The Osceola times., 1880-11-06
THE RED FLAG AT No. 81.
rom Mrs. Gray to Mrs. Thompson.

From Mrs. Gray to Mrs. Thompson.
Cousin Ned, from California, Nevada,
New Mexico. and all other places beyond
the Rocky Mountains, has been paving
us a visit. You know just what Jolly
good soul Ned always was, and ne Is just
as Jolly now--as Why should he not be,
with an income of $4,000 or $1,000 a
wear? Beside that my poor Georges
81 800 hides ITS diminished head. He is
handsomer than ever, tOo-the same
merry brown eyes and chestnut hair;
but in addition an appearance, an air so
altogether distingue that our neighbors
all 90 to their windows to gaze after him.
We'll, do YOU know, the moment he ap-
peared | set my heart on him for our
I dear old friend Adelaide, who shall not
waste her sweetness on the desert air If
| [ can help IT, You know always had a
fancy for matchmaking, though, to con-
/ fess the ruth, | have never yet scored Il
success in that line; my two predestined
afIinities always fly off at tangent just
as | hatter myself it is un falt accompli.
! you will perceive | have not forgotten
quite all the French we learned together
at the Riverside Seminary. Notwith-
I standing my years ol devotion to pies
/ and puddings, | will keep little of it
out of respect for the memory of poor
I Mademoisellc Laurent, who worked so
/ hard to drill it into me-
But Adelaide and Ned have been cor
responding a year or Two; he speaks of
/ her with great rcspect-as how could he
/ otherwise, of course?-and have iOndly
hoped that his mission to the East may
have more relation to the affairs of the
/ heart than to mining stocks, as he pre-
| tends
I Well, soon after his arrival three
weeks ago, Ned and | were sitting in the
diuing-room alone; the children had
started for school, and George had kiss
ed me and gone down town, after an
hours talk about ranches, burros, and
culches, and canons. Now that | was
alone with our visitor, the conversation
took a confidential turn, bordering on
the sentimental, and in pursuance Of
the idea uppermost in my mind, | told
him ! thought it mysterious, providen-
tial, that he had not fallen victim to
some bananza princess, or some bewitch-
ing Senorita, with no dover but her
beauty.
"Afd, by the way," went on, what
was ever the trouble between YOU and
the Captains daughter"
You remember, of course, Julia, how
much we heard at the time about that
aifhr-how, during the war loved to
read to you, even during study hours,
the letters | had received from Bro. jim
stationed at Fortress Monroe, giving the
| details in Jim's rather satirical style, OF
the serious Irritation in progress between
| Lieut. Ned, of Company {, and Capt.
Darrngton's pretty daughter of the
regulars? And afterward, how some
way Il shadow came between them-no-
/ body could tell how, only that Ned was
/ hasty, and had exaggerated ideas oil a
mans prerogatiyes, perhaps, and Miss
Darlington proud and shy. And 20 it
was forgotten.
And now this same lieutenant after
hairbreadth escapes from shot and shell,
aud scalpng Apaches, sat these in an
easy chair, by aly Baltimore heater and
actually turned pale because mention
ed the Captains daughter" Love is
indeed Ia grpndc passion.
lie had nothing to communicate, how.
ever; babe me consider we were always
great fools at 2l, and likely at that time
to get caught in a trap; on the other
hand. 10 throw our chances of happiness
away. Just as il chanced TO be- he became
silent, and | had not the heart TO rally
as he sat there watching the floating
smoke Of his cigar, with faroil look IN
his eyes-knowing, as | did, that he had
gone back - years, and that he was
walking the moonlight beach with pretty
Lotte Darlington, while the band of the
regiment played in the distance.
From the sublime to the Ridiculous
it is always my fate, dear Julia. Barney
the factotum of the neighborhood. tap
ped at the window, and as | raisel the
sash,
"a foine morning, num-" said he
"there's a red flag out at No. 81, and
thought III be after comm TO tell We
lis a foine house, and ioine Teddy
morc's the pity
You see, Barney knows my weakness
and he had seen me few days before
an animated bidder at an auction in tho
neighborhood.
"Thank YOU, Barney; think I'll be OF
hand" | replied. closing the window.
"A foine lcddy,n to be sure; had offer
met her-a iair-iaced woman; plainly ano
tastefully dressed, walking with two
charming children. licr house seemed
the abode of peace and comfort, So ial
as the passer-by could Judge, and what
could have compelled the breaking up o
so tine an establishment? At ali cvents
would not stop to specuate-lt wa'
possible here Was my opportunity &c
secure handsome sidebOard at bar
gain. As | wished TO be on hand il
time to look through the house bcfor,
the sale began, | asked Ned to have tn,
goodness TO excuse me for an hour or SO
ooh, will 20 with you, Mrs. roodles.
his hat and cane.
So of We went TO No. 81. where tn,
flaming flag announced the desccratior
of household gods. We were admitted
by the man in charge of the sale; anc
such charming abodcl Not a down
right curiosity shop, the effect Of decor
atiye art run mad, but such taste and
ingenuity everywhere visible. People
with shrevd, hard faces, boarding.boust
keepers, secondhand men," eying the
pretty engravings and pretty water col
Ors on the parlor wall, running their
greasy fingers over the keys Of the piano
turning chairs topsy-turvey, and shaking
tables to see how firm on their legs they
might be. In the bay window was Q
large stand of beautiful thrifty plants, OF
which ] resolved to carry off about half
The two floors above were neat and
pleasant; but il was the second story
backft that wrung my heart. IL was tho
nursery. Toys and personal articles had
of course been removed, but there was 9
| proftv litt1a haI beside tho 10 rsrn ona