Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1873-04-24

DfIShlS, Us one might CHECK u QueTdlOlS
child. Now, be good and quiet, there's
darling, and you shall have chicken
| broth, and port wine-with an egg beaten
up in it-for your lunch, when 1 come
| backi''
| And Helen tripped briskly away, leav-
| ing her miserable brother -inlaw enwrap-
| ped, as it were, in vaporous halo of
palm leaf patterned dressing gown boiling
steam, and black velvet skull-cap
Il suppose this is the way l shall look
| when | get to be an old man." thought
Aleck, as he caught glimpse of himself
| in mirror opposite. II don't think I
| should know myself if it wasn't for the
| onyx-seal ring on the little finger of my
| left hand. Oh, dear, | wonder how long
| this maddening state of things is to lasts
| Phew how hot the water is! Am | a
| lobster, to be boiled alive2" and he with
drew his toes with hot haste from the sur
| face OF the steaming water, posing them,
| like the claws of a bird, on the edge of
| the tub. Miss Tracy's ball, indeed! A
| pretty subject | look like for ball
wonder if she is SO pretty after all. And
Helen has faithfully kept the secret of my
moneyed expectations from her, so shall
have the satisfaction of at least KNOWN 9
| that she is no fortune hunter, and"
| Here Mr.. Graham's meditations ended
| in a brace of prodigious sneezes.
''The top of my head is safe,' he
| thought, rather obviously, feeling of the
| crested tassel Of the black velvet skull
cap. II didn't know but that it had blown
| off. Confound this thing that keeps get
| ting over my eyebrows, as if / We're going
| to play at blind-man's buff. Helen's re-
| spected papa must have had a head the
size of Giant Blunderbore's! And-'Cobe
idn"
The last words were hurled in the direc-
| tiOn Of the door, upon whose panels a
| gentle tap had sounded
| Betty after the hot water" thought our
hero. "She may have it, and welcome /!
Cobe id, | sayl" he shouted aloud.
The door opened to admit-not Betty,
the chambermaid, as he had confidently
expected, but two young ladies, fair, dim
| pied and blushing
rs Mrs. Graham in?" asked one.
'Do, ba'ab, she is not,n Aleck answer
| ed, sitting a yell Of anguish which had
| been momentarily indicated by his drop
| ping both feet into the tin tub as the more
| feasible method of hiding them.
How provoking!" cried the taller of the
two, blue-eyed damsel with proflsion
| OF flOssy, yellow hair. ''What shall we
| do, Julie:"
"Just step in minute" and write her a
| note, of course, the other answered.
You needn't mind that old gentleman,
| Isabel. He is Mrs Graham's father-as
| old as the hills and as deaf as a post, be-
sides being two-thirds blnd!"
"HOrrid old creaturcr' lisped the tllr-
quoise-eycd damsel Such people
/ haven't any business to live"
And Aleck, secretly rejoicing at the er-
| roneous conclusion at which his in
| laws friend had arrived, shrank still
| further back into the friendly recesses of
| the big easy-chair, and blessed the obscur-
| ing eifect-as far as eyebrows were con
cerned-of the black velvet skull-cap,
while he kept up perpetually oscillating
| movement with his anguished feet.
| The young lady whom her companion
called Julie" advanced smiling toward
him, and calculated, in the tone of voice
| denominated by vocalists high c."
| Il - will write - a-note-if-you-
| please-sirl'
Yes, ba'ab, certainly answered our
hero; and Miss Julie turned to the pretty
! little rosewood writingdesk in the corner,
saying, irresolutely, at the same time to
the other lady:
What had | better say, Isabel?"
"Oh, what you like" listleSsly answered
the blonde, Il suppose the rich brother-in
law has not come yet. Do you think he
| is really worth waiting for, Julie?"
"0f course he is. Tom Jeffers says it is
| hundred thousand dollars at the very
| least" the former answered, abstractedly
| biting the tip of her pen.
| Such things are always eXageerated,n y
| said the tall beauty, Struggling her shoul-
| ders land | don't mean to throw myself
| away on any mere humbug!"
| You horrid mercenary thingr said
| her friend, laughing. And poor Leonard
! Appleton, who is perpetually sending you
| bouquets that he can't afford and engag-
| ing opera boxes at twelve dollars per
night Isn't it rather shabby way of
| treating him, to throw him over, after
allg"
Don't speak so loudr' said Isabel, ir-
ritably, with glance in the direction of
the animated head by the chimney-piece.
Why not? Old Crumply can't hear a
single word we say Don't | tell YOU he
is stone deaf, and has been for the last ten
years?"
Walls have ears" said the tall young
lady. But of course | never intended
| anything serious with Leonard Appleton.
\ brietleSs lawyer, an author whose manu-
scripts are invariably returned, with
| thanks-I should suppose you would
know me better than that, Julie Kes-
grove"
But he is in earnest, if ever a poor
! love-stricken swain was.''
II dare say. My lovers generally are ~
"And YOU will end by breaking his
heart, if YOU go on in this sort of way.
! For he has a heart, even if he has no for
tune" she added, lightly.
How can l help that2 No, no; this
| poor Leonard Appleton must be sent
about his business. A catch like Alexan-
| der Graham don't come along every day
| in the yearl | don't doubt he is great,
red headed, blundering Scotchman," she
/ added, laughing; but money is money,
| Julie, YOU know, and we society girls
must have an eve to the main chance.'
! do keep still, then said Miss kes-
/ grove, tartly. How do you suppose
| can write, while YOU keep up such a per
! petual chattering. What are you rumag-
/ ing all your pockets for now?, she added,
/ her attention momentarily distracted in
spite of herself.
| Il do believe" cried Miss Isabel, in
! breathless horror. that I've left that bot
| tie of LIQUID rouge on the counter at the
! druggists. And what am / ever to do for
complexion at the matinee this after
Moons