The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1874-12-11

myself, replied Belle, STOPPING over
the artistically Drowned affair, as if
about to prove her words by immedl-
ately disposing of it.
Why, Belle - exclaimed her sister
Grace, 81 how can you behave in such
hoydenish manner
Hoydenish, is it, to admire this rich
golden brown ? Hoydenish to have an
appetite? Mother, 1 never thought of
it before, but there is a certain poetic
charm about pumpkin pies. The shade
and the shape-in short, the whole
artistic makeup, from the fence of
faky crust to the yellow pulp which
Betty understands so well to bring to-
Rether, is an exquisite piece of poetry.
Help me, mother, quickly Don't you
see I am starving ?"
Mrs. Harcourt smiled at her daugh-
ters enthusiasm.
Grace silently slipped her tea, evi-
IDENTIFY good deal bored, and just then
paterfamilias entered, and the bright
tea-room grew several shades brighter
as he drew up to the table.
Everybody loved Judge Harcourt,
just as everybody respected his wife.
No two individuals could be more un-
like in character than this pair, who
had walked harmoniously side by 81 lie
for twenty-five long years. Outside oE
their domestic life there was hardly a
| subject concerning which they cher
ished similar ideas.
Mrs. Harcourt was a rigid Presby-
| terian-the Judges religion the broad
est eclecticism and the strangest part
of all was that in this matter of creeds
! they both agreed to disagree SO per-
fectly that there never was the slight
| est perceptible ripple on these two
totally dissimilar theological surfaces.
''Where is William ?" asked the
Judge, noticing the vacant place at his
! wife's right hand.
"Tm sure L don't know" replied
Mrs. Harcourt. s'Didn't I hear him
talking with you, Betty, short time
ago? ?"
"Yes'm,'' answered Betty " and l
! guess he's over to the Squire's. At any
rate, saw him go down the road"
''I believe our Will is bewitchcd, .
broke in Belle. poising a piece of pump
kin pie on her fork, and holding it "tf a
"why, Belle /" said Grace, with a
little shudder.
This time Mrs. Harcourt echoed the
"Why Belle, which seemed to afford
the young lady considerable amusement,
for, with merry laugh she turned to
her father and said
why don't you say, Why, Belle =
father d? It only needed an exclamation
point from your lips to make my hap
piness complete. "
WHY do you think your brother
Will is bewitched 90 asked her father,
without appearing to notice her last re-
mark.
''You know as well as 7 do, pa.
Hasn't he spent half his vacation over
t" the Seymours', and isn't the attrac-
ton there that vain, deceitful, hard
hearted, brazen, idiotic-"
Belle, stop right where you are !''
| broke in her mother, the very picture
of CONSERVATION.
Sc Maude Flanders - finished Belle.
This time the Judge was almost as
much disconnected as his wife.
Belle had always been plain-spoken
young lady, but for such string of op-
probious adjectives from his daugh-
ter's lips he was entirely unprepared.
"'This is the second siege of Miss
Flanders for my brother VIII. I'm in
clined to think she'll fetch him this
time," continued the vixen, entirely
regardless of the black looks cast upon
her. "There is more real genuine
womanhood in one drop of Elsie Cor
hams blood than there is in an ocean
full of such stuff as runs through the
veins of that creature
Have you lost your senses, Belle
Harcourt Are you really insane ?''
said Mrs. Harcourt, in unfeigned dis
tress. That name, you know, is never
| to be mentioned in my presence, or by
one of my family. Your dreadful words
about Miss Flanders are bad enough
and unlady-hke enough, but your tenn
Gritty in speaking of that abandoned girl
is unbearable."
The Judge was mute with surprise
Never in her life had Belle SO asserted
herself, and there wasn't the least sign
of finching as she answered:
'' No, my dear mother, I am not in
sane but am very much disgusted
with certain shams which I am com
PEELED to meet every day of my life /
have winked at them about long enough;
now I intend to defy them by speak
ing my honest thought on every oc-
casion."
Such course will make you very
popular young lady, Belle r. broke in
her sister, disdainfully.
To this harmless remark Belle vouch-
safed no answer.
The Judge asked in kindly manner,
with just the least shade of protest in
his voice:
s. You haven't heard anything recent
ly from-from-?"
"No, father" said Belle, quickly,
.'not word - and the young lady rose
from the table. :" For once mother has
used the right word in connection with
my friend abandoned is good. If
ever human being was heartlessly,
shamelessly abandoned by those who
should have been her friends, that one
has-it's no consequence about the
name, since the mention of it is prohib-
tied ="
With this last parting shot, Miss
Belle walked quietly from the room.
g. This beats all /" exclaimed the
Judge
"What will be done with her." in
quired Grace, with great solicitude.
"Do you know, mother, that the other
day, when we all went on that horseback
party, Belle actually insulted Miss
Flanders William noticed how
strangely she acted, and was very much
annoyed about it. Every once in while
she would say something about here
Grace .hesitated-" about the person
she spoke of just now, and actually