Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-01-28

Il have been adopting a child"
IA child" echoed Glars, "youI'
/ Exactly
| And Hugh told the story of the
evening, adding that he had left its
little heroine in charge of Madam
Blancardi. whose Establishment for
Young Ladies' was we'll known in
the world OF fashion.
| Clara's scarlet lips curled.
ga street beggar. at Madam Blan
cardi'sl'
"a lovely little girl; and where
else ould forlorn bachelor like
myself take her? If we were mar
ried, Clara, as we soon shall be, l
hope
Miss Wallis bit her lips, and tap
| ped her fan against he pearl-mount
ed opera-glass.
"We shall never be married Hugh
| if this is the sort of caprice you are
going to indulge in. Such romantic
folly, to adopt every little wretch
who stares at you from the gutteral
| l, for one, shall not endure it.
Hugh sat in surprise. Was this
the gentle, soft-voiced siren whose
face had hitherto been all smilesf
At that moment Colonel ST. John
entered the box, and Clara greeted
him with the softest of welcoming
glances.
81 am SO glad to see you, colon
ell" she said, brightly. "Here is
seat; and now tell me what I am to
admire in this new opera"
Hugh rose up with the crimson
spot of suppressed passion on his
cheek. Ormond st. John was the
man he most disliked on earth, and
Clara Wallis was we'll aware of the
fact.
"You prefer, then, that / should
leave your be said in a whisper,
whose bitterness was scarce con-
cealed.
"As you please" Miss Wallis
made answer haughtily.
She remained at home long on the
following day, expecting visit
from Hugh, a mutual battery of re-
ordinations, and delicious season
of reconciliation. But she was mis-
taken. Mr.. Martindale had receiv-
ed his dismissal, and did not choose
to hazard a second rebuff. The
lightning glance from under Clara's
jetty eyelashes had undeceived him.
81 would as soon marry Xantippe,"
he said to himself, with a slight
shudder. "And now | shall have
nothing to do but to look out for
little Mary"
The years went by, white with
winter snow, and crimsoned by the
flush of summer roses, and still the
popular beauty, Miss Wallis, re-
manned single. People accounted
for it yariously, but no one guessed
ct the real truth of the matter-that
her heart had gone across the ses
with Hugh Martindale, who resided
in Paris now.
she will come back soon," Clara
told her own heart; she cannot re-
main away always, and then"
And in the meanwhile the stray
Waif of humanity whom Hugh Mart
indale had rescued from the clutch
of fate, was growing, day by day,
more beautiful.
"Hallo!" was Mr.. Martindale's ex-
clamation, as he stood in Madame
Blancardi's reception room, the day
after his arrival from abroad. He
had expected to see an overgrown
schoolgirl, or an awkard creature,
half child, half woman; ard instead
of this, lovely little fairy ran up to
him, with golden curls streaming
backward, and blue eyes all lumin-
Gus with dewy brightness.
"Maryl" calculated our hero, al
most incredulously; "you're grown
to be beauty"
"Have If' said Mary, demurely.
"And [ haven't an idea what
am to do with you'll" he went on.
"Take me abroad" said Mary.
80 guardian, do so long to see the
world!'
$50 you shall,' cried Hugh, quite
relieved at having the question set
tied for him. "Get your bonnet and
SenQ Tor the ma0am.
And SO Mr.. Martindale went
abroad once more, and Clara Wallis
heart still ached on:
Four years had passed away, and
Miss Wallis felt with pang, as she
looked into the mirror, that the
bloom and freshness of youth had
gone with them. Her hair was lefty
black still, and her Lalla Rookh
eyes sparkled yet, but the roses on
her cheek were artificial now, and
the d licate curves and dimples were
no more. Yet Clara selected her
garland Of roses and her dress of
maize-colored silk with special care,
as If she we're a damsel OF seventeen,
| dressing for her first ball, for Mrs
Parkhurst's "Germ AZ" was to be