Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1909-09-18

Well, 1t happeucd that Laura and l
wanted new blouscs for the autumn,
and we thought we might as we'll have
them by the time the count came. SO
mamma answered drcSSmakcr's ad-
vertisement In the Herald, and we
were so charmed with her when she
called that we engaged her on the spot.
She was quite unlike the usual dress-
maker who goes out by the day. Miss
Croft looked quite n lady. She was
tall and pale, and she must have been
very beautiful once. What struck us
particularly, however, was her sad and
spiritlcss air Laura was much inter
ested In her and, OF course. invented
a romantic story about her We gave
up our little sitting room Mt the end
OF the hall to her when she came to
work. for. although the count appar-
emily regarded papa as a merchant
prince" | sh,vdn't call our house
palatial. Laura and took 1t in turns
to help Miss Croft with the work, but
l did not find her very companionablc
With Laura. 1t appeared, she was diff
fercnt; but, then, Laura has a way Of
drawing people out. In fact, one day
Miss Croft told her history, which
greatly rejoiced my sisters romantic
little when Laura told it to me. 1t
seemed that Miss Croft was married.
but she had resumed her maiden
name, ms her marriage had been such
an unhappy one and she wished her
husband to lose all trace OF her Her
parents had kept n hotel. and once
when she came home for the holidays
from boarding school a gentleman
guest much above her I'm social posi-
tion had paid her great attention and
had eventually proposed to her
Her parents were ambitious and
were most dcSlrouS Of the match,
while she herself was much attracted
troubled her. lie Overcamc all her
miSgivlngS, however, by protests that
undying affection like his rendered diff
ference In birth an empty phrase SO
she consented, and her parents gave
her n handsome dowry. for her huS-
band was poor In worldly goods. He
gave out, however, that "love in Il cot
tagc" was his ideal. She had a rude
awakening. Her husband ran through
all her money In n year, then i'll treat
cd her and finally deserted her when
she refused to ask her parents for
more. just as she had reached this
point u the story | broke In upon 1t.
I hn1 ri NO min IN, ! In
wing room when, to my surprise
and alarm, saw the count walking up
the path which leads to our front door.
You could have knocked me down
with feather, as the saying goes.
flew down the passage to laura, for |
knew she would wish to change her
froch. At first she looked a little cross
at the interruption, but when | whis-
percd who was there she colorcd up
with pleasure and managed to rush
upstairs before the front door was
opened.
We felt SO vexed that we had been
taken by surprise in that way, but we
had not expected to see him SO soon.
He must have followed US on the next
boat. The best tea service wasn't out,
the flowers In the drawing room were
faded, and we hadn't our new blouses
after all. Still, things always do hap
pen ''contrariwise," and 1t didn't really
matter, for the count was just as
charming and amiable.
He profcsscd himself charmed with
our house, and his compliments were
Just as howery. While we were at
tea young Peters, a great admirer Of
Laura's, came in, and the count looked
quite jealous when he called Laura
by her name. | must say that Peters
didn't seem quite at his ease In the