Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1883-06-08
Pin THE TWILIGHT.

$50 you think Mr. Claiborne fine
looking. Minnie!" said one #
group Of girls III Il summer b ardinT
house to a friend who ha;i arrived
but the day before. L thought he
would he likely to -:;;t yplr TASTE"
Fine looking. That dee, IL;
half express it. | think him Just
splendid. exclaimed Minnie Noor".
with genuine enthusiasm. BAT
only to think OF hio havi;iy a IAugh
ter as old ;S l am. Upon my wort.
| can't believe it.
"You'll believe il. perhaps, VIXEN
you see her" laughed another one,
Sallic Rosr. She Is spending tie
season at Long Branch. but rms
down here every Saturday night, and
spends Sunday with her father. They
are wonderfully like each other. and
go on like two lovers.
Good graciou7"' said Minnie,
drawing Il long breath. How l
should Ike to- mean girls. don't
you sometimes envy his daughter
You mean corrected sharp
witted kittic Hurst, how you should
like 10 kiss him yourself. DO it,
Min"
Yes, do it, Minnie, do it! | dare
YOU cried half dozen merry girls
in breath.
You know | never take :, dare
girls" said Minnie, her rougish.
handsome little face turning crimson
"but in this case l shall have to show
the white feather
Hear. hear cried al. the girls in
chorus. Minnie Moore doesn't
dare to play a little practical joke
Yes, 1 would dare" cried the lit
tie witch detiantly, but how could |
manage it?'
Nothing easier" said kittie Hurst
You have only to sit in the dusky
parlor few minutes before the ar
rival of Miss Claiborne, which will be
about twilight. Then, when the gen
tleman enters, he will go straight to
your corner, of course, surprising
You to be his darling daughter. Then,
at the same instant. you will rush To
ward him. pretending to think he is
your father, whom you are expecting.
And then you get the kiss"
Oh" cried Minnie, putting her
hands up to hide her biushiny face
at the last suggestion. My con
science won't allow me | am not
expecting my father"
The girls laughed derisively.
I've known your conscience to
stretch further than that on more
than one occasion, Min said Rachel
Warden. Come, will you dare to do
it, or will you not?"
II will dare anything, and you
know it. But you must solemnly vow
never 10 betray me-"
They all solemnly vowed, and the
plans were laid forthwith.
X * * x
1t was Just dark on a lovely sum
mer evening The country boarding
house, where our scene is laid, WAS
overhung by the dropping branches
of some old elms, whose thick foliage
deepened the gathering shadows i'll
the unlighted parlor. A tall, hand
some man, of middle age, whom
Minnie had well described as "splen-
did looking" walked quickly up the
path leading from the gate, Il happy
light in his dark eyes, and smile of
glad expectancy curving the rare,
beautiful lips, shaded but not hidden
by a heavy dark mustache.
II think the train must be in" or
else my Impotence makes me think
it late. 1 hope she won't disappoint
me this evening my little darling"
Another moment, and he was with
in the fower-scented, dusky parlor.
where, curled up IN the depths OF a
large armchair. in the furthest cor
ner, and half hidden by the window
drapery, sat girlish form. whose
heart was beating like trip-hammer.
He advanced at once with out
stretched arms, close to the darkened
recess.
"My dearest childw
"Oh, papa"'
And the next instant the little
figure was clasped close to his heart,
and not only one kiss, but perfect
shower of them, fell eagerly upGn her
brow and cheek, and dewy blushing
lips.
But suddenly there was little
shrek, startled. we'll feigned look
of horror in the girls uplifted face,
and, breaking away from his restrain
ing arms, she hid her crimson checks
in both white hands, and faltered
out:
"Oh. let me go, sir, this instant.
Oh, what shall i do? III thought
it was papa~
So she did, the little fraud, but she
knew perfectly we'll that it was an
other girls papa" whom she meant.
1T is who should beg pardon my
dear young lady," said the gentle
man, who had stepped back and was
surveying the lovely shrinking little
creature with a queer admixture Of
amusement. embarrassment, and
plying admiration, in his beautiful
eyes.
But ere the words had fairly left
his lips Minnie was gone, and throw
ing herself down upon the bed in her
own little room she buried her hot
cheeks among the cool, white pillows,
and gave way to apassionate burst of
tears.
II never will do such wild, idi-
otto trick again-nevcr! / don't
care how much the girls will laugh
at me for backing out. Oh, 1 could
Just die of modification! I shall
never have the courage to look him
in the face again.
IT was, indeed, several days before
Minnie was herself again. In the
meantime Miss Claiborne had come
and gone, and Minnie, watching
from the window, had seen the pretty,
stylish young lady promenading in
the grounds ON the arm of her hand
some father, and she had no doubt
that he was even then laughing at
the story of her own foolish escapade.
When at last the unavoidable meet
~