Daily Kennebec journal., 1881-06-11
uade Tinie 40 irre.istible th.t cnstomers

conscious that Just opposite black-eyed
| Rebecca waited to draw lemonade from
an unfailing spring for their delectation.
or that Flora's temple, just beyond. was
crowded with attendant vestals, eager to
supply button hole bouquets a. ten cents
apiece and pin them in without extia
Olaree.
TIME was downcast at first. and felt
| like a weed in a garden-bed when she saw
the cold scorn in the ewes of those who
| thought her pushing and forward. They
gave her little thought. however, being
busy talking of the expected crowd that
evening would bring.
There were strangers in town, stopping
while their Yacht was being repaired from
the shock of a collision: and the hope
that the gentlemen would seek to while
away the tedious hours by sauntering into
the bazaar animated the gentle bosoms of
the cliatterers.
Even If the strangers came, TIME
thought, there would be but dim pros
pect Of their looking at the ponderous vol
ume she presided over: neither would anv
one else, she said to herself. ruefullv, half
inclined to give up and run home.
But the dear old face Of the rector
showed itself at the lower entrance. and
he, the first visitor. came in with pleasant
words and smiles dispensed upon all sides
but walked straight by all the booths to
hers.
His stay was short, but he left her pret-
ty face bright with smiles and flushed with
pleasure. She forgot her annoyance, and
before she had to encounter any more
looks of disdain her attention was claimed
bv fresh visitors.
She had forgotten all about the ex-
pected Strangers that the others were on
pins and needles to see. till her ewes
caught 1utter Of excitement among the
fair sellers OF fancy wares at the other
stands
Four Young men, with that unmstaka-
BILE air of cultivation and fashion that
makes such fierce havoc in the rural heart
were entering the hall together.
They separated into couples after they
came in, and slowly began the tour of the
hall: but. like most of the rnfair sex who
had been in before them. were drawn by
some force of attraction to the album-ta
where TIME faced frowning world. as
represented by the matrons and maids of
Offport
Murmers very unflatieringly to his
prote1e began TO reach the old clergy
mans ears, and he dragged chair too
her side and took his seat behind the
table to lend her the shield and protection
of his presence. lust as the diplomatic first
directress sailed mp to the floral temple.
and seraphicallv suggested to her own
mature daughters and the other attendants
that. rs some peoples effrontery was
disgusting to all decent people. it might
Ia ,vn11 E,r than, IN, t,l nil ,h<,
were purposelv detained at Il certain stand
and carry their flowers about.
So Flora's fair nymphs came out of their
neglected bower. and fitted artlessly
hither and thither with an elaborately
various faces, and full baskets of
boutOnnieres in their hands.
TIME thought her success in getting
names had melted the ice, and the girls
were gathering about to congratulate her,
but they did not even seem to see her. so
busily were they pinning the easily sold
b0utOnniercs to the coats of their patrons.
The Commodore. as the rest of his
party called one Of their number, was
easily ensnared. Not only did he submit
to be ornamented. but made anxious
inquiries for larger boquets. and broke off
his CAV little conversation with TIME to
rush off to the floral temple with one OF
its nymphs.
TIME was too unversed in the WAYS of
the world to feel any resentment at his
detection. but she was sorry enough for
the abrupt break in the merry chat they
were having, while he insisted upon her
turning the leaves of the big album for
his inspection.
She tried not to show any feeling. but
there was n suspicious little drawing down
of the baby mouth. and grieved look in
the wide blue eyes that infatuated him as
he dashed back in moment with huge
arrangement of flowers in his hand, which
he begged her to accept.
ale must be n remarkably charitable
man. was her little remark aside to the
rector, as the commodore proceeded to
take unlimited shares in the autograph
album.
The rector had been watching the frank
highbred face of the young fellow and.
unworldly as he was. he knew enough to
trust him; so he paid no heed to the mods
and winks from his wife across the hall.
who was being informed by the able first
directress of the dangers a girl in Tinie's
peculiar position ran from over-familiarity
of the strange young man.
Bobby. the candid young brother. hover
ing about Tinie's stall, hoping for a
recognition from his friend of the day be-
fore but much scrubbing. hair cutting and
clothes-brushing. had so transformed the
ingenious youth that he passed un-
recognized till he forced him self into
notice by a whispered demand to know if
his sister wasn't Just as he had said.
eleventy thousand times handsomer than
those old cats who wouldn't speak to her
because her mother was a washer woman.
The commodore's bewilderment at the
question only lasted moment; then he
saw it clearly. This pretty. soft-eved girl.
with her little wid-rose face, and shy.
bewitching ways. was the abused sister he
had already felt chivalrous pity for when
her brother told her story.
He remembered it all now-,he old.
worn-out dress. the pretty white apron
that was to cover it-and what fascinat-
ing little apron it was. all covered with
ruffles and putiles and fiummery. AS his
untored masculine tongue would have de-
scribed it
1t must be that very apron that was
playing the mischief with him, tor he had
never been so fascinated by any girl before