Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1875-09-04
But may I help your
=" By-and-by, perhaps, if my wrists
get tired. But now some one must stay
with grandmamma."

y
By-and-by, perhaps, if my wrists
get tired. But now some one must stay
with grandmamma."
1T is very strange" said Mrs. Georg-
iette Appleton, I" that my dresses have
not come home! Positively ! shall have
nothing to wear tonight" .
She was lounging before the sea-coal
fire in blue silk neglige, trimmed with
swan n's-down, and little French tangle
of blue ribbons and lace pinned among
her yellow tresses with a pearl-headed
javelin, while a novel lay in her lap.
"What an awful casep' observed the
brother carelessly. Where's the am
ethyst silk?'' u
"Oh, I wore that to their last recep-
tion.". .e, .. =
"And the pink craper'
"I look like an owl in pink. I was q
goose ever to buy that'silk."
"The Nile green silk with white
founcesp' .aI ..-
Sarah Howard has one just shade
lighter that she'll be sure to wear, and
I believe the spiteful thing got it on
purpose to kill mine. No must have
the Swiss muslin with knots of blue
corn flowers, and Roman sash figured
with gold. And you'll 60 round to the
laundress, and hurry her up little,
won't you George! that's duck of a
brother-and you know perfectly we'll
you've been yawning your jaws off the
last three-quarters of an hour"
"Where is it?''
"Only in Mendenhall street-just q
pleasant walk. And to give Mrs. Bar
ker scolding, and ask her if she don't
know better than to keep her custo-
mers waiting, although of course, 1 know
you'll do nothing Of the sort. Men
have no moral courage. There's the
address on the card. It'll be such re-
lief to my mindr' 5..
Major George Appleton was an army
officer, home on a furlough, and rather
at loss to know what to do with so
much extra time. Rich, which was an
other source of perplexity!-handsome,
which was not so pulling!
And so he sauntered along, his hands
in his pockets, and cigar balanced
between his lips, unconsciously advanc-
ing to meet his fate. vf
Rap! rapl rap! The Major played o
tattoo with his knuckles ON the door.
"Dear me, what noise," said a voice
inside. "Come ina little louder.
The Major walked in to confront, not
q wrinkled old hag of a washerwoman
in halo of soap and steam, but beau
tiful young lady, dark and brilliant as
an Arabian dream, with jetty curls
pinned back in silken cascade at the
back of her head, and pair of fiuting
scissors in her hand.
Maj. Appleton started back, all his
wits momentarily deserting him. 1t is
a curious fact that the more embarrassed
one party in a tete-a-tete becomes, the
greater is the composure of the other.
Anna Breightcn should have celored
and suffered at being caught thus, but
she didn't.
"What's your business, sir ?" she
asked, with the greatest calmness.
It's-it's about my sisters gown
Miss Appleton, you knowP"
"Ahp said Anna, =" I hope to have
it ready very soon. II you'll wait ten
minutes you may carry it home."
And she took q second pair of futing
scissors from the stove, testing its heat
by holding it dangerously near her vel
vet cheek, sa s
Major Appleton, not being posted in
etiquette and general decorum, saw no
harm in carrying home basket of new
ly laundried clothes. So he sat down
and waited, while honest Mrs. Baker
started from the other room where she
lay upon her bed-a captive to rhumatic
pains. ~ .aL
She's in o hurry, you know" said
tho Major, twirling his thumbs, and
thinking how pretty the girl was.
So am l." said Anna, making the
futing scissors glide in and out in a
most marvellous manner amid the clouds
OF sunny muslin.
She wants to wear it." added the
Major, 'But say you-now-you're
not regular washerwoman
Anna slightly Strengthened herself up.
my father was colonel in the reg
ular army. My grandfather was Hyde
Creighton of Brighton Manor on the
Hudson. But we are reduced now and
need money, and I am not ashamed to
work" >-,--
"By Jove, you're a trump!" said
Major Appleton, starting up.
Much obliged to you?". retorted
Anna, with sparkling eyes. "W Would
you mind holding the sash for me
just second, while I finish this loop ?"
And when Minnie came up to see how
her sister was getting on, she found her
aided and abetted by the Major of cav
airy, who was heating the alternate
pairs of futing scissors after a most
scientific fashion.
"Dear me-" said Miss Appleton,
when at last her brother made his ap-
pearance; how long you have been.
=" YES, said the Major, rubbing his
handa with nm 0npoaro nno of rvrnaf sok