Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1879-07-17

II my last story hao peen accepteo'
eyes, Susan, 1 know you would, but
that does not aid me in this emergency.
On, dear! why couldn't I have been
rich? Think of Aunt Delaney and her
half-million, and then consider we are
her impecunious neices. How happy
she could make us, if she chose!'
Delaney knows nothing st d t&&ft teAA u 91
cumstances. We have been always too
proud to complain"
eyes, that's another of our misfor-
tunes. We are as proud as if we were
not poor, and too poor to have any right
to be proud"
"Once more, dear, won't you go to-
morrow night"
"Not unless some benefcent fairy
god-mother takes pity on me, and sends
me pair of lovely pale.blue stockings
in time"
Dudley Manning fairly started from
his chair in surprise.
"Bue stockings" Did ever any one
hear the likew he exclaimed, and more
mystifed than ever he went back to his
eavesdropping.
IF could, I would send for them,
but"
81 wouldn't let you, Susan. Pm un-
reasonable, | know. Come, dear, let us
60 for a walk, and say no more about
the stockings"
And presently the sisters had left the
room, and Dudley sat thinking busily.
All at once he started up.
'I'll do it! I can go and come before
stockings. WHAT lovely I face H she has, sI
and such perfect figure! But how can
they be SO poor? Ladies, too-refne-
ment in every word and look-nobody
could mistake that
The young man hurried to the rail-
road station, and was just in time to
catch the noon train as it sped cityward.
Two hours afterward Dudley saun-
tered into shop on Broadway, whose
broad windows dis; .layed bewildering
variety of the articles of which he was
in quest.
With somewhat guilty consciousness
he asked for ladies' light blue stockings
"The very best you have" he added
"What size, sir?" asked the sales
woman.
Dudley was decidedly nonplussed.
"I-Pm sure l don't know-I forget
he stammered; then, with sudden in
spiration: What size do ladies with
small feet generally buy?" he inquired
The shopwoman smiled primly, bu
took down one box after another, unit
the counter was heaped with piles O
filmy, delicate-hued stockings, the yer,
poetry of hose.
dudley was suited at last. CAREFUL,
he directed the parcel, when he hal
reached his law Office, to "Miss Edit
Armitage. Ctjffwood House, Brook
ville," and carried it to the postofice
not daring to trust it to other hands.
"Shell get it tomorrow morning." h
thought, and pleased himself all the wa,
haok by imae lining Edith's delight.
Dudley sought his room soon ate
breakfast the next day, waiting for fur
Their developments.
AS he expected, the sisters brough
their letters up stairs, but only a fey
words of the ensuing conversation wer
audible. He caught murmured excla
nations of surprise and delight, an,
"Of course they come from Aun
Delaney. How kind of her!"
eyes, dear old soul! Isn't she love
~! l take back all l said about he1
Such exquisite stockings, too-and 81,
pairs! Why, feel as rich as a queen
Susanw
And that was all he heard, but he wa
satisfied.
Dudley Manning went to the hop tina
night, and so did the Armitagc sisters
Susan was rs iadylike and graceful a
usual, but Edith was ravishingly beauti
full in her pale blue robe.
1.-THE stockings must match perfectly,
thought Dudley, as he contrived to ge
an introduction.
Il Every moment increased the attrac
ton. Her loneliness made her quite tn,
star of the ball room, but Dude,
scarcely allowed any one else to speak t,
her, so persistently did he hover abou
the sisters.
The evening glided like dream
flowers, music, motion, bright nothings
looks more eloquent than words-an,
Dudley went TO bed that night hopeless
ly in love.
Four weeks had gone. The Armitae
sisters began to talk Of leaving the Cliff
wood House for visit to thei aunt.
As for Dudley Manning, he had lon
ago disgusted the party of friends witt
whom he came, by DESERVING them to re
main in this dull little hole" as one O
them called it.
He was only waiting favorable or
portunity now to propose, when on
fateful morning he Joined the sisters o
the hotel piazza with an armful of ne,
books.
"Three Of these are for you, Mis
Edith" he said.
And he wrote her name, in his bo]C
clear, characteristic hand, on the fly
leaves OF each.
Susan, looking idly on as the othe
two laughed and chatted, started sue
denly, changed color, and left them.
She took the book she was examinin
with her, and presently she sent me-
sage to Edith, saying that she wante
! her Immediately.
"Must you 60? Well, come back d
rectly, and Il shall wait here for you?
, said Dudley; and, with a smiling Assem-
she left him.
But she did not return, and the youn
man wondered and waited for nearly q
hour.