Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1884-11-06
A TERRIBLE TEMPER.

"If there is anything especially OBJ
noxionS to me-" avowed Miss Murphy,
in solemn conclusion, "it il interfer-
ence with the affairs Of others but IN
tins case | said to mysrlr, Duty, Mary
Anne Murphy, duty = "
"Oh - gasped JeSsica. She had
sunk back in her rose -ribboned rattan
rocker in quite tremOr or dismay.
A very charming room this sn0uran
parlor into which gold bars of sunshine
slanted through the half-closel Veae.
tians. Worthy even of pretty Jessica
it, with its tiled hardwood floor, its
silyer-fox and bearskin rugs, its Mad
ras draped windows, its quantity mod
ern mantle of polished oak, its eccen'
trio chairs, its grotesque tables, its
dainty aquarelles, its Chinese cabinets,
its slender bnt admirably chosen coll
lection of bisque and Limoges. And
surely eye, however critical, crave no
sweeter picture than little Miss Ray
made in her pale blue surah rea-gown,
cascaded with VaIenciennes, and all
her bronze bright ripply hair braided
in childish fashion down her back.
But just now the lovely face was Gu
riously colorless, the purple-blu eyes
wide aud startled under their long
lashes.
There was silence after that sharp
exclamation of Jessica's. Miss Muir.
ply could afford tn be silent. She had
dropped her small shell and it had ex-
ploded with most satisfactory report.
She sat rigidly erect in the Conscious
ness of duty done, every fold OF her
black silk visiting custume stiff with
propriety, every pempon on the brown
beige bonnet bristling with respectable
ity.
81 dol't believe a word of it I" de-
clared Jessica, slowly.
IL impolite, the remark was in no de-
gree insolent. It was simply the ut.
terance Of conviction. Miss Murphy
was not offended. She removed her
gaze from gem of Van EIton's on
the opposite wall to fasten it on the
agitated little lady in tn rocker. It
took some endurance on Jessica's part
to sit meekly under the scrutiny of
those faded blue eyes-eyes tolerant,
placid, beaming, as those of a benlg-
nant old cow.
i" Il is true, nv dear. He said it.
heard him with my own ears 10
This really was unanswerable.
''They were in the front parIor,"
pursued Miss Murphy, folding her
plump. tan-gloved hands with aggraYa-
ting leisure and serenity. 81 sat sew
lug just behind the portiere. L never
would haYe stayed could I only have
fOretold what was coming. They had
been talking about other things, and
were silent for awhile. Suddenly my
Ned burst out laughing so you've
seen her, he said, 'and you don't
fancy her, eh p Fancy her p ech-
oed Jack. SWELL, I should say not = -
"Well ?" urged Jessica, steadily.
She would hear it out, she told her
self-she would every word Of it
"Wen, then," slowly, to heighten by
suspense the effect Of her narrative,
Med said, The boys around here all
like her immensely. Roy Pates says
she's daisy = {"
''Oh ~ moaned Jessica. "You
must excuse that nephew of mine, my
dear you really must. Ned but re
peats what he hears. Besides, you
know be is only boy yet-iust eight
cen. What Ned said is of no import
ance. Please 60 on"
She sat erect again very pale and i'm.
perative, indeed.
IL you insist on hearing" hesi-
family, Jack replied. "Well, I don't.
| did just at first. I confess for a
while she deceived me. But few
days gave me enough of her, Ned
said. why, we all thought you were in
great luck to get her. Luck = cried
Jack in ans wer so loud, my dear. fairly
jumped. Luck Yes, the most con.
founded piece Of bad luck I ever
struck u am ashamed to say, my
dear, but to be veracious / must say
that here Ned, quite carried away by
his youthful sympathies, inquired,
Cant you get out of it ? And Jack
said, 'Confound it, no That's the
worst of it. I can't break such con-
tract with any honor to myself But
I only wish some other fellow stood in
my shoes just now. I've promised to
take her and I've got to do it, but it's
a deuced hard bargain'-oh, my dear
Jessica, you're not going to faint 10
Jessica put out hel hand with slight
repressing gesture.
mo, Miss Murphy, I am not going
to faint. Is that all ?''
Miss Murphy was rather disconcert-
ed. Her shell had exploded noisil7. il