The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1895-11-30
inv blood-spot where she pricked her

tiny blOod-spOt where she prlcked her
finger
oh. the poor lovely creature! the poor,
great sweet martyr! Oh, Miss SedIey, it
YOU would let me touch it! And she
lifted it over the tip of her finger, and sud
denly pressed her lips upon the tiny spot
and held it to her glowing cheek.
You dear child! You dear girl.
cried Miss Veronica. How susceptible
YOU are! We should not have shown it
to you We
,.Oh, yes yes! You have given me
such pleasure 1t has been such an eX-
periencer
And at that Miss Sedley had gone up
stairs and brought down gown in which
some one had danced with Aaron Burr,
two breadths and gore Of a brocade
whose delicate rose tints and multitudinous
yellowing ribbons would not have been nm
becoming to either of the gentle ladies then.
Now. said Miss Sedley, when this also
had been sufficiently admired. Il think
we really must have some sherbet, sister
Shall | speak to Hark? And while Miss
Veronica was telling the adventures OF
that dance. Celeste was eating cherry ice
with little thin gold apostle-spoom and
wondering how these people lived cut oft
from the present; and if they really were
alive; and were she once outside could she
ever find the house again; and if she could
remember half that she had seen and
heard. And she walked home almost as
well pleased with herself as she was when
some ten days afterward. she again stood
at the door with the slip Of newspaper con
tanning the letter in which she had des-
scribed the place. the house the treasures,
and thenise lvsa,
She received, as she expected, the most
cordial welcome The sweet old ladies'
Miss Veronica tall and slender. Miss Sed-
lev not 50 tall and not so slender IN their
soft muslin gowns, with their great feather
fans. and the faint flush Of the heat on
their cheeks-seemed to have been sitting
i'll the same spot since she left them. II
declare she said afterwards. Il wanted
to pinch myself to make sure it WASH
some absurd enchmnuent, or WASH
dreaming. OF something - But she only
waved her own fan and unfoded the news
paper
Now, she said, gayly, lit is my turn.
I have brought you something. And
do hope it will give you the pleasure tc
read it that it did me to write it
Miss Veronica and Miss Sedley Sidney
bent their heads together over the slip oi
paper she handed them She had cut of
/ the scare heads because she had not been
responsible for them, and would not have
had them-''Hwo Ancient Beauties ui the
| District, " Butterflies in Amber, Links
! with Aaron Burr and the letter itself
! she knew was not half bad, She has
| taken off her hat al their request, they ;
little Hattered that youth had found then
! pleasant enough to come back 50 soon,
and she sat with Il smile on her face eX.
pectant of the smile on theirs.
! OH she suddenly heard Miss Vcron
lea exclaim, ike Il cry of pain: it is inn
possiblet
.:Oh Miss Sedley echoed her sister
F. Il cannot believe it.
! The faint blush on their faces grew
deep scarlet, their eyes were staring wide
and frightened. their lips trembled thei
hands trembled.
Il cannot read it, stammered Mis-
Veronica IL have never been so in
suited in my life
80 outraged, whispered Miss Sedley
so humiliated!
Il don't know what yoH mean! crie'
Celeste, her cheeks blazing. DO you-
OH exclaimed Miss Veronica, look
ing at her a moment with burning eyes
I'VE do not mean anything. Only pleas
to 60 away.
But | don't understand, urged &c
leste. 'Haven't I said enough? Hav
| made Il mistake? Is there anythin:
wrong?''
.Oh. it is all wrong = cried Miss Sed
ley.
All wrong?" Celeste repeated, remu
lousy.
..Oh, cruel! Wrong and cruel!
Wrong and cruel! Why, there mus
be You can tt don see
You don t see, exclaimed Miss Eeron
lea that you have come into our quie
lives and stripped them bare, and let il
the glare as if [ threw that blind open Il
the sun? That you have violated on
hospitality
Our welcome.
''Om friendliness, the slip of pape
shaking in the knobby fingers.
Our confidence.
That you have betrayed us, exposed
Us. Oh, We shall not dare to be seen upo1
the street.
ITO show our faces.
IL thought you would be pleased,
faltered Celeste.
Pleased! Pleased to be held up as
show: to be banded about the crowd; t.
be vulgarized: to be in the mouth Of peo
pie as if we were criminals: 70 be-to b
profaned-
And we have lived such quiet lives
so respectable, said Miss Sedley, her lip
quivering again. And now our mndesty
our decency-"
''Oh, don't, don't, don cried Gel
este, springing up with her hands upon he
eyes, from which the tears were squirting
.,How could [ tell? Every one else ha
liked it. People have offered me none,
to do it. 1t is my livelihood. | go
enough to pay weeks board for the let
ter
"A reporter!
but, oh would never, never have
done it If | had thought you felt this way
[ don understand now. don see why
Oh, liked you 80! You were so swee
to me. never saw any one felt so nea
to all at once. And now-Oh, you arr
breaking my heart!'' And her voice hae
risen almost to scream, and she hat
thrown herself on her knees beside Mis-
Veronica and buried her face in the lady
lap, sObbing bitterly.
IL am glad you feel so, said Miss Sed'
ley. 1T is something to have you see