The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-08-02
lips and its frame of sOftly-parted rtd

lips and its frame Of softly parted rid
brown hair.
Beautiful, beautiful Is there like
ness even now? In my dreams Of
mother-screly l know the face. The
hair. the eyes, the smiling iips-ah, the
tannting memory that fades when I
grasp IT. 1t is like Paler, aud with
hands suddenly cold, she took from the
bosom of her dress little fiat locket-
Looking around cautiously, she held it
TO her lips. "Only this once, Granny;
nobody will ever knowm she whisper
ed, and then carefully opened the case.
'It is like the one of the picture. and
and Edith shiyered aud turned
away.
at is like the picture, and I-yes !,
am like IT, Not woman down there
in the hall is prettier. Not one" She
tiptoed PARKWAY down broad stair,
and stood looking at the gay scene be-
low her.
81 might do il, just this once. 1t is
two long hours before twelve. Such
long hours when the music is thrOb-
bingiand the others are dancing. There
are gowns, lovely gowns in those old
trunks. / saw them when | went TO
get Philips costume. might"
The attic was not far from her own
small corner in the great house. Bend
ing over the deep cedar chest she drew
out package carefully done up in
white linen. There was a faint per-
fume of lavender that was like dim
memory of long ago.
This is 1.-THE costume in the pic
ture, the white and pink brocadel And
the mitts and ribbons and lace, and
even the tiny white slippers-all bat the
locketr With flushed cheeks Edith
gathered up the bundle and ran to her
room. Before her small mirror she
dressed herself and laughed aloud at
the sound of the high heels Of the tiny
slippers on the bare floor.
1t was easy to pull the soft red brown
curls about her ears in the fashion of
the picture, and then she stood the liv-
ing image of the portrait Of Miss An
nesley at the end of the gallery.
A piece of the fiImy lace pulled across
her flushed face answered for a mask,
half revealing her happy eyes and smil-
ing lips.
Again she crept down the gallery
stairs. Slowly, farther and farther, tim
idly at last, for at the foot Philip stood
amid group of laughing girls. One
step more and unnOtieed she had be-
come one of them. Philips eyes found
her, a demure little figure in a quaint
rose-strewn gown.
"Wh. re shell / seek partner, fair
ladies? Who is willing to dance with
so clumsy a man as I on a night so
warm? VIII you?" He bowed low
before Edith.
"Yes,p she whispered, wondering if
one Of her shy little dreams had come
true.
Edith had not been taught to dance,
but she had watched the merrymaking
here in the old hall many a time, and
her heart was light and the place
athrob with music, and with Philips
strong arm about her she flOated
through the sea of melody like this
tle-down in a summer wind.
"You dance like fairy Philip said.
"That is because / have never been
taught to dance like a woman" she
laughed.
"Have you not?"
She shook her head. He drew her
into a pretty aleove where the sea
breeze swayed the curtains softly.
won't you take that provoking bit
of lace away? I'm sorely tormented
because of it. | know you, and yet
do not. The gown, the poise Of the
head, the tone of the voice, the hair
who is it that you are like?'
She laughed soflly--(there was nc
danger of being betrayed by sound be
had never heard in that dim chamber
upstairs )-as he took off his mask and
looked eagerly at her. How handsome
he wasl-and to talk like this to him
to Philip!
"The delusiOn is a pleasant one" she
said.
"Yes, the very roses in your gown,
and your hands - do take the lace
away" He leaned toward her in gen.
Il pleading.
"How can / tell? No, surely not,
else What does it all mean, Philip!
See, the curtain is gone from the pie
ture. and it is-why, Philip, it is like
you! What does il all mean?"
at means that there has been q
graft ON the family tree" he said,
gravely, his eyes on the handsome pic
ture.
"Has some wrong been done, Philip
She was good to me-"
He looked down into the troubled,
puzzled face. at can do no harm now,
Edith. Right and love have prevail
ed" Aud he kissed the frightened
lace tenderly.
''She said that last night. don'i
understand; but oh, Philip, / was 50
alone, and now am so glad, so happy,
for love you. ELLEN Frizwell Wye
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