The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-10

S"iu. ANU YOU Cdu u uS' US llat IL 10 NAIttCh
to the right person"
so Matilda dictated:
Forgive me if | address you too hastily anc
too boldly. You are IN all my thoughts every
moment, and | feel that can not resist the
opportunity that may never occur again. May
l see you for few moments alone? III yor
VIII grant me this reQuest-apd ! beg you aS
you value the true devotion OF my heart not tt
refuse-please wear tonight in your HAIR q
yello,o rose"
This letter had been carefully composed
and 1t was dictated by Matilda from a manu-
script approved by all the girls concerned IN
this practical joke
Now sign It," said Olivia.
GLOW shall sign u" asked the child, whC
had succeeded by sharp scrutiny Of the model
in making the writing quite characteristic.
"Why, Harvey Ellsworth of course. 'Tis
pity we could not get his signature for you
to copy exactly, but you must make 1t from
the letters you have. There Is capital II to
begin with"
80, Matilda" SAID George, II could not
sign mans name That would be wrong,
I'm sure. No one has a right 10 sign another
mans name. Why, that would be forgery"
She was quite decided.
"Well, II must be signed" said Olivia, "or
1t VIII not be of any use. or course no one
would wear rose for an anonymous lover.
Come, don't be obstinate, Georgia; we shall
lose our whole joke"
IL will tell you what she can do" said Ma
tlda, who had some faint misglving Of con.
science herself on this point; 'she can sign it
in ini,ials-'H. E. That might be anybody
at least II might be any He. Come, child do
not haggle; the whole affair Is but bit of
fun. He! he! always comes after good joke,
you know, George"
SO George having found in the scraps of
consequences" the proper capitals, signed
al. E." with Il modest flourish, and the note,
after due inspection and admiration, was sign.
ed and sealed.
"Now please let me direct it," SAID Georgia.
"I'll promise not to tell"
30, we have plan about the directions"
Olivia said. "Now you have done your part
nobly, and if there is ever anything we can dc
for your pleasure, be sure to let US know"
II should like to see the fun said George
"And you need not tell me who II Is, for
know it is Miss Riley And It's almost too
bad, only | suppose real old MAZDA real
flirting old maid, mean-doesn't mind whom
she wears yellow roses for. She will just be
wondering why he doesn't come up and ask
her to take drive, or walk, around the piazza
by moonlight. can just imagine how she'll
pucker her funny, crooked mouth, and dart
her poor little yellow eyes around the corners,
watching and waiting till he don't Gomez" and
George laughed at the picture her magma
ton presented OF the excitement of the anti
quated coquctte, who had been a warning post
to the girls all summer to point out what they
might come TO If they kept on dancing and
flirting till their hair turned gray and their
dimples turned into wrinkles, and their voices
cracked, and so on.
Success smiled upon the completion OF the
practical joke. When the eleven A. NJ mail
had arrived and the customary application for
letters was made ut the hotel Office, Mr. Els
worth appeared there, looking over his own
budget, as fortune would have II, quite alone
Then Olivia came sauntering gracefully along
the corridor, and coming near him paused.
30 Mr.. Ellsworth" SAID she "can you reach
that pen on the desk and uiI you just direct
that little note? 1t Is only line to Adele;
must send II to her room. Just Miss Adele
Haskell please" And she turned to order
bell boy for the errand.
The ink of its address was hardly dry when
Adele received the note. There was picnic
that day at Seven.miles Falls, drive home by
early moonlight, and high tea at nine.
Immediately before tea the toilets were made
for the evening, and a by-plot was contrlved
by which George Haskell was detained from
being present at the critical moment of the
jokes denouement
When tea was nearly over, she took place
ut table, and glanced ut Miss Riley there was
the yellow rose IN her hair! MIR. Ellsworth,
perfectly unconscious, was seated nearly opPo-
site her. Then George looked cautiously at
Olivia; there WAS yellow rose in her hair.
All the girls, even Adele, had yellow roses in
their HAIR Mr.. Ellsworth had yellow rose
in his button.hole. Other gentlemen had SINH.
lar bOUtORnieres
George was slightly bewildered; but her
keen appetite for supper after all her open air
exercise assuaged her curiosity, and she con.
tented herself to await the explanation of this
complication of yellow roses until after she
should have devOured her delicious oysters
and salad.
The affair had taken place simply, but sat
lstactorily. The girls specially interested had
FASTENED to their tea Adele came rather late
She wore an ivory .colored gown, with gold or
naments; she looked very beautiful. in her
dark hair halt hidded by the heavy braid,
was yellow rosebud. She took her place not
was u basin of yellow roses The young lady
drew 1t toward her, after Adele entered and
said, in nonchalant but distinctly audible
voice
yellow roses seem to be the fashion to-
night"
With these words she took one from the
vase, ahd stuck 1t jauntlly In the braid of her
HAIR. The girls near her did the same. Then
Olivia ordered the vase 10 be passed around
the table, so that all present might select a
flower.
At the instant that the sentence had passed
Olivla's lips Adele flushed quickly. She did
not RAISE her eyes immediately; but when she
did she looked fully into Ohvia's face and
then at Matilda, whose halfsHppressed laugh
had reached her. Then she dropped her eyes
again without allowing them to transmit any
expression Of surprise, or anger or suspicion.
But the quick flush faded into painful pallor.
She looked for a few moments rs If she were
falnting; but no, her spirit rallied She went
on with her tea. She even, rs the waiter, not
noticing the bud IN her halr held the basin to
her, took from 1t rose and stuck 1t IN her