The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-01-31

"Etfie;" he exclaimed, coming to
halt.
"W-ll, sir?" returned Mrs. Dick,
haughtily,
IL hope | have not inconve-
nienced you by my shsence?'
1T is Of no consequence replied
the little lady, icily.
Then she turned 10 Elinor, who
was trifiing with = spray Of red
leaves:
Miss Paxton, allow me to intro
duce to YOU my brother Robert?"
Elinor's sweet eyes glanced once
at the handsome head of close crop
ped curls which bent so low before
her, and she wondered much why
Effie was SO short with her very
bonny brother, whils she mechanic
ally murmured the words of con-
ventional greeting.
Your flowers are4ine," remarked
Mrs. Dick. distantiy, breaking a
pause. MAY ask whom they are
intended f,r?"
Certainly Lieutenant St. Charles
was not In his sistVs's good graces
when she called him Robert. But
he bravely executed coup de main.
For yourself, mySiear Effie."
Mrs. Dick could not but thaw as
she rec+ived this fragrant burden.
Perfectly lovely aren't they,
Elinor2 OF course, you haven't l.'st
your dinner, Bob. The cook had
orders to keep a dish or two hot
And, when you have dined, come
and join US in the arbor."
But it seems as if Mrs. Dick was
right-the golden opportunity had
been lost; the happy first impress
sion had not been made; Robert was
without his usual gallant bearing in
Miss Paxton's presence, and Elinor
Was quietly civil.
Mrs Dick was veaed beyond en-
du.ance.
What made Bob 40 stupid, and
Nelly SO Indifferent 1t wasn't in
the. nature of things for handsome
young man and beautiful girl to
be never the least bit agreeable tn
each other for whole week. But 1t
was all Bob, fault, che declared to
her husband, who laughed at the
misfortune of her match making
And at last Elinor's visit came to
an end.
Mrs. Dick was too vexed at Bob
to ask him to drive to the station
with her guest. She went herself;
and when she came back, she fell to
reproaching her brother.
II don't see why you didn't like
Nelly, Bob. never knew man
before who didn't, you cant have
very good taste"
Bob, smoking on the veranda, re-
ceived her remarks with provoking
calniness. x
"You wouldn't have all nascu-
line creation at swords point about
Miss Paxton, would you ?" he said.
at is a wise disposition Of Provi-
dence. l think. that tastes differ"
But YOU might have cut out the
others if you had tried. Bob; l
know you might ! But after your
first neglect-Nelly was quite inter
ested in you until then-she appear
ed to be perfectly Indifferent. And
I'm sure you didn't try to make her
otherwise. / never knew you to be
so stupid" and Mrs. Dick retired
from the scene Of action, leaving her
brother to the coming moonlight and
his cigar.
Now, though Mrs. Dick quarrelled
so seriously with her handsome
brother he was the ample of her eye.
and all might have heen forgiven, il
not forgotten, if events had not sub
sequently transpired to break her
heart Anew.
Bob. immaculate in Sunday morn
ing costume. a few days later. flirted
from his breast handkerchief of
perfumpd camhric. and blue ribbon
dropped to the floor.
The air with which he bent and
restored it to its hiding place would
have revealed the truth had not the
ribbon been so unm:stakahiy femi-
nine in character.
Mrs Dick caught her breath. Not
only had Bob failed to fall i'm love
with Elmer Paxton, but had actually
fallen in love with another young
lady!
Though this was too much for
Mrs. Dick to hear without demon
stration, and though she said moth
ing to her brother. she related the
whole story of Rob's vile behavior to
her husband. and Mrs. Dick WIS
forced to make confident of Elinor
herself.
She wrote her the whole account
of her hopes and plans; her secret
wishes and bitter disappointments,
and despatched the letter forthwith
To Elimr's city residence.
But Elinor was apparently too
busy at the beginning Of the season
to write reply.
No response came. But it was a
great relief to Mrs. Dick to he sure
that Nellie knew and sympathized
with her"
She bore her grief in silence, even
when she became aware that Bob re-
ceived the daintiest of l.tters every
week.
Ifihe little lady had not, with all
her faults, been the soul Of honor.
she might have read them, for she
actually saw them. tied with satin
ribbon, in the top drawer of Bob's
dressing case.
Poor, little Mrs. Dick She actu-
ally lost flesh and color. this disap-
pointment was SO serious one to
her.
Sbe really loved Elinor Paxton,
as she dearly loved Bob; she would
have been delighted to call her sis
ter; and to have strange woman
come to Dale Park as her brothers
wife-for Bob never flirted-would
be life long grief to her.
But in November, Bob went to
the city for few weeks and did not
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