The Portland daily press., 1868-01-25

and pronounced it with the addition OF few
2rtlSuc touches II havn't the least idea what
lmeant) just the thing for dance.
Ted put in his oar fully agreeing with me.
"Besldes," he added, you mustn't be too be-
wltchmg, your papa wouldn't like it; such
pretty daughters ale horrid responsibility,
without trying to make things worse"
seriously, though" said blue eyes, you
think we can 60 just-as we are?"
We assured her with perfect gravity that
We Thought so;' and the pretty face bright
ened directly.
sit won't matter much, after ALL" she said,
sat the seaside. And we can put on our hair
cloth bodies, which will take Off a little OF the
heaviness."
We stood aghast. What were hair cloth
bodies.
1t wouldn't do, however, to show our igno-
rance so we said, "Yes, that would do nicely"
| and the thing was considered settled.
Fortunately for her, however. she was pet
| ty enough to wear what she liked, or rather
in this case what she had. She knew no one;
and her father was very particular, and wouid
not let her dance with everybody who asked
! her. he got her a few partners through one
of the naval officers stationed at Harwich,
and whom he knew; out beyond this, and us,
he laid Lis veto.
! Ted and | were in our element. We danced
every dance with her after the first OF so, and
each waltz was better than the last.
But with Ted it was different The poor
boy had danced till he was ishtful to look
at and would have shamed boiled lobster.
yet still he would not give in, and the wicked
little sprite had no compassion.
began to be afraid that Ted would have
ut, and the blue eyes would be the cause of
II. led always times things so ill., 1t is not
| as 1t he had room to himself TO have one of
his hts in. In an uncomfortable bed at mid
night, in double bed groaning horribly, and
sprawling at full length on the floor, like
some oversrown frog Clearly, then, 1 must
put stop to it.
So l got up to them, ani-sming at his
| partner-toid Ted he would make himself I'M
well, and be quite knocked up in the morning
and proposed to blue eyes to finish the eter-
nal watZ.
led looks refractory and stubborn, though
steaning, and the blue eyes very quietly de-
clines to exchange.
Blue eyes prefers Ted.
Alter all, what is Ted? A gentlemen by
birth and position, it Is true, and amusing
enough withal, hut sunny, blue eyes, like all
other girls, thinks most OF looks, and | fiatter
myself that l do come in. l am OF the aver
age hight, dark and progressing in appear
ance, and decidedly better looking than the
general run OF men, 1t is impossible that u
| girl in her senses should prefer Ted.
Yet-after-supper-on the stairs
This is THAT happened after supper on the
stairs? .-4a
Blue eyes, looking VERY properly, o)mor-
tally ashamed of herself, sitting oil the edge of
a most uncomfortable step, with one little
hand in Ted's who was spooning it in most
alarming manner, alarming, to any one who
knew how his fits were usually brought OIL, J
and finishing up by deliberate offer of mar
riage. Blue eyes then made one of her alb
surdly formal little speeches, bringing in spa
pa" three times and finally; while she might
as well have begun by accepting Ted.
But was resolved to give her an opportu-
nifty. Young, poor little inexperienced
thing .-
Next morning on the sands, contriyed to
meet her, and delcately limited at the state
of my feelings toward her; thereby giving
her chance to escape from Ted, If she wish
! ed. When l had finished, she told me what
had happened on the stairs last night and
| demanded, in her little imperious manner, to
be congratulated; papa" having made no OBJ
| jections.
Congratulate her! Blue eyes engaged and
| not to me! looked urutterable things at
Ted when he joined us; but that young man
| paid not the slightest attention to me. I
looked at blue eyes; she seemed very happy.
How to account for this, now? Take Ted,
when she might have taken me? can only
account for it on the supposition that she had
never heard of his fits. Nor, indeed, had 1
myself eyer heard of his having any other fit
than love fit; only, when that was on him,
in the height of that everlasting waltz, he
looked as if he were fit to fall into any num-
Der of other fits, and though am greatly at
| tached to him. | wish he had.