Only A Rose-bud

Margaret Kandor stood before the mirror drawing a scarlet ribbon round her collar, aml fastenine it with a bow in front. You would have thouglit slie was wasting precious time over a very small thing, but she was really paying not the sliktest attention t the manner in whicb lier hands were employed, but was intcnt upon a conversation going on near her between lier motlier and a visitor. "What has beconie of your aunt, Mrs. Rail nor; tlmt handsome okr lady, who used to live here In so niuch stylc? I have not seen her now in two or three years." ¦.Myaunt? Oh! you mean Aunt Eleanor,'1 replied Margaret'4 niother. "She lost nearly all her property about a ycar agO, and having nothing left but a place cal led Unnwood, about ten miles out, she went there with her brothcr to live. The estute is a very line one, and the house furnished luxuriously; but now those two old people live there with no society whatever. I sometimes wonder how Aunt Elcanor managet to live so, lor she is very fond of society; but I imagine," with a laugh, ".-he is not able to do anytliingelse." "Do you never go there?" "No, not now ; I did at first; but it was very lonely; and after Margaret carne home trOlll BCllOOl, I Had lliu U.vouac thnt ¦n-o OOIV a great deal of additional coinpany, and so I lould not leave home." "I remeinber her as avery lovely lady." "Oh ! she is, very; so stylish, and all that soit of thing. She sends us most tempting fruit sometimes. whlch is quite good, as we never go there." The conversation branched off upon other subjects after this, and Margaret, excusing herself, left the room. She was "go-ing out to a party this evening,'' she saul, "and there were rariooa preparations to be made." All the rest of the day. turnïng over muslin, and lace, she thought of the conversation she had heard, and as the hours llew by she laid her plans. Whcn she carne down, by-and-by, in the evening, in her full drein, with her white cloak over her arm, she said to her mother: "I am going to-niorrow, to see my Aunt Kleanor." "Margaret, you are wild," said her motlier in despair. "Why need you go just now, when you have engagem'ents every evening this weck and next? Wtiit a few weeks." "Now or never, mamma," replied Margarets shaking lier head. "What will Mr. Thornton say, Maggie?" askcd her mother, urging her last and strongest plea. "There he is, now," replied Margaret, evading the question, and rising with a brighter bloom upon her cheek, to welcome her escort, who came forward as if the iight of her was a most welcome one. The mother, nieantime. tliinking the evening's pleasure, with the prospecta of others in the same coinpany, might dispel Margaret'8 visions ofLinnWOOd, said nothing further; but, in a very motherly way, wrapjR'd Margaret's cloak about her, and bade Mr. Thornton "take good care of her." Hls "I will try," in answer, said enough, even for the mother's pleasure. "I hope I shall see you at our house on Thurslay," said Mr. Thornton, as they drove home, after the party. "You received cards, I bellere f" "Yes," replied Margaret, hesitatin;:, "but I must, decline. Teil your mother I very mueh regret it, for I am going out of town on a visit to my aunt." "Not to remain long, I hope," he said. "I do not know. Probablv not more than three or four weeks." He looked as if he would have said somcthing more, but he did not; and his "goodnight and bood-by" at the door was spoken very gravely. "You are notVffendedthat I must decline your mother's invitation for Thursday ?" askcd Margaret, with a little tremor at her heart. "Do not think so for a moment," he returned earnestly, taking her hand again; "I was only very sorry that you were gone away." Margaret went up stairs, feeling very sony, likcuise, lint a niglit's (leep did her good, and she arose very well pleaied to think that the evening would Qnd lier at Linnwood She btuled herself all the morning with her packing; and tlien, just before she was ready, (he found her way down town, and bought two or three m booka, and some delicate laces for her aunt, anieles which she knew were longed for, ' but beyond the me nis of the dwellers of Linnwood. The stage set her down at the gate just i betore dark, and the could see the Iight of her Aunt Eleanor'n lampgleamin brightly ] down through tlie ice-laden trees of the liuvn, and over the smnw nound. Il rave her a ebeen welcome. There had been Ihii few tracks upon the show from the gate to the house, l t 1 1 Eteanor stepped carefalry, and succeeded In teaching the ateps without getting wet Her linjr broughta woman terranl to the door, who In answer to her Inqulry, led her to the room from which sbe had seen the light, and ushered her In. Ihratint, a dlgnlrled, noble-looking old lady of sixty, wiui soit. (fray caris arooplng nbóai ber faee, Bal under the lamp, reading, wWle lier brother mtoked in au easy chair and lia tened. 5fargarel advanced as her annt arose. "Auntie," she Raid, "I've eome to see j'ou. Are you glad to have me f" "l tliink." said licruunt. n reply, seizinr her and klaring her between the words, "I n-ev.f,',' W:1S s" -latI t0 see aybody In all my "Maggie, you have conic like llowers in Bprlng-tlrae," aatd her anoto, taking lier as her aunt released lier. Margarei feit the welcome from the bottomofheiheart.amlas she took herseal be tween the two, and looked fromone admirIng face to the otber, -hc i.-it asthough ghe had comí' to a haven of rest. She said Bomething to the same eflfeel the next raornmg, wlien Aunt had drawn her Irom the lihrary toto Ihe conservator}-, and putting lea ves and roses nt.o her hand-, soniethinx aboul the perfume of the beliotrope reminded her of her lust evenine at home. "Auntie,'' she said, "you can nol '.hink what a delifrhifnl quiel tiiis s after the turinoil of the past thiee nionths. I have been going constantly, and had engagements iteadily, hut I thoiight I would come here The Bentence ended abruptly, for t lus nolile-iniiidi-il, uns'llisli rW liad no mind toteil herannl ttíal the visión her motlier had drawn of her lonesome lile, liad led to hei Btaadingjugi where ahe lid al that moment. "J bope yon will not flnd it too quiet, love. You may rest amired it is vcry detiíhtfu to have you In-ii;.1Icaa noi teil yon whal w was to that old couplc in the weeks thal followed. flhe Bang lor llu'in, :nul read to tlieni In the eveninjr. She playd cheM with lier ancle, and kuit warm rlding glovea tor her aunt. She arranged dainty disnea of tiowers for the tabfo, and made nice linie hits of French sweetne&s in the kitchen. Maggie was everyvvliere, and made. joy out o(' everything. 'h was she who tbiuul chectnuts down in the villaje, and liaving bought tlicm broughi tbem home, sal down iirii.ic a great, i-oaring flretoroasi them for her aunt, taagtrine '"'l ipringftig up as tliey snapped out trom onder tlie nshes. .Soineliow the erenlng paper alwajn made its ftppéarance now when the stage ca me in. and it was Maggie wlio discovered soineUnnn pew and cnrious toread iiloud. Fastidloua anddainty as Hádame DeVere Wftg, Margaret's dress aluays suiied her. She blended colon In a way thal restedthat lady's eyes when thev looked at her, Dress wasnotthrown aside because she saw po one but the two to wliom she was a daily delight. There was no dlfference between her appearance now and at home, and abe moet oiicn wore a warm. glowing dress, with gllstenlng trimmtngg, ia whlch she had been wont to receive Mr. TLoroton the evenlngs irhen ha cslled. Margaret was veiy happy. Slie busied horsülf tor Aunt Eleanor all day long. Soinetimes she tliought uhe would have llked to spend the day in the libraiy, but theru never was time. One eveninfr, just before tea, -lie was standing betweeil the heavily curtained Hindows, looking out at the trees rocking and SWinging in the wind, and lislcniiijf to the sound of the heavy breezea sweeping round the corners of the house. The stage liad just gone by, and she was waiting for Aunt Eleanor to come in with theeveniDg paper. She was pressing between her iiniers the odorous leaves she had just gather_'d, and thinking of other flowers which iail heen glven her one night early in the ivinter, when lier aunt's voice aroused ïer. "My love," she said, "I am even more lad for you than I am for inyself." "Vol wliat, auiitie?" "Because, Maggie, the only other person jesides yourself who sometí met comes here o make al bright, s the sou of au old riend of mine, and lie writes me t.vnight .nat he is about ti' pop in on one of hit un.v.,,.r...l vkiu Voii 11 Uka hini. I knuu. or he is one in a thousuml, and tor goodïess and kindness of heart, I know not a nau w ho is his equal." -wno is tu-, aunuer' asked Hargaret, wlio ru on her kneea before the lire trying to persuade il to burn briuhter. "His name is l'erey Tliornton. lic is - '' Marjraret was on hor feel in au instant "Au n lic, ebesaid, hurriedly, "Iknow liim!" "Do jou, myde&rf Theo you know what to expect. llow very pleasunt that is. Was not my detcription oorractf 'Yes, ma'am," replied Margnret, very quietly; but the bot blood mounted intó her face, under the (rolling, latent oye 0Í lier aunt, and whun slie u as tain to run away, Madam De Vere kissed hei', and let her go. Air. 'i'hornton did not know wbat day lie should arrive, and so the two wlio wera watcliing looked every nighl when the stage eame up, Margarel trom the wlndow of her room, where Bha oould be out of -Jfht, alid .Madam Da Ven; trom the libra rv. But it so happened that on the eveninp: Wben he did come, Marjraret had gone down into the villaiii' with lier unole, and .Madam De Vere wa the only one to welroiiii1 bini "I liave my niece stopping witli me," said that laclVi after the and her truest had been chatüne by the library i'u ,"' and sbr bas been like tonshine n the bonsu f'or the last tb ree weeks. I ani only WOnderlng wliat 1 sliall do withoat her, when she comes to ri) away.'' "I was not aware tlmt you had a niecc," said Percy. "Ves, Maifraret Uandor is my niece, - and a choice blessing she is, too.1 Mr. Thornlon lancd, and then said quletly, "I know a Miss Raduor, ofSwamley - is it she?" "Ves, the same one," replied Madam De Veré, wiili a little amutedglance at her guest. Just then the library dooi wan thrown open, and Maggie, fresh Trom lier walk, her cheeks all aglow, nul her little plumea hat in lier hand, ran towanl the lire. "Auntie, culil," slie said, and then stopped short, tor her hand was taken, and a voice she immediately recognlzed, said: ".Miss líadnor, tliis isa vt-ry UDexpected, pleasunt meeting." Marjiiirct suniiiioncd all her wits to the rescue, anU then replied, very sedatcly and demnrely: "I did not know you lmd come, sir. I am very glad to Bee you hei"." '"Niw come and got wann," said her aunt; butMargaretbad recovered Brom her chili, and ran away wil hemt waitinjj for anythinc furtlur. When she returned prescntly. she was tbe Tery eisence ol v hat Mr. Thornton had knowii at Bwamley, "iili an sdded Ircshncss and Bweetness whlob he mwqalok to nolicc. She bad OD a -nft, duik dress, with no ornament, save a little oluster 'i pearl. Itm she bad gone Into the conaerratory, and tbere bad gathered and fastened in herbair a moil Buperb damak rose with drooping buds. Sbe made a lovely pioture, at leasi to tbcisc who watched her entrence. "And thU was she wlio had lelt thegalty of the vil to b ïunshine fof these two old fnemt-i of bte." Mr. Thornlon thought be cmild iindcistand what sort of sunsunie it must have been. Be had tree opportunlty to judge; and bis admtratloD did nol leiwen ai the daya went on, and be .-aw hOW he bad uonnd hereelf around Aunt Kleanor's lieart, with her thousaml delicate acts of affection. She miglltglve liini her society, and she did, conUnually; Imt it', in any way, heramit'i comfort [nterfered, she would dismiss him with a word and a sniile, which wan alniost worth her short-tinie absence to obtam. "And you canie away for this?'1 he said, oneday, ashe itood beside her, listening anil watching lier hands, as thcy busied themselret wlth lome (owers she was arranglng. Bbe bad been telling him of some p4ece of vrork wMai lu umi har mint had accomplished tojrether. Bbe umlerstood dis nyeantng, and replied simply, "Yes, that is the reason, and it has been a great pleasurc." "I wonder what sort of a little bird told me you were here," lie said, after a few monicnts, watohing her again as she had risen, and StOOfl toying with a tiny bud she had chosen Brom the disli of flowers. "I don't think it was any little bird," she said, gmillng, "lor you did not know I was here." "And I left, the city because I could not stay in it uhile you were away." Mie glanced up quickly at him tlien, with dashed cheeks. He came toward her suddenly, and taking her hand In which was the rose-bud, said, shortly and abruptly, half under his breath: "I want to put this in your hair, becama i! la o like you; but I can not, unless with the understand ing that both the rose-buds belong to me'." Maggie stood for a moment with a confusión of thought in her face, and tlien ttepped near aai he fastened in the mscbud. "You were vi'iv foolish to lcnvc the city," she said after a moment. "W'hy Maggie?" "Becnuse you might of known, that present or absent, my tlioiights weru ofttn with JOU." lic earried the two rose-buds oft togethcr then, and showed tbem to Auut Bleaaor. ' 'Ufll," said Mdam De Vere, smiling, with bereyes full of tcars, "I only hope, IVrcy, Ihat she will be to you, for your joint. Uves, what siie has been to me for these few week."