The times., 1897-05-30
The Stolen StradiYarius.
BY MRS. BURTON HARRISON.

through which the girls white throat ant
slender shoulders cleaned with a pea:ly
luster
What Kathleen had done to bridge oyeI
the insncerity OF her mothers excuses was
to put her strong, round arms about Molly's
neck and half blind her with enthusiastic
kisses
Maurice, coming moment later into The
room MolIy's elder son. Maurice, with his
siX-foot one Of young manhood set off By
cheap broadcloth. speckiess linen, and the
ruddy hues Of health and modesty-had ie
peated Kathlecn's onslaught, and, lastly
Terence, always laggard, wearing his higi
hat of ceremony and struggling into mis-
overcoat as he hurried in, had kissed her
good-by and bade her be OF good cheer
since their girl was sure to do them credit
All Welll What did anything matter,
so long as she had these?
No no, she did not envy her old friend
Lottie Earl, now the important Mrs. Beau
morris of the society newspaper; nor covet
even sc little: that ladies' grand estab-
lishment in town and country, her hacht.
her travels, and her vogue. 1t had been
only a silly passing fancy of Moliys about
the waste OF all those lilies, because kath
lecn had asked for "A few TO brighten her
gala toilet, and could not be gratified in
view OF the winter woolens needed for
poor, dear Jock, who was screnely wearing
his last years rags in snow drift up n {
the college. now!
Then merry Jock passed in review
through his mothers anxious thoughts =
Jock, whom his family was putting through
the university by dint OF constant self
denial and petty economy. And then,
Maurice, whose clever drawings were
beginning to be sought for by the editors:
his hopes and ambitious: his loving conf
dence in her flooded her heart with tender
meditation. Next, Terence had his turn,
and there was II space for Granny And bt-
fore all of these images OF her worship,
Molly poured "A libation Of love that made
her as happy as queen. Gone, now, were
the barbod thoughts of little while be
fore. bow they would laugh at her
next day, when she confessed h erfeelings as
to Mrs Beaumoris to the BIails, most sen
timents were common property. Tereuc ce
his eyes fun Of quizZical en- .ioyIneut, would
call her a little socialist Maurice. throw
ing back his head in u Jolly laugh, would
declare, provided the Blanks only gave him
Beaunoris was welcome 10 strew forty
thousand lilies upon her daughters path
way Granny would let fly some cheerful
satire. and Kathleen wen, il tonight lie.
whisky approved of Kathlcen's playing. af-
ter this the girl would be too well satisfied
with her lot in life TO bestow even q
transient sigh upon anything lacking
As the clock on the mantei shelf chimed
IL, Mrs. Blair started in surprise Her
stockings were all done, and piled beside
her in neat rolls; and still there was time
to run over those last proofs OF Terence's,
so thathe, poor dear, might get to bed ror
once in decent time.
1t was not for the intellectual treat that
Molly Blair, her rather oyertaxed hazel
eyes radiating contentment, next set ner-
self, with the careful facility of one trained
to the work, to read over the pile OF galley
slips representing part of her husband :
new book On The Romance Languages, =
then running through the press Truth t.
tell, in her zeal OF sympathy, she almost
kne W the para graphs by heart
So deeply immersed in her occupation
was Mr.. Hair proofreader, however. that,
by and by, although Molly bad meant to
key was turned in the hall lock below and
she did not hear it A moment later
whlrlwind, apparently. bore into her
presence young creature with the bright
est eyes and ripest lips in the world
"Oh! little mother, darling cried Kath-
Ieen, breathlessly: how shall tell Won
my good Lews? 1t was like fairy tale;
and Maurice thinks so, too He's just as
glad IS am, l can see; only we've not
had time TO talk it over well-to begin
with-he was there -
who, Maurice?'' asked Molly, happily.
M, you teasing Inother-Levitsky- y-and
when Mr.. Crichton took IL up to Introduce
me, the hero just glanced me over with his
cold, blue eyes, and looked about as much
pleased with new company as the cal lion
does at the menageIie Then, began to
play. And what followed. ! dont know
except that the people We're as still as mice.
and that ! foIgot even Levitsky sta nding
there, so tail and weary, between the fold
ing doors. And then-and then-eyery-
body clapped, andI pla yed again: and when
l hadfinished. papa, who was close behind
me took my violin away. Next Levitsky
came straight through the crowd, and took
me by the hand, and said oh. what DO YOU
suppose he said to your good-for-noUhing
Guild? 'Mademoiselle, you have all the
rest, if you only persevere till YOU mas
ter the technique His eyes were no
longer like steel, but they shone on me
with the softest, fiiendliest CLEAN That
terrible golden name of his could never
frghten me again, think. He was as
gentle as you are, mother dear, and there
OF, tal ii D. l.,ff
1 must come away, too"
You will say l was, for once fit to
take care of your treasure, won't YOU,
Molly2" supplemented Terence, who had
followed the family swain upstairs.
when you see the state of excitement
she is in, you viii agTee that, if that little
head isn't turned by tonight, she'll in deed
be q lucky girl. Levitsky showed pretty
plainly that it WASH t by any means a thing
of every day for him to meet with the like
OF her, and when he roaIed, OF coursed all
the little animals chimed in. 1 suppose
there1l he no living in the house with Kath-
leen after this
"Oh! yes, l shall be SO good, so amiable.
everybody can live at peace with me-
cried Kathleen, thro wing off her fur
trimmed wrap, and revealing her beauty
to the eyes that never tired OF it. But
here we are, mother, neglecting a most
important duty. In the fullness of his
pride, this needless daddy Of mine has
gone and invited two or three men to come
in here presently for supper"
Terence said Mrs. Blair, reproach-
fully.
Its only Malvollo, Molly, dear, ind
little Catullus Clarke
such a beautiful new poet, Mr. Clarke
is. mnther. with nicht-hlack hair md