The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-01-01

CIdt. tOu uluH expect IlG.
"Of course didn't"
''Well, didn't think of coming, as
you know, fora month yet, but thought
il would be so nice to surprise you. II
world open the New Year auspiciously,
perhaps"
"Ol I'm so glad"
And then Paul's coming" she said,
bh iingly, "next week, to stay 4 month;
he as business here and he wanted me
so IDLY to be here, too. ! declare, "
sh ldded, laughing, an have to marry
i '2on to get rid of him"
Mabel don't marry him unless
! you &c sstain 'you'h &c happy a. cried
Alice, Historically. "Be sure, first, he
won't go to parties, and le-eavc you a.
lone with ba- baby" she sobbed,
"What Is Herbert at a party ?"
queried Mablc, quite subducd.
eyes, he is; and when told him |
couldn't go, on account Of baby, he
said, hang ba-baby!' Yes, you little
angel, your own father said those awful
words-and then he sla-slammed the
door,"
"He's a viper !" exclaimed Mabel,
with sudden vchcmcncc. "a nice way
to treat wife like you-a baby like
that But why couldn't you leave
baby ?"
"Becausc he was threatened with the
Group, last week"
"But he's well enough, now--slccps
deliciously. He'll not wake up all night,
perhaps. And the nurse would have
taken good care of him.,
al should have been thinking Of fire,
and Group, and all that"
go, nonsense You ought to have
gone. But Herbert had no right to be-
have as he did and he must be punish
ed !" and Mabel threw her wraps on the
bed, and took her seat by the glowing
fire. 1t won't do to let him get the up
per hand. All Ihave it. I've thought
Of splendid plan. A charming, dc
lightful little plot" and she clappcd
her hands in glec.
go, Mabel, what is it ?" and Alice
slid down at her sisters feet gazing in
her face, with expectant smiles. "What
are you'going to do ?"
arm not going to do it. shall stay
here and watch baby. Xon are to so to
the party"
"Ma5le! impossible -
"Quitc possible. In fact, must be
done. You must let Herbert see that
you're as pretty as anybody and quite as
much admired"
at is decided. You are to go to the
part, and play apart. Let me arrange
the programme"
Duf, Mabel haven't dress pre-
parcd-or anything. gave up going,
week ago, you see, when baby was
threatened with the Group"
"Pshaw You shall wear one of mine,
one of the most bewitching, bewildering
of dresses, bought from my last allow
ance from uncle Curtis. Only to see it
will throw you into ecstacies. Worth
never composed anything more lovely.
| want to see it on you. Come, come,
call your maid. l am all impatienoe.
Well shame our bad husband into good
behavior, see il we don't. No irresolu-
ton pretty sister of mine. I'll stay at
home and fancy myself mistress here,
and count your pictures, and vases, and
pretty things and catalogue them, SO as
to make mamma happy with letter,
tomorrow. Order John, or James, or
Bill, or whoever your coachman is, to
get a carriage-if that's impossible send
for hack.
In less than an hour Mabel led her
sister to the great French mirror, and
laughingly introduced her to the love-
liest and best dressed woman she had
almost ever seen.
Alice trembled little when she found
herself actually on the way TO Mrs.
Mountjoy's but here sisters urgent will
had conquered, and her heart was har-
dened by Herbert's emphatic expression
concerning the baby. She was reassur-
ed, however, by Mrs. Mountjoy's hearty
welcome.
$50 glad you've come, my dear, she
said. "Your husband said he feared
baby would keep you at home but |
tOln ililn ~ hsio AtCiAS@hoSs va htA
right to reconsider the matter"
Herbert, like many handsome society
men, was a little spoiled and selfish,
without knowing it. He loved Alice
devotedly; but he was not unwilling to
receive the sweet smiles and honeyed
words of others while, with mans
inconsistency, he was not desirous that
his wife should play the part of a mar
ric6beilc.
II was while he was dancing with one
of the most noted and beautiful women
of the metropolis who was more than
willing to listen TO his nonsense, that
Herbert, looking up from the face lean
ing against his shoulder, while the
dreamy waltz music thrilled hearts SEN
sitive to sadness as to joy, encountered
the sparkling face of his wife, and saw
her arrayed in the freshest and most
graceful costume in the room. She was
moving quietly along with an escort in
uniform.
"Pray, don't stumble" said his oTs-
a-giS, petulantly, for from that moment
the grand lepose of his manner was
gone, and the lady on his arm might
have been made of wax, or any other
ductile material, for all he cared now.
elbow the dickens came she here ?"
he muttered to himself, as he led his
partner, absently, to seat, deaf to her
pretty words, blind to her fascinations.
''It certainly is Alice-but that dress
the prettiest thing here and left her,
quite determined not to come. don't
understand it. Dancing with that mil