The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-01-30

to match her eye, and floats upon the
brown carme.lte the salad bowl is In
shape again, even though the shape is
atrocious, and is trimmed with blue rib
bons like those in her hair.
The little lady is not troubled with shy
ness she introduces us to "papa," who
even doesn't pretend to look glad to know
US, but remarks apropoS of nothing, I'M
less, indeed, it be the binding glare of the
sun upon the cliffs, that he thinks, cit is
going to rain"
We tell him ne don't, both politely, of
course, but both at the same time, so that
it is quite impossible for him to hear eth
er Of US, which, his pretty daughter per-
ceivipg, looks wckedly up at me.
Very foolish of her, if she had only
known it. can never answer for myself
what may or may not do with pretty
girl glaDcing up at me with innocent blue
eyes curiously sparkling with wicked
ness that belongs not to the sweet face and
laughing, rosy mouth. The odds, | feel
guilty, are sadly in favor of my kissing
her there and then, though papa plays
propriety like strict old dragon For
tunately (that is, fortunately for our fu-
ture intimacy, not fortunately as regards
present gratifcation), Ted chimes in, and
by causing her to drop her eyes, delivers
me from a sin, or banishes it to an un-
known future. .
How intimate we all grew in the course
Of that long summer morning Long be-
fore its close ''blue eyes" had revealed to
ne many charms besides her pretty face
and natural, unaffected ways It didn't
do to treat her to our usual comno,n- place
talk; she saw through it at once, and
quietly showed that she did SO ia few
quaint remarks very prottily turned. She
was not III the least clever in the light Of
saying sharp things. She was too thor
orghly kind-heartcd to be sarcastic, and
hes quaint little speeches were as natural
to her as-as Ted's clumsy. laundering
ways are to him. \ most amusing little
blue eyes, and we'll versed IN all the pro-
yincial suall-talk Of the place. Among
other things she told us Of ball to be
given at HaTwich, to which both she and
her sister had great wish to go, only
they didn't feel quite sure of their dress.
you sce," sho went on, ''we have moth
ing here but these brown carmeites, and
don't think they would look very wellp
/ didn't think SO either; but | wasn't
going to tell her 50. praised the hid
eous attire, and pronounced it with the
addition Of few artistic touches Il hay
emit the least idea what L meant), just the
thing for dance.
Ted put in hiS oar, fully agreeing with
me. Besides" he added, you aansnt
be too bewitchin", your papa wouldn't like
it; such pretty daughters are hOrrid re-
sponsibility, without your trying to make
things worse"
"Seriously, though said blue eyes,
''you think We can go as We are ~
We assured her with perfect gravity
that VIC thought So" and the pretty face
frightened directly.
''It won't matter much, after ali" she
said, ''at The sea side. And we can put on
our hair-cloth bodies, which will take OF
little Of the heayiness"
We stood aghast. What were hair-cioth
bodies
1t wouldn't do, however, to show our
ignorance, so We said, Yes, that would
DO nicely" and the thing was considered
settled.
It was agreed that we should meet them
at the ball. Blue eyes was there before
US, aud Of course papa and the little sister
also, but they were as aothing TO US
Blue eyes was there in her thick white
hair-cloth body; 4 great Improvement on
the brown carmelitc, still inconsistent with
the gay scene around her.
Fortunately for her, however, she was
pretty enough to wear what she liked, or
rather in this case what she had She
knew no one, and her father was very par
ticuiar, and wouldn't let her dance with
everybody, or nearly everybody, who ask
ed her. lie got her a few partners through
one Of the naval officers stationed at Har-
wich, and whom he knew; but beyond
this, and us, he laid his ''veto."
Ted and | were in our element. We
danced every dance with her after the
first or so, and each waltz was better than
the last. She was most indefatigable
little dancer, and several times nearly
caused ne to give in, though she was light
enough in all conscience, and mere moth
ing to hold.
But with Ted it was different. The
dear boy had danced till he was frighten-
ed to look at, and would have shamed
boiled lobster that had any sort of self-re-
spect left in him; Jet still he would not
give in, and the wicked little spritc had
no compassion.
/ began to be afraid that Ted would have
fit and that blue eyes would be the
cause Of it. Ted always times things so
i'll. 1t is not as if he had room to HIM
self to have one Of his fits in Ia an I'M
comfortable bed at midnight, in a double
bedded room, there should be |, sleepless,
with Ted grooming horribly, and sprawling
at full length on the floor, like some hid
eous oyergrown frog. Clearly, then, /
must put u stop to it.
So | got up to them, and-smiling at
his partner-tell Ted he will make himself
unwcll, and will be quite knocked up in
the morning; and L ami IDLY propose to
! blue eyes thot | no allowed fo fn;Sh IA;