Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-10-23

brought you all over this evening to give
me the benefit of your taste. Come, won't
somebody begin?'
"Oh, what dear little bay window
ROOM" here cried Minnie, who had been
fitting ABOUT without much attending to
the others. ''If it were my house should
make this my snuggery; I'd put my
piano in that recess there, and disgrace
fully easy chair here in the bay-window."
and fill the balcony with roses and
things" completed young Wyndham
whose mind was plainly distracted by
that red rosebud
Not bad suggestions either" said Jack,
whose pencil was already jotting down
pianos, easy-chairs, and plants. Now
what do you say, mother?"
This room with the dark paneling
should furnish in deep crimson" said
Mrs. Heaton, refleCtively, from the
threshold. at is just my idea of a COM
Portable winter parlor; and with hand
some set of book cases-that is, # it was
my own house, | mean," she added, sud
denly pulling herself up short in this
field so delightful to a woman, and resum-
ing the prudential tone with which she
considered it necessary to hold Jacks
lavishness in check-"but can't see the
good of getting together pretty things
for strane ers to spoil"
"Oh, I'll get the worth of my outlay,
never fear," said Jack, laughing. Deep
crimson, you say-'m-book-cases-'m-
M
And that is the way it was from garret
to cellar. Not word could any body
drop but Jacks little stump of pencil
caught it up and pinned it fast in twink
ling. If these suggestions were carried
out, there was every prospect of as ele-
CANT little dwelling as any body need
desire
And it was so. Yes, / don't know why
| should be shy of the trAth, and | openly
declare that | never wish to see nicer
looking house than l was after the cabi-
netmaker and upholsterer had finished
with me, and | stood complete from top
to toe in my new clothes. The work had
been thoroughly well done. l had variety
without guadiness; bright clear tints, and
dark rich shades, lit up with the CLEAN of
mirrors and gliding, and softened with
such a profusion Of greenery wherever it
could be placed, that l appeared to have
grown rather than to have been made
Minnie, who approved of me thoroughly
and, indeed, | was mainly the result of
her taSte-had declared ! should be named
the Nest, for | was not like any other or
dinary house.
1t was an autumn day when was fin
ished-the even, as [ recollect, before
Minnie's birthday. She stood in the gar
den of the old house with Jack, looking
at me as my windows frightened in the
setting sun, till [ seemed all in glow,
inside and out.
"The last stick went in today" said
Minnie. The nest is all ready for the
birds"
"Then suppose we 90 over and take a
bird d's-eye view" suggested Jack, with a
laugh, taking his arms from the fence,
and throwing away the end of his cigar
He opened the gate, and they strolled over
together.
Minnie was all in black that evening,
with black necklace round her throat,
and her thick black hair waving all over
her shoulders. She made me think of a
little nun, only tn ose long curIs and the
bright eyes didn't suit with my ideas of a
nun exactly,
They came in and stopped in the little
bay-windOw room, furnished just as she
had suggested. She looked round her
then out at the flowers and green things
in the balcony, and then all round her
again.
oh" she said, II hope whoever comes
here will be somebody [ can like, for l
do love this house so, can't give it up
entirely"
Now | thought this very pretty speech
indeed, and | made the most of the last
sun-rays in order to look as bright as |
could, as a suitable Acknowledgements.
Jacks face frightened, too. Il am so
glad you like it," he said, heartily, and
taking both her hands in his. "My dear
Minnie" he continued, tomorrow,
know, is your birthday, but you won't
mind my anticipating by few hours, l
suppose, on making my present something
useful as well as ornamental. You are
monarch Of all you survey" he went
on, jestingly-"of this house and all it
contains; and, my dear little girl, only
hope you may be as happy in your nest as
l have been in building it for you"
You built it-for-me?" said Minnie
in so low voice that | should hardly
have thought Jack could have heard, and
without once looking up at him, which
did not seem to me pretty manners under
the circumstances.
For you and King Toad" answered
Jack, laughing.
King Toad :" repeated Minnie, looking
up now with puzzled face.
Il ought to beg Mr.. Edward Wynd-
hams pardon for that, l suppose" said
Jack; but have you forgotten our con-
verSation last spring, when you gave me
10 understand that you could not make
that young gentleman your King Toad for
want of a toad-stool TO hold your court
under? Now here is the toad stool, and
hope"
Il don't want it / won't have it," in
terrupted Minnie, pulling her hands
away, and rushing to the window with
cheeks as red as the scarlet geraniums
there. Its too, too bad Ned Wgadtem,
indeed"
But, my dear child" demonstrated
Jack, VINO stood like a statue of astonish-
ment where she had left him, I'VE all fan
cied you liked him"
"I'm sure | don't know achy you should
fancy it." retorted Minnie, with an en-
phasis very much misplaced on so small a
word. Il detest him, and-and every
body"
ME, toos Oh, Minnie, Minnie!" said
Jack, walking toward her. why, what
is the matter, Minnie?h
Jack Heaton built me, | know that; but
still must say | think there could hardly
ever have been another man so stupid in
such a case. | was new; | had had no
experience in that kind of thing; but, for
all that, knew what was the matter
with Minnie.