Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1898-07-05

must bo very self possessed and deter.
Mined" she went on as She bathed her
hot face. "They mustn't catch me at dis.
advantage" So she dressed herself care
fully, putting ON her one decent frook. and
when she lifted the portieres and entered
the drawing room few moments before
the dinner hour even her mother started .
bit at the picture she made. The creamy
white gown with its gold bolt and COLLAR,
her white face with large, lustrous eyes,
the masses of hair coiled on her daintily
poised head-it came to Mrs. Wallingford
with shock Of surprise that her youngest
daughter was beautiful.
"Gladys, had letter from Mrs. Brins-
ley Mckay today" Gladys looked up.
She was surprised at her own audacity.
"And what has that to do with met"
she asked.
"A great DEAL" answered her mother.
"She is your godmothor, very rich and
very eccentric old lady, who sends al
most In the form of q command an invi-
tation to you to visit her. She suffers
from govt and has taken house at Bath
for the season. suppose she wants you
a. q sort Of companion. You might come
in for very nice little legacy If you play
your cards we'll" ="
Gladys almost shivered at the words.
Gladys Wallingford on the Monday fol-
lowing the receipt Of the invitation left
her. mothers house to pay her visit to
total stranger, and in due course they re-
ceived telegram to the effect that she
had arrived safely at her destinations
Before the end Of the week there came
letter from Mrs. Brinsley- Mckay.
"With your permission, 1t said, ':1will
keep Gladys awhile longer She suits me
exactly-her fathers perfect image in
voice, in carriage, in thought. leave for
London again before long, and as Gladys
has never seen a season there 1t will be q
treat to her. As you have SO many girls,
you will be able to spare one of them to an
old woman like me, won't your"
And one morning Gertrude and Juliet
awoke to find their sister the most oele-
brated beauty of the year. She was pre-
scented at court; she went to tho best
houses, for her hostess knew every one
that was worth knowing in all sets; her
name was continually linked with royal
beauties. &,
So 1t was not until nearly year had
gone by that Mrs. Wallingford one morn
ing received telegram saying that Gladys
would be home at 2 O'Clock. The two
girls didn't want to 20 to the station to
meet her, but curiosity at last mastered
them, and at O'Clock the three stood,
each one In her best gown, waiting for the
express train from London. They couldn't
help the rapid beating of their hearts az
the train pulled up. There they saw the
tall and radiant sister step out Of first
class carriage and come toward them, two
we'll gloved hands extended, q smile on
her face .An envy died out Of their
breasts. She seemed beyond even that,
too big, too gloriously beautiful. Her gen.
crosby, her seemingly complete forgive
ness of their former self1shness and cruelty,
set them an example of the magnanimity
such as their petty souls had never before
conceived.
They were all chatter, all questions.
They demanded detailed accounts Of her
doings Of the last year.
"Tell us from the very beginning, they
said, and so she told Of her arrival at
Bath, of her "preoious godmother, of her
London season, but SO modestly of her
success that they would never have guessed
her triumph from her accent. They talked
until late into the night, getting nearer to
one another than they had ever been.
"I'm 80 tired" she said at last. "Won't
you come to my room and let me get my
clothes Off We can talk so much more
comfortably in wrappers"
Her maid had already unpaoked her
boxes, and the room was filled with photo
graphs and signed sketches and exquisite
bits of glass and embroidered silks, olev-
er mems offerings to a beautiful and gra-
cious woman. Gertrude was looking at
the silver which fairly loaded the dress
ing table. "And who IL thiss" she asked,
turning toward her sister and holding up
q large enameled franz with the picture
of a marvelously handsome man looking
from it.
Gladys dropped her eyes just moment,
and then, raising them, she walked
straight and buoyahtly to her mother, took
her In her arms and kissed her closely sew
eral times. Her voice was low and allur-
ingly sweet when she spoke again.
'He Is Lord Stansbury, she said, land
II mother will give her consent will
marry him in the fall. News.