The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1875-02-25

= L
about thirty years, passably good-look-
ing aAd elegantly d. essed. To her mean
ing and ingrstiating smile the Senator
quite taken by surprise, responded not at
all, but stood starine. And when the
lady, In no wise abashed. advanced with
outstretched hand, he had scarcely sense
enough to bO~ over it, and to stsmmer,
Is his companion motioned him to .
! seat
" Excuss me, madam, but this-I-"
! The lady leaned back and laughed the
silveIicst and most mocklng laugh In the
| world.
/ aI suppose we may consider ourselves
introduced by the kindness of ST. Yalen-
| tine I"
Tho Senator, not knowing how to an.
sver otherwise, began, hastily:
"Introducedi Then /, or ] would say
| you are" 49, e-s1 ~
Miss Carver" the lady responded,
matter-of.fsctly.
| The Senator was overwhelmed. His
| surprise WAS go evident and uncomfort-
able that the lsdy's delicate eyebrows
were elevated in interrogation.
"I have often seen you at the Capitol"
she said, "As OF course you remember
sae added with = snlile that Was not re-
6ected On the face opposite.
| The Senate. stammered something or
other which the lady evidently received
| as . compliment, for she smiled again rs
she continued:
"And when received your valentine,
| knowing II was yours, / could not resist
| the tempta Ion to form the acquaintance
| of one whom had SO often admired at
| distance
| The Senator ignored this chance for q
second compliment, and said, eagerly:
Why, that Is the very point. You
knew it was mine, You say. Now, can
| not imagine how you knew"
1t was the lady's turn to look blank.
| "Why." she responded in amazement,
"did you not know that you inclosed
your card with the yaientine!"
Inclosed my card. lneve- dreamed
of such thingI'
You did it, nevertheless. l did at
first think it had been done inadvertent-
ly, for it was torn card and was writ
ten all over with she name Mar
| guerite.'"
"Ah, that explains it."
The Senator drew deep breath of re-
| lief His Marguerite was not then con-
cerned in this business. But who was
| she, theni In justice to Miss Carver he
| felt he must make an explana ion, but
| how 1t was to be made was still mys.
/ terry to him as he commenced:
IL perceive that 1t is / myself who
have been to blame in this matter. 1t is
q strange misapprehen- ion and l beg
your pardon most sincerely for having
un sittinsly led you into q mistake"
The Senator paused and colored, but
was spurred on by sharp question.
"a mistaken How is that, Surely
| the valentine was addressed to mef"
"ButI did not know, but thought
| at least WAS told-that the lady who
always came to the Capitol with you,
the lady with fair curls, was Miss Car
| ver" lTa rH
The true Miss Carver actually sank
back In her chair, her anaZement 1T this
speech was SO great, and there was con-
siderable pause before she found voice to
ejaculate:
"Tne lady who was with me?"
Yes. Is there any thing remarkable
about it?"
"Weil. its little remarkable" was
the sarcastic answer, for Miss Carver had
now recovered her coolness-"a q little re-
msrkabie, because ih- lady, that is, the
person you call lady, VINO was always
with me was my maid"
Her maiai Hiss Carver might have
been satisfied. Her mortified pride sure
ly was sufficiently avenged in the effert
those two words produced upon her hear
er. A sudden palior had replaced the
flush on his cheek and the power of
speech seemed to have left him.
"She is German" continued Miss
Carver, maliciously, "and the daughter
of q man who keeps lager-beer saloon
in New York city. She is the eldest of
twelve children, and as her father could
not leep her she found situation to do
kitchen-work. BY and by she came to
our family and was second girl awhile.
finally 'ook her for my maid, because,
being perfectly uneducated and of q
stolid temperament, she was not likely to
be pert and ges-ipy." tt.E -
Miss Carver paused. The Senator had
started to his feet and then had turned
back undecidedly. @ F ~
would you like to see herr" she
asked, mercilessly. "She has a cousin
who comes here evenings, but perhaps
he is not here tonight" And she al
ready had her hand on the bellrope, when
her guest exclaimed, in horror:
No, for Heavens sake, don't ringl
What could l say to herr can't ask
you to forgive me for the inco, enience
have caused you by being such-such
fool" finished the Senator, but am
truly sorry Excuse me If say good
night, as III have an engagement"
Miss Carver smiled and accompanied
her guest to the door with polite speeches.
The Senator rushed home like lunatic,
and in ten minutes had committed to the
flames every pictured Marguerite in his
possession, together with tue two dainty
notes whose possession he owed to Ss.
Valentine.
| Some years later friend caught his
| arm one evening as he was promenading
on Broadway, and proposed, jovially.
"Come around with me and see Fdust
played tonight. The Strakosch Italian
| troupe, you know. It's sure to be fine"
Excuse me-" was the reply. I'd be
happy to oh ige you, but II don't care
for the play"
" Fine prima donna; good realization
| Of Margherita- Better come"
| The Sen tor WINGED and reiterated his
| excuses, adding, ss before:
| "The faci is, You know, really don't
like the play at all"- Harper's Basar.
How to Get Along.