River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1880-11-25
toilet this morning with view to my

toilet this morning with a view to my
disliking it,
Gertrude looked very much amused,
and with a curious glance at her COM
panion, said;
Zone would suppose you were an
octogenarian, Mr.. Bently."
81 presume | must be nearly twenty
years older than you, Miss Gertrude, :"
| he gravely answered. II am twenty
nine, and calling you pardon
me if those figures are too large-you
see there would be seventeen years
difference, and that is a great deal"
"Well, | declared the young lady ex-
/ claimed, with flashing eyes and scar
let cheeks. You must have singular
opinion of my father and grandmother
| if you think they would allow me to
wear train and my hair on the top of
1 my head if were only taelve years
/ old! | shall be seventeen tomorrow, J"
4 she continued, making low obeisance;
"and what induced you to think that
| was only twelve? am sure | cannot
understand"
II beg your pardon, the gentleman
replied, carelessly; but | presume /
received my impression from your re-
marks last evening as we returned
from the wedding"
/ Gertrude had no time to answer, for
/ Just here her father entered the room,
and shortly after the gentlemen started
down town.
"Well, Gertrude said grandma, as
they found themselves alone once
more "What is our programme to-
day? VIII you stay at home and play
with your dolls, or may | have the
pleasure of your company ona shop
ping tOur?'
This was too much, and Gertrude
walked out of the room without word,
and was seen no more that day. The
next morning the young lady's hair
was knotted at the back of her pretty
head, and Mr.. Bently thought her even
more bewitching than the morning
previous.
81 made several inquiries for you last
night, Miss Gertrude" Mr.. Bently re-
marked, as he was again left alone
with his young hostess; "but no one
seemed to know anything about you.
If you had not undeceived me about
your age, / might have thought you
had gone to bed like other children"
"Mr. Bently, do you want me to
despise your" Gertrude inquired, look
ing her companion straight in the eye.
Miss Gertruder Mr.. Bently exclaim-
ed, with a start not all assumed.
Because, if you do the girl went
on, you can keep twitting me of the
past! | have plenty of that to bear
with grandma | don't believe you
thought yesterday morning that was
twelve years old, when you said so, so
innocently; and | don't think that was
very nice of you-though, | suppose it
was quite smart, and just what |
deserved. | do think | Lave been
pushed forward too much Mr.. Bently,
and do believe in girls being allowed
to enjoy their girlhood. | shall never
wear my hair stringing on my back
again, thought" Then after pause
which her companion could not see his
way clear to break. papa said, Mr..
Bently, that you wanted me to go to
the opera with you tonight. | should
like to go very much, and | don't see
why we cannot be good friends, not
outstanding the tremendous difference
in our ages.
II don't think Mr.. Bently could very
well resist kissing the fair little hand
she extended so frankly, and as she
didn't make any fuss about it, | don't
| know W y we should.
\ year afterward, on the young lady 5
eighteenth birthday, grandma inquired
with peculiar smile about her still
handsome mouth. "Then you don't
think Gertrude you are to young to be
engaged to Court Bently? You will
have to leave your dolls, you know"
Grandma said Gertrude with the
old ominous flash Of her beautiful eyes,
chat is very aged and stale joke.
Don't you think that if you sat up a
night or two you might produce some
thing originate"
Grandma laughed and said no more,
for had she not carried her point?