The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1896-09-03
sPoILtsG A SCHEME

80 lhr bA.A r bA4 AbN N1A'''@ N+
Of shich the sutertsiuusDt Vas beins
bed vas = popular ohf some great !sdies
bal taken the tbins up ADD msde It" suc
Gees And S. many Of tho men sud peaf
~ 81. the girls were 10 fancy dress, tie
scene vss strikins aud brilliant.
Among tie HeHrts Mariss the Amy
R8b.arts. Flora MeDooslis sad other
characters that GIlsi The rooms, 0ae girl's
faoe took ny heart captive ,ba iustsnt
haheli il, she cii DOT look more than
seventeen. though she msy havei been
year OF two older fair. slender With
sBuny hair and a milky white complexion
She vas dressed to represent the soow
Imsee Of HssthorLe's charming isuissy,
and the character suited her style Of bean
ty admirably. She was rs pale IS the snow
wreath thst crowued her bead, aud she
seemed almost as fragile ss the iclcles that
were her only ornsmeuts,
The girls beauty "" indeed remarks
bile, People turned aud looked at her Is
she moved here aud there; sod whenever
/ she slold still she was instantly surround
ed by small crowd OF men eager TO get
their names put down on her proarsmm'
noticed, however, that there was ssd,
abstractei look in her eyes Her heart
vas not 10 the ball room
10 spite Of aIl my efforts | failed TO get
90 introduction to the girl who had isscin
ated me, foiled even to learn her name.
Bat none the less had fallen 10 love With
her like fool ! hsd fallen 10 love with
stranler-s vision that 10 all hkeli
hood | should never see sgsiG, that
would be for me IS 6eetIns and uusub
stsutlaI as the Snow Fairy whom she re
presented.
There was one other person at the ball
who attracted my attention, This was
tall, dark man, with thick, short, black
beard q man considerably over the mid
die height, and evidently possessing a
strong will as well ss a powerful body. |
More than once this man approached the
Snow FAIRY and on each occasion she seem
ed TO me o shrink from him, as II she in
some way had cause to fear him. They |
were evidently connected, but what the |
relsto1st p between them Was | could not
be sure, for the man seemed too young to |
be her father, Surely, said TO myself
with Jealous psng, surely be cannot be
her lover.
The whole evening pe tered my friends
10 the hope OF getting, 10 some indirect
way, al introduction to the girl who bad
fascinated me, but | was quite unsucoess
ful. Once her eyes met mine, Whist she
read there / do not know, but she sudden
ly turned aside. her pale cheeks showing |
a sudden glow Of rose color, Ve1ed with
myself for making lhet blush, | turned
away 10 the opposite direction, and
took care not to approach so near her
again.
The evening wore 90, and it was evident
that my mbition was not 10 be grstifed.
About 3 o'clock | left the ball room and,
mufl ed in my thick ulster, was making
my way along side street which led to
the main thoroughiare where hansoms
were to be found, when | heard rush OF
flying feet behind me.
turned, and there, close to me. stood
the Snow Fairy, white opera cloak wrap
ping her from head to foot, and her sweet,
sad face looking out at me from within
hood OF swsnsdown.
| stood and stared, too much surprised
to think or form conjecture
Is here letter box nesr2 she gssped
ont, for she was bresthess, as much from
excitement, it seemed to me, as from the
exerlion Of running, On please, please
tell me, Where shall look for oueH she
went on. without giving me time to c~l
lect my thoughts,
Idont know vbe e the nearest letter
box s, replied, bat | can easily hnd
out. Ifyou will intrust your letter to me
will see that 1t is posted.
No, cannot; dare not trust 1t
to any one. Do try to fnd ont for
me
The words died away on her lips, for
she, as we'll as |, bad heard the noise OF
someone ruuniug up to us, and the next
moment the man with the short black
beard stood over US. Rage knotted the
veins OF bis forehead till they seemed 10
be near butslioe. Rage. for the space OF
two seconds, kept bin speechless Dur
ing those two seconds the girl crept per
cpptibv nesrer to me. snd something
smooth. ttiii, thin, like 8 piece of thick
paste board was pressed into my hand
Itlip ed it at OF ce into the pocket OF my
ulster.
What sre You doing hereT be said to the
sirl iu tone OF suppressed fury; aud be
fore she bad time to snswer be turned ssv
sgely upon me. How dare you speak to
nv daughter, be demanded advancing .
upon me in a slow and threatening manner .
had l1st time 10 see look Of mute sup
plio.tiou in the girl's eyes. She vas sn .
trestibs ne not 10 belr.y her.
Really, sif, said, With as much cool
ness a. | could d'commsDd; really, You /
must pardon me for saying that yon seem
=. lNtIa less than reasonable Oae is per /
mtlted to spesk to ycu7s lady At
ball,
10 the open sireeii 10 this claodesliue
manuefy
We wete not 10 great privacy, to be
sure. bot that might be urged 10 mitiss
too Of the 4 nes, said, srb