The interior journal., 1877-03-23

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I want, too, that you should fnish thai
charming conversation you bcgau,and
which the dancing interrupted. ] dc
so love to hear intelligent persons talk
I some times take a walk, bcfor,
breakfast. | start about six o'clock
so as to get back by seven, and go in
with the rest, to prayers. IL yor
were to pass the door exactly at six,
tomorrow morning, perhaps we NIGH
accidentally meet. ! hope there is ne
harm in this, is there' Could you g
by this afternoon, about five, wearing
spray of lilies-of the-valley in youI
coat, so ne to let me know you have
received this note' 1t would not dc
for you to write back; the letter might
he intercepted. Madame is such an
old ogre, always on the lookout ]
will be peeping from the window. do
come. Yours. ever, KITTY"
Isn't it rather strong'" said one Of
the fair hearers. "Don't you think
he'll see that its trap
"Not bit Of it, answered Florry.
"Hell bolt the bait, as brother Fred
says, like a pickerel. Watch at FIVE,
and see if he doesn't"
The note was despatched, and the
four girls, at five O'Clock, hidden be-
hind the green jalouses Of the parlor,
watched for their prey. They did
not have to wait long. Precisely at
the hour, the ancient beau went by.
stunningly got up in black frock-
coat, with lavender.colored trousers,
paient-leather boots, a hat evidently
bought that very day, lavender gloves
aud a bunch of lilies of-the-valley m
his button hole.
"Now we have himl" cried Florry,
10 exultation. The next thing is to
take all the girls into our confidence,
except Kitty, and the girls who sleep
in the same room with her. Well
all be up, and dressed, and atthe win
dows; aud when the old goose comes
along, we'll all pop out our heads;
and then-then," bursting into laugh
ter, "Tll call to him. and say what a
fine morning it is for the first Of
April"
Now, up to this moment, none of
her three auditors had remembered
that the morrow would be All.Fools
Day; and when Florry thus capped
the joke, as it were, they burst into
as madly as herself.
The plot was carried out, as Florry
had proposed. More than twenty
new coniederales were let into the Sc
cret; and such is the sense of honor
among schoolgirls. that no one be-
trayed it. But all were ready, at six
o'clock the next morning, to partici.
pate in the denouement. There was
comparatively little sleeping that
night. What with the expectation Of
the "great fun" what with scheming
how to circumvent the teachers. most
of the fair conspiritors lay awake, or
only slumbered filfully. Florry was
the first up. Noiselesslv she marshall
ed her forces. Fortune, too, favored
her, for the windows looking on the
street belonged to the drswing.room
and the school-rooms, which at that
time were unoccupied.
The morning broke, clear and balmy.
March was literally acting in the spir-
it of the old saying: it had come in
like lion. it was going out like a
lamb. Three rows of windows, in as
many different :tories Of the house,
were crowded with mischievous girls,
who could hardly keep down their
till the proper moment. HID
den behind the curtains, they waited
the signal, which, ON the first floor
was to be given by Florry, and on the
second and third floors, by one of her
lieutenants; these three alone being
allowed, meantime, to peep out occa-
sionally and reconnoitre. Just as the
town clock struck six, and before its
last note boomed on the air, the hero
Of the occasion was seen turning the
corner, and approaching the house.
He was attired in the same jaunty
manner as the evening before, and in
his hand he carried an enormous bou-
luet.
He glanced anxiously at the front
loor, as he came up, and stopped a
as if a little disappointed
hat Kitty was not there. But Florry
lid not keep him long in suspense.
Half choked with laughter, she gave
he signal. Instantly the curtains
we're drawn back. the sashes were
aised, AMI a crowd of merry faces
vas thrust rom the windows. The
'oor victim, glancing up in dismay.
nd hearing the mocking laughter,
alf recoiled; for dim conception
hat he had been made sport Of began
. dawn on him. In pause between
he peals of laughter, Florry, leaning