The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1877-02-22
From Harper'a Weekly
A SLEIGH-BELLE.

Harold BROWNS slelgh dashed mer.
rily up to Harold Browns door, and at
that moment (she was the soul of
punctuality) 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 to "come
along" he jumps from the sleigh,
reaches the top of the stoop in three
strides-he's a tall, broad-shouldered
dark-skinned, blue-eyed 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 buffalo-robes.
Crack goes his whip. "Glang, Ned p
cries Harold. "Ned" tosses his head
and paws the ground an instant to set
the sleigh-bells ringing properly, and off
they go.
Are you warm ?" asks 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
slster-the only one left him of four.
Il should tear my hair in wild despair
if you caught cold. Mind you don't,
for If you but sneeze once, be it the
Unrest sneeze that ever was, home YOU
Co."
Never fear Har," rejoins the obedi-
ent small woman. :" / promise, upon
my word and honor, not to sneeze. I'd
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 be-
tore the handsome and brilliantly light
ed house of Albert Lee, merchant and
millionaire.
Yes, and here are all the rest" saws
Harold, adding, with slight infection
OF scorn, excepting the Lee people.
or course it's the Princess Alberta who
Is keeping us all waiting "-forgettiug
IN the most man-like manner. that he
had only that moment arrived him
self" "She never was ready when she
was a little girl, and l suppose she hasn't
reformed in that particular, now she's
big one."
Big p repeats the voice from the
muthers; why, she isn't q bit larger
than am"
Well, she's year older, anyhow,
and ought to know better, replies Har-
old; but haven't the slightest doubt
she's stopping to flirt with some one, or
two, or half dozen of her numerous
admirers, utterly regardless of the fact
that THAT Is, you-to say nothing of
forty or fifty others, more or less init
mate friends, are freezing outside.
Dan Van Rensselaer, IS buttoning on
her gloves, or Will West is fastening
the straps OF her overshoes, or some
COMPOUNDED nonsense or other. Cora.
It's my opinion that girl flirted in her
cradle, made faces at her old loves and
smiled on the new. Alberta and
she won't let any any one soften it to
berta,' he went on, apparently warm
ing with his subject what ridicu-
lous name for such u mite for mite
she Is, and mite she will continue to be,
fer all her scornful looks and naughty
ways"
Oh, Harold !" exclaims the yelled
voice, with as much indignation as is
possible under the circumstances
How unjust you are She's not
naughty-shes not scornful-she's
lovely She came to me herself yester-
day atternoon-and | happened to
know all the others had written invita-.
uons-and begged me to Join her
slelghlng party. It's to be a real old
fashioned affair she said. sand want
my real old-fashioned friends to
come"
Extremely condescending" inter-
polates Harold.
And as for her name, she had
nothing to say about that, rs you, if
you have one grain of common sense
must be awsre-no more than you did
about yours. And she'd rather be
called Bertie,' great deal; only her
papa insists on Alberta and conse-
quently, like a good daughter, she in.
sists on Alberta too. He wanted a
boy when she was born to be called AL
bert, 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 lust
as well he did, for he never had an
other child, girl or boy"
Pity the boy hadn't come" grum-
bles Harold
:" For shame, brother +" exclaims the
little woman, party unfolding the veil
that hides her dimpled chin and rosy
mouth, that she may speak with great
er effect. How can you wish that there
was great stupid young man instead
OF that dear, sweet gfrls for she is a
dear, sweet girl, though you, l can't for
the life of me see why-neither can
Fred-caoose to be angry with her"
Il didn't wish for - great stupid
young man in her place." explains
Harold, with short laugh. THAT he
would necessarily have been great and
stupid only feminine logic can prove;
It's beyond me. But If Albert had
came first and Alberta, by some other
name, second, she wouldn't have been
sntonly child, as she is now, petted and
tndulged In every within and fancy,
until she lmagines herself queen and
all the world her slaves"
You said 3 princess a few mo-
ments ago, says Cora, demurely.
And perhaps she wouldn't be smil-
ing on that grinning idiot, Dan Van
Rensselaer-they say she's gong to
marry him, his fortune equalling her
own, and his great-ereat- great-grand-
Esther having been one of the very first
Dutchmen that landed on these shores
and turning away from the fellow
she has known from her infancy, and
who has-Whoa, Ned, keep still ! Why