River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1877-03-08
4 SLEIGH-BELLE.

rily into Harold Browns door, anC
at that moment (she was the soul OF
punctHality) out came Harold Browns
only sister-a little woman wrapped in
shawls and wells and wOrsted things
from head to foot.
"COme along, sis, he shouts; and
then, without waiting for her 10
'come along" he jumps from the
sleigh, reaches the top of the stoOp IN
three strides-he's a tall, broad shout.
dered, dark-skinned, blue-eyed young
fellOw-catches her up in his arms as
though she were only a bundle, and
in the twinkling of an eye she is
snugly slowed away among the buffa-
lO-robes.
Crack goes the whip. "G'lang,
Ned - cries Harold, med" losses
his head and paws the ground an in
slant to set the sleigh bells ringing
properly, and of they go.
"Are you warm :" asked Harold OF
the bundle at his side.
almost smOthered," answers the
bundle. in an indiStinct voice with a
slight lisp.
That's right. my darling" says the
brother. who adOres his pretty young
sister-the only one left him of four.
al should tear my hair in wild de-
spair if you caught cold. Mind you
don't, for if you but sneeZe once, be il
the tiniest sneeze that ever was, home
you 60"
Never fear, Har," rejoins the obe-
dent small woman. Il promise,
upon my word and honor, not TO
sneeZe, Ill choke first. All here
we are, she continues, as they turn
into Fifth Avenue and take their
place at the end of line of sleighs,
big and little, the largest of which
stands unOccupied before the hand
some and brilliantly-lighted house of
Albert Lee, merchant and million
aiTe.
''Yes, and here are all the rest"
says Harold. adding, with slight in
Election of scOrn, excepting the Lee
people. OF course it's the Princess
Alberta who is keeping us all waiting"
forgetting. in the most manlike
manner, that he had only that moment
arrived himself. .'She never was ready
when she was little girl, and sup
pose she hash { reformed in that par
ticUlar. now she s big one,"
Big" repeats the voice from the
mufiers; "why she isn't bit larger
than am"
well. she's year older, anyhow,
and ought to know better" replies
Harold; "but | haven't the slightest
doubt she's stopping to fiirt with some
one. or two, or half dozen Of her
hume TOus admirers, utterly regardless
of the fact that THAT is, you-to
say nothing of forty or fifty others,
more or less intimate friends, are
freezing outside. Dan Van Rensselaer,
is buttOning on her gloves, or Will
West is fastening the straps of her
OveTshOes, or some COMPOUNDED non
sense or other. Cora, it's my opinion
that girl flirted in her cradle, made
faces at her old loves and smiled on
the new. 'Albertai'-and she won
let any one soften it To 'Berta. he
went on, apparently warming with his
subject what ridiculous name for
such mite! for mite she is. and mite
she VIII continue TO be. for all her
scornful looks and naughty ways"
s'0h, IIarOldi' exclaimS the yelled
voice. with rs much indignation as is
possible under the circumstances,
'.HOw unjust you arel She's not
haughty-she's not scOrnful-She' s
lovely! she came to me herself yester-
day afternoOn-and happen to know
all the others had written invitations
and begged we would join her sleigh
ing party. Its to be . real Oll-faSh-
toned affair she said, 'and | want my
real OII-fashiOned friends to come"
Extremely cOndescendingl" inter
pOlates Harold.
"And as for her name, she had
nothing to saw about that, as you, il
you have one grain of common sense,
must be aware-nO more than you did
about yours. And she'd rather be
called BERTHE great deal; only heT
papa insists upon Alberta. and cOnse.
quentIy, like good daughter, she in.
sists upon Alberta too. He wanted a
boy when she was born, TO be called
albert that S his own name, you
know and when girl came instead
he said no girl should interfere with
his plans, and he named her Alberta,
which is almost the same thing. And
it's Just as well he did, for he never
had another child, girl or boy
pity there hadn't been a boy,
grumbles Harold.
For shame, brother - exclaims ths
the little woman, partly unfolding the
vail that hides her dimpled chin anC
rOsv mouth. that she may speak will
greater effect. How can YOU wisl
that there was a great, stupid young
man instead of that dear, sweet girl
though YOU, | can't for the life OF mt
EraH -nhnnua ~
be angry with her"
al didn't wish for great, stupiC
young man in her place" explains
Harold. with a short laugh. THAT h'
would necessarily have been 'grea
AID stupid only feminine logic Cal
prove it's beyond me. Buff albert
had been first, and Alberta. by som'
other name, second, she wouldn' I hav,
been an only child. rs she is now, pet
ted and INDUCED in every within ant
fancy, until she imagines herself
queen and all the world her slaves"
You said n princess few EC
ments ago, says Cora, demurely.
'And perhaps she wouldn't be snsIl
ing on the grinuing idiot, Dan Va
RenSSelaeT-they say she's going L
marry him. his fortune equaling he
own. and his great-great-grea great
grandfather having been one of tn
very first Dutchmsn that landed o.
these shoTes-and turning away iron
the fellow she has known from he
infancy. and who has-Whoa. Ned
keep still Why the deuce don't sh
and her train make their appearance
They don't make their appearance
and Cora began to talk again.
Harold, You wrong Alberta; in
deed you do. Ii is you that are foo
iShly proud, not she. When she wen
abroad, she left us rich; when sh
came hack she found us poor ; and We
she had only been home two day
when she sought us out. And hoy
did you receive her In the coldes
manner. and than rnrnH and cn-nr