Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1881-12-08

''heep Still IOT B xuOmeut, lass. no
isn't home now. but will be home this
fall =" -..4lt
Here third young lady came flying
in, with her hat tumbling Oh backwards.
and began to talk before Theodore could
finish her sentence.
..Who do you thinks over st that
house across the hedge?" she demand
ed. dancing about until she tripped up
on her skirt and fell over flower-p0t
..Guess--guess! l saw him."
1.-The rich old bachelor" cried Cas-
sandra and Theodore. in u breath; and
Cassandra added, tartly: ''You always
do get the start of us. Coral, you little
minxr'
.'Twasn't the rich old bachelor. He
hasn't come home yet," answered
Coral. ut was Laurence Harley. l
was prowling around in our garden to
see what could discover, and the gar
den over there joins it, and he came
out Of the house and saw me. and came
right down. said he knew me by the
way my hat was tilted up on edge. and
he says he's thought of us SO often and
wondered where we WERE"
''Good graciousr' uttered Cassan-
dra-
MY patiencer' chirped Theodore
"Dear dear, how it brings up old
timesr' murmured Mrs. Sparkier :
'.when we were somebodies in the
world and society was glad to know
us. I:'s q wonder Laurence isn't
married by this time. But, then, he
was always a careless creature and
never cared for any one in particular.
Don't be too certain" quOth Miss
Cassandra. tossing her tawny auburn
braids consciously. IF we hadn't
moved away so suddenly and left all
our friends in the lurch-"
"What if We hadn't" broke in Miss
Theodore, arching her jetty eyebrows,
satirically. Don't let your conceit
run away with you, Cass. Ii i only
hadn't fiirted so with that dreadful
Major"
.sBut. oh. dear mer' Mrs. Sparkler
was beginning her lamentations. 81
dare say Laurence won't care to come
and see us now since our fortunes are
so fallen"
"Oh, yes, he willr' cried Coral.
THAT don't make bit of difference.
And his fortunes are fallen. too. He
he's the rich bachelors head-gardener
now"
Head gardenerm gasped Mrs.
Head gardenerr exploded Miss
Cassandra.
Head gardenerr' walled Miss
Theodore.
"Yes," assented Coral, in half
frightened tone: .'but don't see as it
makes such terrible deal Of difference.
After his father failed. he felt he ought
to do something to help him. and
couldn't pick and choose to do
what he could-and it was this or
nothing. He's helping his father now
and saving money, and says he will do
better in time"
"For mercy's sake. hushr' groaned
Mrs. Sparkler. IL hope you didn't ask
him to call. Coral?"
IF she did, l trust he'll have better
sense than to do it." said Cassandra,
holding her head very high in the air.
LIT would be fine thing, when the
ownerof that house comes home, to find
us on intimate terms with his head
gardener"
IL dare say he asked herif he couldn't
come" put in Theodore. He always
was Is impudent as the mischief. Now
didn't he ask if he could call, Coral?"
mot only that" retorted Coral,
"but he asked me il he couldn't marry
me Is we'll He meant to ask me that
last night, before we moved. but we
got interrupted, and the next day we
were gone; and his folks got into
trouble right away after-so he thought
he'd wait till he was in better posi-
ton before hunting us up. But now
that he found me. he said, he must tell
me. anyway, and"
1.-The saints preserve us!' choked
Mrs Sparkler. ON the verge Of fainting.
"What-oh, what did you say?'