Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-11-09

looking and agreeable-many persons
said clever. too, but that is a matter of
opinion. for which no absolute rule can
be established. He was tall, had good
figure, and n generally light brown ap-
pearancc, with q closely cut, pointed
beard, and ewes which looked exceed
ingly pleasant, rs q rule. He did things
| with ease, and as a matter of course.
which some other men. especially very
young men, found il very difficult to do
at all. For instance, every one knew
that the ball that night was given in
honor of Margaret Barrington's coming
of age. and half the bachelors who were
to be there would have been very glad
to make an offering in the shape of a
bouquet-fiowers being considered APP
propriate gifts on such an occasion. and
some of them succeeded in accomplish
ing the feat, with more OF less elegance
OF demeanor and charm of diction; but
variors motives restrained the ardor of
the most part Of them: shyness-a
hideous dread Of being the only one to
do 1t, and so becoming the marked man
of the occasion-and again, with that
modest distrust of his own powers of
pleasing which characterizes the very
young man of the present day, the fear
lest poor Miss harrington should con-
strue the gift as being intended TO con-
vey deeper meaning. and so have her
hopes unduly raised. 1t is sad. in the
face OF so much tender consideration.
to have 10 record that Margaret had
been known to make the sweeping as
scrtion that boys under sixteen were
often very good fun, and men over
thirty good company If they were clever,
but that anything between those ages,
OF the masculine gender, was an I'M
mitigated bore.
Mr.. Biddulph, being Oet him have
the benefit of the doubt) clever. and
over thirty. came. it is to be presumed.
under the head of good company; and
he. ut any rate, had had the courage TO
bring bouquet with him. and was also
sustained through the operation of pre-
scnting il and his congratulations 10
Margaret and who will DENY that il is
a formidable task 10 make n congratu-
latory speech To n sarcastic young lady,
in the presence Of an impertinent school
boy who has the faculty for seeing some
thing amusing in all that is said and
done 10y his elders?
IL congratulate you, Mr.. Biddulph."
remarked Tom; "'shOrt, but able. and
very much TO the point as the news
papers say"
Margaret received the Offering with n
smile of happy omen, granted Mr.. Bid
dulph the dances he asked for, always
excepting the first, and. IL is To- be pre-
sumed, succeeded in her efforts on be-
half of Marion Percival. for Mr.. Bid
dulph was heard To murmur that he
knew Miss Percival of course. he knew
her-and later was perceived dancing
with her more than once. Margaret
was pleased To see that Miss Percival
appeared To be really enjoying herself;
there was bright flush on her cheek
and animation in her dark eyes.
Really, Madge, that girl looks quite
pretty observed Mrs. Pierce, condo
scendingly.
"Of course. When is n girl to look
pretty If not when she is thoroughly en-
jOying herselfP"
Fancy her chatterinp away in that
style to Mr.. Biddulph! didn't think
she had so much conversation in her.
why cant she talk To me in that way?
! am sure she is dull enough whenever
l have anything to do with her"
so would You be, if YOU had been
struggling all day with two headstronp
girls. said Margaret, who never could
he got TO agree with Mrs. Pierce plain
tive lament that her children-all chill
dren-if properly managed. were far
more of n pleasure than n trouble. and
that she could not understand why rov-
crncsScS complained of their charges.
Margaret. who had an almost marie
influence over children herself. main
tanned the very reverse, SAYING that
OF course there were ways and WAYS of
treating them, but that, adopt what
way you pleased. they were n trouble.
and always would be. They did not
pause now to have one of their dis
cusSions on this topic; but Mrs. Pierce
shook her head. and wondered how il
was that Miss Percival could not always
look like that.
supper was over. Mr.. Biddulph had
taken Margaret, having managed his
tactics in such a manner that she could
not refuse to 60 with him when he
asked her. Margaret was OIL her guard
tonight. The idea which had flashed
into her mind while Miss Percival had
been with her had never left It since.
IL possessed all her thoughts and made
her very absent. Already her scheme
was ripening and she had arranged a
thousand details in her mind. She
hardly noticed Mr.. Bidduph's manner
to her; she had almost forgotten that
Laura wanted her To be married TO him
"A wish for which she could not quite
pardon her cousin.
The supper was quite success. At
one moment, indeed, Mrs. Pierce.
though quite happy as to the cham
payne, found herself much perturbed in
mind as To an accident which almost
happened. Margaret's health was
drank; Mr.. Pierce got up and made a
little speech-a better speech than Mar
garet had expected. in which he care
fully suppressed all mention of the
trouble she had given him. and spoke
only of her good points. Margaret felt
grateful. IL was now that Mrs. Pierce
suddenly remembered that she had
forgotten TO arrange for some one 10
reply to this speech. but after being a
moment disconnected, she thought she
saw her way to an interesting develop
ment of the situation, and telcgraphed
to Mr.. Biddulph To make the reply. He
would willingly have risen To the occa-
sion. but Margaret, suddenly becoming
aware Of what was being agitated. said.
cOnrpOsedly:
mo. Mr.. Biddulph do not trouble
yourself Tom and / have arranged il
all. and he has got beautiful speech
of by heart and is going To deliver il
now"
And. indeed, to Biddulph's extreme
annoyance, and Mrs. Plerce's horror,
Master Tom was perceived on his legs,
ghbly repeating an Grafton which was
at least amusing. and at the end of
which, winking visibly at Margaret,
who was utterly unprepared for his TAX
ing the peroration into his own hands,
he announced that his father had for
gotten just one thing in his speech. and
that was, to request the company. on
filling their glasses, to rise and give:
a. Dor Qha'a n fnllx- GOOD faIlox.r