Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-12-23

comfortable. We will make a night
of 1t, dear Miss Aspasia."
And Miss Aspasia, with her eyes
shining like a girls, ran down to EN-
incline.
"Oh, the lovely, lovely child, Emme-
liner she said, with a break in her
voice. "She has brought us these!"
They put on the kimonOs, surveying
themseles almost stealthily in the mir
ror in the sitting-room.
what would Mrs. Warner say?"
Miss Aspasia remarked, almost guilt
lily, as she blushed at her charming re-
Election.
ct don't care what she'd say" said
Miss Emmeline, recklessly. "I've never
been so comfortable in my life," and
she swept into the dining-room to make
the tea.
There she found Victorine in the
midst of a picturesque array Of parcels
with brilliant wrappings and gay la
bells. There were boxes of wonderful
biscuits, and tins of sardines and
potted things, and bottles of olives and
jars of ginger, and little cream cheeses
wrapped in tin-foil, and some delectable
little glasses whose contents caught
the light and glowed crimson.
'What is it," Miss Emmeline asked,
curiously.
''Bar-le-Duc,'' said victorine. cts
French preserve of currants in honey,
and it's fine with cream and cheese
and crackers Try it,"
And Miss Enmeline did try 1t, and
she ate caviar and 'Camembert, and
goose livers and anchovies, and a lot
Of other things which she had read in
cook books, but had never seen.
at never felt so Bohemian In my
life" she confided, at last. "I've heard
Of such things, but l never had
chance to try them. Well wonder
what Mrs. Warner would say, AS
uasia?'
Miss Aspasia did not answer. She
was watching Victorine, who was feed
ing sardines to the ingratiating Jose
plus AS the girl moved her arms, her
kimono fell back a little, showing
about her neck slender chain, from
which hung a ring with a flashing
| jewel.
Victerine looked up, and caught the
glance of the tender old eyes.
"Oh," she said, and her hand went
toher neck, "I-I want to show it to
you-its my engagement ring. Bob
gave it to me and l wouldn't wear it
i TOD 70 Io &bo
| to wish me happiness-you see,
| haven't mother"
Her voice broke, and she reached out
! her hands to them.
''And if you don't mind" she went
| on, Il want to be married from here
Just a little quiet wedding. But 1 am
so alone-I haven't any near relatives
and 1 told Bob If you don't mind
Mind! 1t seemed to Miss Aspasia
as if her cup of happiness was full.
For years she had yearned for romance.
| and here, at last, it had come. Not for
herself but in the form of this lovely
| proxy!
"You see," Victorine went on, confid-
ingly, Il have so much money l don't
| Just know what to do with it, and l
knew you would enjoy seeing my pretty
clothes, and 1 could have all the trou-
blesome things, refreshments and all
that, sent out from the city-but still
| it would be home wedding, and-and
| Miss Emmeline could bake the cake"
"I baked your mothers wedding
cake" said Miss Emmeline, between
smiles and tears.
at know said Victorine, and in the
silence that followed, Miss Aspasia
slipped away, to come back presently
with her eyes shining like stars.
And when the gray dawn drove them
at last 20 bed, Victorine found on the
old mahogany dresser the heart-shaped
cushion of faded pink.
Mother made it for you!" she cried.
"She BOLD me-for your wedding-and
%, Miss Aspasia, your lover-died-"
"Yes," Miss Aspasia whispered; and
for a moment the young woman with
love for her future and the old one
with love for her past chung together.
Then Victorine Strengthened, with
tremulous laugh. I'LL shall never
stick pin in it, she said. 'but if you
don't mind. I'm going to snip off just
q wee bit of faded ribbon from that
cushion and send it to-Bob."-
Youths Companion.