The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1883-08-17
A GOLDEN WEB.

A GOLDEN WEB.
They were chattcring away alta rate
which would have put the most talka-
tive party of magpies to shame, in Zaida
Lawton's piuk-and-blue nest of Il room
pink -and-blue from tho rosebuds and
| forwet-me- nots of the carpet to the dainty
stcnciling of the ceiling. And all out
doors was merely lOvelier color; for
the bcaming blue March sky bent over
| endless orchards laden with pink
| bloom.
All their chatterwas of past and pros
pcctive april Fools Day" pranks.-
Zaida Lawton's. and Flossie's, and Meg
Morlcy's, nj least, for Lilis Brainard,
Zaida's pretty cousin, had dropped en-
trcly from the conversation. and sat
knitting blue silk glove with slight
ly scornful expression on her high-bred
| face.
WELL" said Flossie rs the girls paus-
ell ut last in their merry recitals. we
haven't heard from you yet, Lilis. Who
are YOU going to fool the day after to-
| morrow
..Why, girls" interposed Zaida,
don't YOU know that All Fools Day is
q festival that Lilis would scorn to cele-
brate?"
You iconOclast, you'll try to abolish
Christmas neXtH' exclaimed Meg, shak-
ing her dimplcd fist nj Lilis, with pref
| ty assumption of anger.
mo. indeed!' said Lilis, laughing.
Il would not raise finger to tear that
holly crowned King of Hearts from his
a IS al ,x.Il ~
these practical jokes, which the First OF
April is supposed to license are really
beneath any one but Il clown or 4 school
boy. have never fooled anybody and
have never been fooled"
And never will be?" inquired FlOS-
sic.
And never will bcr' repeated Lilis
| confidently. as she chased fugitive
stitch with her bright needles.
a teiegraphic message sped from blue
eyes to black and from black to brown.
As FlosSie looked mischevously at Zai-
da. and Zaida sent the glance onward to
Meg.
A 10" minutes, later, Lilis put Oh her
things to run out to the fancy store for
more knitting silk. and Iaida's boudoir
was left in possession of the plOtters.
I'VE must do something to fool her,
but what?' said Flossie, pulling ut a
| curl us if it were bcll-rope to wake up
| her brains.
Il have itr' exclaimed Zaida. ecstat-
ically pirouetting on q rosebud. "YOu
| remember Mr.. Raynor who was in the
place 50 long last year. and who SEEM
| ed TO admire LiliS so much! And you re-
member that we noticed the remarkable
| similarity between his handwriting and
Franks? Well"
And the plan of routing Lilis from
her vantage ground with great slaugh-
ter was divulged at length, to the inf
mite delight of the two remaining con-
spirators.
II was 4 delicate matter that those
thoughtless girls were tampering with,
but would-bc makers of April Fools Of
ten crush in where angels fear to
| tread.
The first day of April dawned fair
and clear. Meg and Flossie came for
Zaida early in the morning, and the
| three set oil, on April-fnoling thoughts
intent.
Lilis confident of 4 mornings long
| leisure. drew her favoritc chair into the
recess of the window, and establish
| ed herself therein, with her Goethe and
| n pet kitten Us companions.
She had not been reading long, when
her aunt came bustling in, sowing
small packages rs Peggotty sewed but
tons.
.IIcre's letter Lilis," she eXclaim.
ed, dropping one on the pages of the
open book. "Whcn MOllie came to
make the spiced gingerbread, she found
we were ont of nutmeg and cinnamon,
and don't know what else, so I had to
90 to the groccr's and thought might
as well drop in ut the post-oilice Ill
though Xaita said she meant to 90 be-
fore she came home
Then her houscwifcly nose scented
something burning, and she gathered
up her packages, and hurried Kitchen
ward.
The letter had fallen with its address
downward.
| When Lclis turned it over, she gave
the Kittens paw, which she had been
using rs II pointer, SD severe wrench.
that Buttcrcup uttered feline pro
test, and bounced away with an injured
air.
Paul Raynor, had, rs Zaida said, adj
mircd Lilis greatly, but he was = law
yer, with his way yet to make in the
world, and with n mother and several
young brothers to support.
He knew that matrimony would be
impossible i'm his ease for years, SO kept
an iron hand on the admiration that
bore II perilous likeness to love; but he
thought that he might allow himself a
platOnic friendship witlis the pretty
charmer whose taste and habits chimed
so pleasantly with his own.
But although Lilis knew of his circum-
stances, she was not so cautious, and IN
those scented summer days, those regal
autumn mornings, II baby hope was
born, which was buried in the hazy DC
tober cleaning, when Paul babe heI
goodbye, without even requesting q
correspondence.
But the buried hope had II glorious
resurrection on this pink-and-blue April
morning!
His letter told her that the love
which he had tried TO subdue had be.
come an overmasterinS passion, sweep
; inc prudence and caution before it like
dried leaves.
He said that he knew he was doing
her injustice in asking her to enter into
an engagement which must necessarily
be II protracted one, but, for oil that
would she consent to be his wifeP
If Lilis could only have known, be-
fore she answered this letter, that Zaids
had compOScd il and seEt it to FREQ
Beresford, her fiancee, to copy and pos
as coming from Paul Raynor.
"Did Liis get n letter this morningP'
enquired Zaida, rs she came in late to
dinner.
YES" answered her mother;' and sh,
has just gone to the post-Oflice with hel
answer"
Il Zoida started m in CONSERVATION.