a