The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-01-21
LOVE IN A HOOD.
BY MRS. 8. T. PERRY.

BY MRS. 8. T. PERRY.
''An express package for you, sir"
said the porter, as he came into the
room where Reginald Hathaway sat by
the cheerful grate.fire smoking his even
ing cigar.
"Indeed!' said the gentleman, as he
took it from the porter's hands, mentally
wondering who bad sent it and what it
contained. AS he united the outer wrap
pings of the package little note drop
ped out, and Hathaway instantly recog-
n1zed the address to be in the hand writ
ing Of his favorite Cousin Sue. II had
quite forgotten that it wants only few
days of Christmas" he said to himself.
''Sue never forgets ME when she dispens-
es her gifts" Opening the note he read
as follows:
"Dear Cousin Reginald IL send you
these slippers with my Christmas wishes.
I think they will be good fit, because
had them modelled after that old shoe
you left here last summer-a reminder of
the pleasant tramps we had together at
that time.
"Always your loving Cousin SUE"
box, and, unfolding the soft tissue paper
which inclesed the Christmas gift, saw
not pair of slippers, but the prettress
little blue and white hood he had ever
seen in his life.
"Great Caesar! what does this mern9''
he claimed, as he held the soft zepher
head gear IN his hand. $50 Sues trying
to play trick on me. Perhaps she thinks
to give me sly hint in the matrimonial
line. This is certainly very suggestive,
but 1t will take more than that to make
me give up my comfortable bachelor
quarters and habits.' He immediately
sat down and wrote:
''Deda Sue:-I received by express to-
night blue and white hood. l dare say
it would be becoming to some styles of
beauty, but am entirely too dark for
that combination. Furthermore, it is
too small for this weighty head OF mine,
80 full of legal wisdom. All, Sue, it is in
vain to spread net in sight of any bird.
misery loves company Because you
went and got married last year, you want
to have your friends do the same. A
very pat hint, but I must certainly return
you the hood, without weaving any
threads Of romance within its soft mesh
es. My motto is, Let we'll enough alone,
and am we'll enough. You married
people say you are happy Except to your
lawycrs) and you feed on the madden of
your delusion until 1your bones are red
with it. It's right enough you should.
Somebody says something about slaves
hugeing their chains. But, to come to
the practical point, I suspect you made
mistake, and this hood is intended tor
one OF those dearest, sweetest girls you
used to rave about in your school days.
shall await your commands with retel-
ance to it. In the meantime shall put
it on the topmOst shelf in my closet--so
far away from sight that it shall not have
en- evil influence over me. True, as in
the old days, ....' .....
"REaINALD."
The letter was sent in the evening
mail, but the hood was not resigned to
the top shelf until the next morning.
IL suppose the bows arc what they call
"gaslight blue he said, as he laid the
hood down in his lap. II wsnder what
kind Of a face it is intended to grace2 A
blonde, of course" and the gentleman
folded the soft tissue paper over it, and
leaning his head on the back of his easy
chair, resumed his cigar, and was soon
off in a reverie of smoke, a reverie which
was very inconsistent with the letter he
had written. ....
In a few days an explanatory letter
came to hand from the Eastern cousin.
''That husband of mine,' she wrote,
made an awful mistake. He sent you
the wrong box. The hood was intended
for Love Scranton, who has just moved
to Denver. She is the embodiment of
goodness and loveliness-a great deal
too good for you, so you need not be so
COnceited as to think am making a
maneuvre toward getting up match in
that direction. The slippers have gone
to Denver. have written to have them
returned to you. Please forgive my
laundering matrimonial alliance, and
send the hood on to Love at Denver"
The hood was duly returned to the
box, and then Reginald Hathaway began
to be troubled about the address. OF
course her real name was not Love, he
reasoned; Sue always gives her friends
pet names. 1t would be very presuming
in me, stranger, to address lady by
her pet name. Just like a woman For
gets half her traps when she goes off on a
journey. After half hours considera-
ton, he concluded to leave off the first
name entirely. So the box was directed
to Miss Scranton, Denver, Colorado.
The next evening, after Reginald had
received his package, another one was de-
ivered at the residence of Elisha Scran-
ton, in Denver.
at is for you, Love-" said her father,
"as there is no other Miss Scranton that
l know of in the house."
"For me, papa9" exclaimed the young
lady, as she left her seat at the piano.
In an instant the outer wrapper was
torn off, and the little note accompany
ing the box fell to the floor. .
1T is from that dear, good Sue Ash
ley she said, picking up the note and
glanclng at the address Then she read
aloud the contents;
"Dear L0ce:-Here is the hood which