Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-06-28

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credit.
A week passed away, and Paul found
himself grooming in spirit over the
Misses Clements He had wandered in
search of the picturesque with Nora,
had sacrificed gloves and boots in the
pursuit of wonderful boughs and mac
cessible flowers, He had listened to
Georgina till his ears fairly ached. and
he was divided in his own mind as to
whether the performer or the listener
deserved the most pity. lie had adj
mired Cordelia in every variety of COS
tune, in every effective attitude; had
seen her eyes raised. and the long
lashes of the dropping lids; and mar
yelled at the whiteness of her hands. at
the profusion of her curling hair; had
considered her a beauty, a WEAKNESS,
and burden of spirit
But he could find but little time to
speak to Maggie. lie saw the evidences
of her industry and taste in every de.
tail of housekeeping; knew whose skill
directed the servants, whose fingers
filed the flower vases, whose eyes
were everywhere. But the very per-
/ lection of all these arrangements kept
the little woman too busy for many
+ idle moments, and in the evenings the
/ older sisters were aL-engrossing
Two months had passed and instead
of June roses early fall fruits and flow
ers were abundant at Mossvale when
Paul Goddard passed again through
the village and called at Dr. Clements
office.
81 am so sorry" said Howard, as he
cordially shook his friend by the hand
"All the girls are away Uncle James
invited them TO pass a month at the
White mountains, and they deserted
me"
"Then you are slone2'
'Oh, not entirely. Maggie stays TO
keep house for me"
"Oh, Miss Maggie is here. Shall in
trude If stay day or two, Howard?"
'lntrude, PAUL Far from it. | am
not busy, and Maggie was telling me |
to-day that time actually hangs heavy /
upon her hands. You know she YVES /
always running for the others. So now /
the little damsel has time to enjoy her /
self, and we have had some lovely rides /
and drives. Maggie does ride beauti- I
fully and her horse is very fond Of her" /
1t was true that Maggie was finding /
many leisure hours while her sisters 1
We're away, and Paul found that the re
firing. modest girl was one of the pleas
ATTEST companions ii had ever been his
good fortune to meet
IL was an amusement the young physi-
clan enjoyed 10 draw out the accom-.
plishments that had been overshadowed
by her sisters loudly proclaimed talents
and attractions. lie found that Mag
gle could sing, with sweet bird-like
voice, though she never attempted the
difficult songs in which Georgiua was
supposed TO excel She could play sim
Pile pieces with feeling and expression,
and her fingers would fairly dance over
the keys in liyelier music, that required
no wonderful talent or elaborate exc
cution.
And it was wonderful how pretty the
child-lilte face became in Paul God
dard's eyes. There was a charm in the
constant cheerfulness that kept the
rosy mouth ever smiling and sweet;
there was a beauty of expression in
the brown eyes that mere form and
color can never give; there was an at
traction always in the exquisite neat
ness of dress that was never stiff and
prim, though so carefully arranged
Howard Clements. who loved mis-
friend, and had hoped to secure him as
brother during his former visit
opened his eyes wide in amazement
as the days wore away and Paul lin
pered in Mossvale. During his first
visit Howard had hoped TO see him
yield to the destinations of the elder
Misses Clements, and no maneuvering
mother ever took more pains than this
brother to display the talents and beau
ties of his sisters. That anyone would
look twice at Maggie when in the COM
pany of the others had never occurres
to Howard.
But in the light of Paurs evident ad-
miration the brother began to contem-
plate with different emotions the pos
sibility OF losing his little sister lie
had borne with perfect composure the
prospect of parting with the others II
seemed no great hardship, even when
the separation involved the disappear
ance of Morals masterpieces and
Georgina's music rack But to lose
Maggie was quite another matter.
"Who," Howard asked himself in
dismay-'who would superintend the
servants and keep the house ia order?
Who would wait with cheerful smiles
upon him when the duties of his pro-
fession obliged him to ask for meals at
al sorts of irregular hours?"
Visions of Nora in paint-bedaube
dresses, Georgina with frowsy hair
and Cordelia in inert beaIty presiding
over the household fllSd Towards
brain; and, while he laTented, he adj
mitted that "Paulis head was level" in
his apparent choice.
Maggie could scarcely believe she
heard Alright when Tiul Goddard
pleaded for the gift Of her love and
promised all loyalty and ,ievotion if she ;
would come To rresilp over his home