Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1900-09-27

4
| that happy long ago, when she had
been young and beautiful, and had
waited patiently for her happiness, she
| had loved poetry, music, romance-all
| that was fair and bright on earth
now, because they had been part and
| parcel OF the old time she hated them
| AS her niece grew more lovely, more
imaginative every day, she grew more
| grim and stern; yet she taught Violet
! to speak French, and she trained the
magnificent contralto voice to per-
! fectlon.
Miss Atherton had other peculiari-
ties She had lived many years In
France, and had her own opinion OF
the terrible revolution there. Her
sympathies by no means went with the
fair-haired aristocrats, who mounted
the scaffold with a smile, and so de-
feated the last would-be triumph OF
| their foes they were rather with the
people who groaned and suffered and
toiled and died. She had a most APP
palling collection of stories, of which
the heroes were always aristocrats ana
villains of the most atrocious kind.
Violet was young and very i'm
pressible. On this, the one subject on
which Miss Atherton was eloquent,
she felt most deeply, and agreed with
her.
There was a singular dearth Of
young people at st. Bynos; the place
was so small What Violet said was
true-she had never talked to young
man. The doctor who had succeeded
to her fathers practice was old; he had
young son. whom Violet had seen,
but to whom she had never spoken.
He was the only young man belonging
to what Miss Atherson called their
class; of the class below her she never
thought. There had been no break in
the monotony of Violet's life. She had
had no holidays, had paid no visits,
had made no friends. The hour she
had spent in the bonny woods of St
Byno's was the happiest in her life
She had a feeling that she ought to tell
her aunt of the new acquaintance she
had made; but she knew perfectly well
that, If she did so, she would never be
allowed to see the young artist or his
picture again. So she decided upon
not saying anything to her aunt about
It. He would be gone in few days
and there the matter would end.
"Vioet" broke in the stern voice OF
Miss Anterior, "look where you are
going; you almost fell over the stones!
You are in dreamland and, as that is
a very bad habit of yours, should like
to know what you are thinking"
The knowledge that for the first time
in her life she was thinking of man
who was both young and handsome
brought a hot flush to the girls face.
Miss Anterior saw it and stood be-
fore her an accusing Judge.
"You have some kind of nonsense in
your mind, child" she declared
II fear that is often the case, auntie,
her niece replied, calmly.
Remember" said Miss Atherton,
raising her forefnger, there are five
pairs of stockings to mend, six kitchen
towels to make and mark, and ham
ner of fruit to pack for Warwick, now
| ask, have you any time for nom
sense"
Not ore moment. aunt she an
swered. with a merry laugh; but the
laugh died away when she entered
the house and found the work ready
for her.
They must dine first. The clock
was striking one, and at the precise
moment the little maid appeared, car
rying in the dinner; and, when the
meal was over, Miss Atherton pointed
10 a pile Of work on a side-table.
THAT will occupy you until five
o'clock. Violet" she said; then in the
cool of the evening you can gather the
goosebewies.
So SAYING Miss Atherton retired, for,
as she had often declared. her constitu-
ton required an hours rest after dim
ner.
Violet took her work to her favorite
spot-the baywindow-wheres she could
see the bride and the river.
IL was a struggle 10 remain within
doors. The river had never looked
more beautiful She could see the
sunlit glades of St Byno's woods.
How she longed to be out and away
Later on in the afternoon when Miss
Anterior slept, and the little maid had
gone TO a neighboring farmhouse, Vi
olet thought she heard footsteps In the
front garden She listened, but all
was silent; and. coming to the conclu-
sion that she must be mistaken, she
resumed her work. Again she heard
/ the unmistakab BILE sound of footsteps
and the click of the little gate near the
/ acacia-trees. This time she went TO
4 the door. There was no one there,
but on the rustic seat Of the porch lay
d bouquet Of flowers and basket q
4 fine peaches. On a slip Of paper was
written. Sweets 10 the sweet, flowers
/ to the fair,
Her first impulse was TO thank Hea-
ven that her aunt had not seen them
OF course it must ave been the young
artist who had placed them there