Kilmeny of the Orchard

“ Only it’s a lily and not a rose you are carrying. I might go on and quote the next couplet too—

“ ‘Kilmeny looked up with a lovely grace, But there was nae smile on Kilmeny’s face.’

Why are you looking so sober? ”

Kilmeny did not have her slate with her and could not answer; but Eric guessed from something in her eyes that she was bitterly contrasting the beauty of the ballad ’s heroine with her own sup— posed ugliness.

“ Come down to the house; Kihneny. I have something there to show you—some- thing lovelier than you have ever seen be- fore,” he said, with boyish pleasure shi- ning in his eyes. “ I want you to go and put on that muslin dress you wore last Sunday evening, and pin up your hair the same way you did then. Run along— don’t wait for me. But you are not to go into the parlour until I come. I want to

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