The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-08-23
A LOVERS QUARREL
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.
why don't he Gomez" said Lillian
Bourne, peeping earnestly between the
boughs of the monster lilac bush,
whose purple plumes waved to and fro
in the evening breeze. "Oh, why don't
he come? cant possibly be mistaken.
He said on Tuesday evening att, and
it's twenty minutes past by grandpapa's
big clock; and, oh, dearl" with a sigh
that stirred the bunch of pansies pinned
on her left shoulder, there ISN'T soul
in sightw
By all signs and symptoms, Lilian's
little pink ear should have burned that
evening, for they were all talking about
her at Miss Lorinda Larkin's party
in Dover street.
"Oh she's born coQuet!" said Miss
Lorinda. 1.-TWO humps Of sugar did you
say, or one, Betsey Young? She can't
help it. It's in her nature. Don't you
remember MIS-. PepperfieId, what Airt
her mother was before her? But she'll
never play fast and loose with Gilbert
Dawson again-that I'll 90 bail!'
ooh, 10 tell usabontit, Miss Larkins!'
said the widow Peabody, with her
mouth full of chicken salad.
well. if YOU won't repeat it"
Repeat! We! Never rs long as we
live!' was the reply that went around
the tea table in one accent.
"Of COURSE" added Miss Lorinda. tits
all quite private and confidential, be-
tween ourselves. But it was at the
Medbury's party. What bust the
Medbury's have TO give parties with
bought ice. cream and two violins and a
harp / don't know. Every one is per-
fectly aware that there's mortgage on
the place. and that her dressmak ers bill
amt paid. Rnt that amt neither here
nor there. was there in my dyed
green gown. trimmed with Aunt Iiddy's
old English lace, and | WAS a.lookin' at
the big orange-tree in the conservatory
that's another of Mrs. Medbury's sinful
extravagan:es-when zee Lily
Bourne, in her white frock, OH the
other side of the bank of flowers, a-gig-
Gin and a-whisperin' with Squire Rufus
Darline!'
"Myw CALCULATED the other ladies',
WIN open nouns.
And mp came Mrs. Medbury II in a
smile-she smiles twice as often as be-
fore, since she got them new false teeth
and whispers in her ear. And saws
Lily, ont loud, says she, "Oh, l can't;
Pm engaged to Mr.. Darling"
"No," cried Mrs. Pepper6eld.
II heard it with those very ears" SOL
EMMY answered Miss LOrinda.
"Engagedr' shrieked Mrs. Young,
whose own dimpled niece was even
then laying siege to Mr.. Darling's ada
mainline heart.
Engaged" repeated Miss Lorinda
Larkins.
"And she keeping company with Gil.
bert Dawson" exclaimed the widow
Peabody, breathlessly.
''But she won't never trifle with him
no more," added Miss Lorinda, with i'll.
disguised satisfaction. 'For l met Gil.
bort yesterday afternoon, and asked
him about his mother 8 rheumatism
and what the New York doctor said
abont it; and he never took no notice Of
my questions. You know that absent
way young men have when they're in
he, "bnt Pm a little in hurry, '~a-look
in right over the top of my head, as if
wasn't there at all. "If you're going t.
Miss Bourne's," says |, there amt ne
such terrible hurry" say Us he, "Wt,at dc
you mean?" And he looked at me sharl
enough this time. "Hain't you heerd!
She's engaged to Squire Oar
ling, says l. And says he, at can't y,
poesiblew Says l. "I heerd it from le1
own lips; and al, rekassett's talkin about
it." says l, 1.-THE idea of young creeter
like that sellin' herself for money and &
fiue house. For everybody knows"
says l, THAT that's all that Rufe Oar.
ling's got to recommend him; and he's
old enough to he her father into the bar.
GAIN" says /. And he just turned his
horse and kerridge around, without eve,
having the pOliteness to SLY" g)Od-bye,'
and drnv' off like Jehu in the opposite
direction"
"Y Young men amt accountable when
they're in love-" sighed Miss Polonia
johnson, who was suspected of being
the poetess who wrote the love sonnets
in the Pekasset Weekly Oracle.
81 amt one that NEEDLES with othe,
folks affairs" said Miss Lorinda, vicious
y biting Oft piece of so la-biscuit and
butter; "bnt ! shall never encourage
flirting with any man, while you're en-.
gagged to another. It's clean ag'in my
principles!"
And before the next days sun had sci
everybod in Pekasset knew all abou
Miss Bonrne's engagement to Squire
Rufus Darling.
Don't mind it, Gilbert" said OIL
Mrs. Dawson. $40 not let q girls sill
ly caprice break your heart"
She lay on the sofa in the pretty little
excepting r0om," where the floor wa
carpeted with blue, because blue wal
Lillian Bourne's favorlte color, and thu
walls were papered with lunches o
wl'ite-and-gold lilies, because the iii,
was her name-hower.
Fringes of pale mienonette hung OF
the window-boxes, and a canary chirpet
gleeInlly in the sunshine; for GiIber
had made his home beautiful because
he wanted Lillian to like it.
Mother" said the yonng man, will
a tremble in his voice, II loved her!''
But Won never were actually he
trothed, SPOKE the old Iauy, pitifnlly
"Not ~ words, mother; but we IN
derstc cd eth her, and-No matter it;
over and past now said Gilbert sadly
Mrs. Dawson pressed his hand will
true maternal sympathy.
my poor boy" she whispered" Tr.
and forget her."
II can't do that, mother. But" will
4 sudden resolve, "I'll go away iron
here. IN accept my uncle Ravenburn'
invitation to go with him to those o!,
Mexican cities, where he is to sketcI
and paint. Pm not much of an arts
myself, but / can manage TO while tn
time away somehow. At all events,
can't stay here and see Lillian marie,
to that pompons fellow, Darling!"
! lie bad not been gone ten minutes t.
the village, after that momentous con
versation, when there came the TIMES
of knocks to the door. and in rcspons
to Mrs. Dawson's Come in!' there en-
tered-Miss Lillian Bourne herself.
| Fresh from the spring woods, with {
basket of the pale pink, trailing arbu,us
which she herself had gathered, in he
hand.
i But she paused on the threshold q
she saw the hardening lines around th
mouth of Gilbert's mother.
Gam I in the way?" she asked tilnidll
"Have come at the wrong timer"
"Pray, walk in," said Mrs. Dawson
l - 81, A. o1.I:o1:x-. =