The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-02
A NEW YEAR ROMANCE.

You may talk as much as you
please" said Muriel Vane, nodding her
curly head, ''but I'm going to receive
company in the parlor on New Years
day. Why shouldn't /? Every otner
girl does"
Its a sinful. wicked waste OF time.
said Mrs. Vane, when the quilting Is
so behindhand and there's sucn oeai
of sewing TO be done"
but life isn't all for work, PLEADED
Muriel. And Mr.. Clifton Is coming an
the way from the city in his sleigh 70
see me. oh, mother, please let me nave
a loaf of homemade cake and some req
apples and real cream for the coffee.
Just for this once! It's only one day III
the year. Do mother!"
stun and nonsense!" said Mrs
Vane, who was one of those agsra-
waiting women who make up tneil
minds on the least possible grounos
and then pride themselves on adhering
to their word. I've said no, ana l
mean no. When i was a young girl
wasn't setting my cap at every ieiio"
that came along"
Mother" cried Muriel. in an agony
of wounded pride, do you mean 10 say
| that do such a thing?"
you think a deal too much OF the
| beaux anyway" said old Mrs vane'
screwing up her thin lips. Asa I'm
going to break up that sort OF thing'
See If / don't!" o,
vane, naturally high tempered girl,
| checked the indignant retort that rose
| to her lips. Surely, surely, IL was not
right that she, a girl of Is, VINO was
! earning her own living by teacnlhs IN
| the district school, should be treated
| like a child of 8; that her tyrannicai
| old mother should place no conhdence
| whatever in her sense OF right ana uel-
icacy. Up to this time she had render
| ed the tribute of an unWllilng opeul-
ence to Mrs. Vane's behests, ana now
she felt that the moment for just re-
bellion had come. She felt that she
could not live any longer In this cramp-
| ed, niggardly sort OF way, with ths
very Jumps of sugar in her tea metvu
out to her. one by one, and the pippih
apples for her lunch dealt soaringiy
forth. as IL each one were nodded in
gold. Mrs Vane took her lamp away
at 9 o'clock every night. She dictated
to poor Muriel as to the very color CT
her dresses and the number OF yards
which she might purchase for them, IN
fact, the girl scarcely dared 10 think
for herself. Could she live thus al
ways? she asked herself. Was 1t right
that she should? 49,,
"At all events, mother" said Muriel,
speaking in a low, determined tone,
shall receive my friends on New feai ,
dayi II is my privilege, ana claim II.
| ''Humph!" was the contemptuous re-
joinder, but there was worlo Oh
meaning in 1t. -.
60 Muriel retrimmed her one black
silk dress and bought new rippon
sash and baked a great goiuen ny
Years cake filled with plums ana stuu-
| ded all through with translucent bars
| of citron and herself bargained with
the grocer for two pounds OF reai JAY
coffee with as little adulteration OF no,
Maracaibo and chickory as ne couiu
|
IT can use the china that my grand.
mother Vane left me in her VIII,
thought Muriel. THAT, at least, Il
mine. although mother would never al
low me to unpack II!
she was busy decorating the walls oil
the little parlor with laurel leaves ano
, long. dark green trails OF princes pine
, on New Years eve, when her mother
/ came into the room.
"Muriel." said she, II want to SEND
some dressed chickens and a peck o.
those golden pippins to your Aunt Dora
, at the lighthouse jenkins boy Is ready
with the boat, but he's such lint
that 1 don't for the life of me, dare &c
, trust him with the apples and the bas
, of hickory nuts. 1 want you 10 go ano
ask Aunt Dora for the pattern Oh tn'
new bedquilt-the 'Philadelphia pave
, ment' you know" ,
VERY well, mother" said Muriel II
, the old submissive way But ISM
,, rather later"
"Pshaw!" said Mrs. Vane. why
! the sun is an hour high yet Youl o.
back long before dark II jenkins poy
, spry with the oars"
] Amt Dora, Mrs. Vane's only sister
was a worthy scion OF the famliy tree
|, tall. masculine and hard featured. On
had always taken the entire charge o
( white Reefs lighthouse, even althougl
Y | The. of,cial appointment was conferre'
5 unon her husband, and when one da.
! that public servant departed this NE
D things went on precisely the same Mu
: riel was not fond of her Aunt Dora
0 and her Aunt Dora regarded her as
"noor. chicken-hea creature-Van
ali over" But Muriel did feel sorry 10
. the lonely old woman, and she though
that even a pair of fowls and few ap
ples-this unwonted manifestation Q
O sisterly feeling-were worth carrylh
= 10 white Reefs. So she made haste
don her wadded cloak and little fur
!, edged hood, and to draw on the scarle
+, voolen mittens, which she herself ma
= knitted during those long, dreary win
: ter evenings when she and her motne
- sat in silence opposite each other, 10
: Mrs Vane never invited any compan.
= and gave her neighbors but scant wei
= come when they came of their own &C
n cord III, -
. "Jenkins' boy" was ready with IN
;. boat. a small, ferret-eyod younsste
with an Intensely freckled race ana
! furtive. sidewise glance, which Muri'
ALWAYS distrusted: and as they glide
'e out over the water. already dyed wit
s. the orange reflection of sunset, In u
e direction of White Reefs lghthous
II Muriel leaned her chin In her hand
II and thought of Mr.. Clifton.
E What would her mother say If 81
ID knew IL allAthat Paul Clifton loved he
ID that he was coming 10 ask for her
T. the maternal hands the very next da
II 1T will be Of no USE she thougi
ie sadly. Mother will say no. She d.
is sires me to marry Squire Sediey. WI
ID Is bald and deaf and twice my age. ar
he who only wants me because his nous
n. keeper has struck for higher wages al
d he thinks a wife would be better ecoi
h. omy. Put we can walt. Paul and
a We will wait"
at And then they ran up alongside q