Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-11-30
THE LOST DEAL.

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cultured and crude, clever and foolish,
sentimental and very much alive to the
ridiculous. She was also extremely pretty
in the Irish way which is perhaps the
prettiest way in the world. Her father
the rector, was Irish and he and all his
family were genial, CHEEKY folk, who
laughed and grew fat.
One September day the beaming rector
called to Miranda from the study win
dow:
Chick would you like to come to Lon
don with me for week?'
Yes, papa said she in little languid
voice and with dreamy gaze beyond
him into in1inity
The happy old parson, who did not Of
ten give himself a holiday, enjoyed it
thoroughly, and so did Miranda.
One morning the rector had to go into
the city on business and left Miranda all
alone She thought she would explore
the three drawing rooms in search of curl
osities, of which her aunt was a great col
lector.
She came to the smallest room at the
end, and even as she crossed the thresh-
old her eyes fell on the photograph of a
very handsome young man stuck in the
last leaf of photograph screen. In that
moment Miranda thought she foretasted
the rapturcs of realized ideal. She called
him Ferdinand
Almost shyly she slipped the fateful
carte out of the little screen without even
a glance at its companions there. There
after Miranda spent much time in con-
temptation of that sun pictured face.
Miranda passed the winter in trembling
expectation half hoping, half dreading
that her aunt would in some of her letters
allude to the missing treasure and at the
same time tear the veil from its mystery.
In May Miranda land her ideal) went
to London, where the pretty country girl
was good deal admired and enjoyed her
self very much. One day at breakfast her
aunt read a letter that seemed to give her
considerable pleasure.
MY dear" said she, "Charlie's COM
ing"
WHO is Charlie?" asked Miranda, who
had never heard of him before
My dear" replied her aunt rather SOL
EMMY, Charlie is the son of my first and
only love-the man should probably have
married if he hadn't preferred some one
else"
'And is he alive now"
"No, my dear-both dead long ago. He
got himself killed by tiger out in India,
and it killed her, too-not the tiger, but
the loss of her husband. Indeed, then,
She was far fonder of him than ] ever was.
Some well off uncle looked after their boy
and got him into the f. o. He's been in
Canada these three years, and now he
writes me word he's coming home and
will be in London next week, so sit ye
down. Miranda, child, and send him q
card for my dance next Thursday"
Thursday came, the guests came-more
| thoTn ont,lH r,of, efofr 10
rived early and did get up stairs. His
hostess, glorious in green velvet and dia-
monds, pounced on him, took both his
hands and kissed him before the assem-
bled multitude.
Presently Miranda made her appear
ance, and being effusively introduced to
each other they went off to the ballroom
together. Mrandas heart beat little
faster when they met. For one moment
she had seemed to recognize the beautiful
dark eyes Of Ferdinand; but ah, no, mol
That round, foolish face inclined to be
chubby; that nose inclined to be snubby;
that wide mouth forever widened by a.
schoolboy grin!
Miranda went to bed that night vaguely
disappointed and unhappy and had PAIN
full dream of distorted Ferdinand photo
graphed on spoon. Charlie came to lunch
con next day. Miranda was tired and Al
little Cross She found him horribly I'M
interesting. She was only half conscious
that Charlie was babbling and Dragging
of his exploits on the ice in Canada. She
only half heard what he said when het
asked her aunt if she had ever got the,
photos he sent her year before.
Mine of our skating club and the
what do you call itH-you know
| tOh - S0id her amt 81 pOt than
and put them all into photograph screen.
1t used to stand on a table in the third room
up stairs l dare say it's somewhere up
there. Let us go and look for it..
photograph screen?" The words woke
up Miranda like pistol shot At last, at
last! And what was going to happen9
Was her sin to find her out? No, she would
never confess but she felt very guilty and
| shook in her shoes. However, she man
aged to walk up stairs in them behind her
aunt, with Charlie at her heels.
In the third room her aunt pulled the
drawer of cabinet Here it is" said
she, ''folded up as fiat as pancake" And
she gave it to Charlie, who unfolded it,
yes" cried he, with his wide laugh,
there we all arel But, say, where's the
mbination-composite, what d'you
call ity Nine of us blended into one, you
know-the new dodge. What's become
of it? Awfully handsome fellow we made
too. Bit of Brown, bit of Jones, bit of
me, By Jove! What's the matter? Are
you ill' Here, sit down. Where's the eau
de cologne?"
Miranda sat down. She did feel little
faint for an instant while she realized the
truth, and Ferdinand melted into space,
but then the suppressed fun in her lower
| nature" jumped up like Jack in the box