Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-09
MINCE PIES.

4
Wont you bring some hot toast, SARAH
/ The speaker half laughed as she sank back
in her chair and remarked to her vis-a-vis,
| Caroline, do you hear that?'
| Eyes. and was thinking it lucky that papa
| had gore TO the office. We should get a lee
| ture OF late hours"
well" said the first speaker remOrsefulIy,
| cit IS lazy. But I'm so tired! You know il
| was four when got home. feel as ii could
| sleep a week. Don't you?''
| 81 mean to take my rest for = WHILE re-
\ Joined Caroline. with q yawn. We've no
engagemer< for the next two or three even
A little flush came upon the fair cheeks OF
her sister as she said, hastily:
| But have. Mr.. Evarts asked me to go IN
The musIca sOiree tomorrow evening. And
1t was well that she did not see the look on
The face opposite her she spoke. Only
Sarah, coming I'm with the toast, saw il, and
IN uttertd to herself as she went out:
| Miss Caroline got such a temper, I won
der row what Miss Alice had gone and said to
her"
Caroline only remarked, as she helped her
Going with Mr.. Evarts again?"
Something in her manner of speaking
caused her sister to color still more deeply;
but she met CarOline's eyes steadily Is she
asked:
'why note
s'Oh. il YOU like to have the name of setting
your cap for rich young man. of course its
all right! 1 think. Alice, if you had heard the
comments / heard last evening, YOU would
less public"
"My courtship, should like You to be
both more polite and more just, Caroline"
was the reply, delivered with spirit, the
speaker rose and walked 10 the window. Il
am not aware that / have acted unbecOm-
ingly in simply accepting Mr.. EvartS.s invi-
tatiOnS, and he * not a man who could be ca
jOled or battered by any woman"
1T is precisely because ne is a gentleman"
began Caroline, too angry 10 be prudent in
her speech, THAT he allows
The heavy shutting of the outer door and
rapid steps coming along the hall caused her
to stop short. In another moment the dining
room door was thrown wide, and an active,
little gentleman appeared upon its threshold
with "A bundle of papers in his hand. An cX-
ciamatiOn escaped his lips as he glanced from
one young lady to the other, and then ut the
clock.
lis this dinner or breakfast, I should be glad
TO know he inquired, SnappiShly. adjusting
his CycglaSs i'm order to stare at the two care
le>sly arranged figures. what does this
mean?"
why papa. we can't do with four hours
sleep, and get up at eight, responded Caro-
line, sulkily.
-Four hours sleep, 1 should think not SO
YOU came in at four this morning. did you?
And AT three the night before; and at one the
night before! Thisfs getting worse and worse.
! This-thiS is positively indecent! | won't al
low such hOurs-I declare WON'T
'But, papa"
con. don't let me have butts, You look hag-
gard. both Of Won. And what will you be fit
for to-day? Nothing. You'll probably go out
feel worse than ever the next day. Now I'm
going to stop this-here and now"
why, papa, we must go out evenings.
.'And YOU must come home evenings. You
must be in this house before twelve If you
want TO come in at all. won't cOuntenance
improperly. at any rate. The doors shall be
locked at tweIve-eyery night: II YOU come
home after that time, you won't get in. And
i won't be rung up; neither VIII have the
servants Tung up. I'll give my orders to-day.
I'll have IL distinctly understood that nobody
hall fl in m
hear?
Two scquieScent and rather blank faces
met the impUlSive little gentleman's view.
He added, more moderately:
Its for your own good. It's for YOUR health
and comfort that | made the rule. Now to-
night-are you going away to-night?'
'Well, tomorrow, then-when you come in
tomorrow might
I'm not going out again this week" said
Caroline; rather maliciOu>ly adding, ''AS for
Alice. she can't afford TO lose time
Alice is going. is She?' said the Old gentle
man, sOOd-humOrcdly, taking no notice of
CaToline,s hint. And who's Alice going
with, elI?''
with Mr.. Evarts papa, to musical en-
tertainInent.' responded the one spoken of.
The fathers face expanded into we'll
pleased smile as nc patteJt his fayOrite laugh
ter'S shoulder.
AHA. we must look out for this! Wei,
well, child. you needn't blush so. / don't
quarrel with your taste. Evarts is a large
hsh to hoOk-a very large fish, and with
Chuckle for farewell the busy old gentleman
hurried out of the room again, leaving one
daughter almost crying and tine other with a
very ugly expression OF cOuntenance.
Late that afternoon, as Caroline sat p!ait-
ng her hair. a sharp peal OF the bell startled
her. Stealing out INTO the hail softly, she
heard well-knOwn voice inquire for Miss
Alice Nylie, and caught glimpse OF auburn
hair and gray oyercOatas gentleman eros
ed the hail and entered the parlor. Sine went
back as softly 10 her chamber, and though
her half-clOSed door heard the maid knock AT
Alice's door opposite. Presently her sisters
voice said. laughlngly:
'.Dear me. Sarah! I've been asleep the
whole afternoon, and never Thought Oh dress
ing
In less than fifteen minutes, however. Caro-
line heard a silk dress rustle down the stair
case. She turned back to the mirror it'll the
frOwn deepening upon her brow. Her
thoughts. as she sat gazing at her reflection,
We're not very pleasant ones. She, Caroline
Wyhe. was far handsOmer and cleverer than
her sister Alice; yet she had failed, after us
ing all her arts, To win more than ind herent
attention from the rich young merchant, and
Alice. girl of eighteen, had succeeded in
captivating him. While she sat musing in
the gathering darEl knees the sound Of the piano
came from the room below, and later there
was laughter. mixed with lOw-spOken words,
in the hail. Then Alice came running up
stairs and tapped at her door.
Caroline she said. her good humOF en-
tiTely restored. 100 come in my room and
look over my white silk dress. don { think
il fit 10 wear tomorrow night, its so solleI.
What would you dO?'
IL don't know. / can't see dresses in the
dark"
Omit be crusty. there's a dear! But, OH.
Caroline, what should / do if we didn't
happen To get home till after twelve? What
would Mr.. Eyarts think if We should find the
doors lOckesl?''
Caroline could have asked no better fortune
than her sisters discount lure, but she only
said:
Il suppose you could get in the back
kitchen window, as / did last summer when
every body was away. It's pretty high, but
il doesn't faSten, you know
''But pa pa had IL fixed
mo. ne put i'm q nail for a catch. YOu can
take the nail out before you GO
But to climb III windows! i should die of
modification and Caroline she went on,
cOaXingly, '.if i should be q little late,
wouldn't you come and let me in? Twelve is
| so early To get home, you know
There's the supper BELL
"BUt won't your
mo; papa wouldn't like il. Besides, /
| really can't guarantee To keep awake nova
| days. Make your arrangements TO come
| home early, and if you're late, just get in the
back window" and Caroline FASTENED down
| 10 supper.
The next evening-a bitterly cold January
| evening-duly arrived. Caroline dawlled
| over her supper a while; then went back TO
her chamber, and threw herself into Il cush-
cl.ir xrff irah ar