The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-02-06
QUITE A MISTAKE.
i've Only to Ask, and the Little
Lady's Nine"

"You seem comfortably sure of her,
Tom"
"Well, why not, my dear Jack, when
I've only to ask, and the little lady's
mineP I'm immensely taken with her,
but I've hung off about
The dip of advancing oars drowned
the rest of the sentence, but Miss Daisy
Campbell in her hammock behind the
alders had heard enough to destroy her
peace. Fearful of betraying her pres
ence by the movement of finger, the
girl lay rigid as marble, watching with
strained eyes two fragrant blue wreaths
of smoke gliding past her retreat, till
through an opening in the bushes far
Their up the brook she caught fleeing
glimpse of birch canoe beneath the
smoke, and of the smokers, two gay,
sunburned youths with guns and fish
ing-rods. Tom Raymond sat in the
stern, tall, handsome Tom, who had
but now boosted of his easy conquest of
herself. In that moment of wounded
pride and fierce Indignation Miss Daisy
thought that she could have cheerfully
seen him drown
"'Oh, she's daisy" hummed Jack
McKeen; and as the mocking tenor
snote her ear the quivering listener
thought she could have seen Jack
drown, too-the saucy, idle tell-tale!
Why need he proclaim to the birds of
the air and the fishes of the water that
the lady in question, Toms little lady
to be had for the asking, was no other
than herself, Mrs. Blunt's city niece,
little Daisy Campbell? How indicate.
outrageous!
And yet the song hurt her far less
than Toms words. If Tom, Tom Ray
mond, could speak so lightly of her,
why might not Jack sing what he
pleased, and all Oakland listen? So
that was the way Tom was in the habit
of talking about her! She had heard
before that young men by themselves
were excessively free in discussing their
lady friends, and now she had proof of
the fact. Unmannerly, detestable
creatures, especially Tom!
I've only to ask, and the little
lady's mine" those were his very
words moaned hapless little Daisy,
hiding her hot face among the ham,
mock cushions in an agony of humilia-
ton. She had always felt that if Tom
had fault it was self-conceit, but she
wouldn't have believed he could be so
conceited as this. What had she said
or done to warrant this boastful asser-
ton? She would challenge Aunt Abby,
she would challenge Toms sister, to
say that she had ever been silly with
Tom. If there had been any Stiffness,
1t had not been on her side. unless
truthful Daisy WINGED at the recollec-
tion-unless-well, perhaps she did let
Tom hold her hand an instant longer
than necessary the day he helped her
over the fence, and she wished she had
not chung to him in the thunderstorm
But at eighteen what girl likes to be
prude? Though. for that matter, had
she not more than once during Their
summers acquaintance sIubbed Tom
for tr-y1Eg to make love to her? Still,
he'd only to ask, and the little lady
was his. That was his version of the
story, and he had gloated over it to
Jack. Daisy lifted her tousled brown
head defiantly, and sat bolt-upright.
81 won't be crushed-I wiU ,,otr'
she cried aloud, dashing her tears right
and left. I'm 60 to Pinafore tonight
just as IT'D overheard nothing, and if
he chooses to ask for the little lady,
why. he may. She's sure of her own
mind at last. She'll have her answer
ready"
Springing from the hammock, Miss
Daisy walked with martial tread
through the garden into the kitchen to
help Aun Abby shell the peas for din
ner.
"You must have been lying in the
sun, child" said that lady, glancing up
from the pan in her lap. .s1t's bad for
your eyes and bad for your complexion
/ don't believe that's good place for
the hammock. !"
Its horrid place." responded
Daisy. falling sayagely to work. I'm
going to ask Abram to hang it where it
was before"
Abram was the intermittent help of
the Blunt establishment, who carried on
the farm and came night and morning
TO milk the cow. From the day she be-
came visitor in the household he had
been Miss Oaisy's willing slave. and
now that Mf. Blunt was temporarily alb
sent. the honest servitor took it upon
himself to look in at odd hours ito see
If Miss Blunt and that posy-faced little
niece of hern needed doing for
May be fresh buttermiIk will help
that snnbuln," pursued Mrs. Blunt,
still misinterpreting the cause of Miss
Daisy's heightened color. I'D try it
You II hate TO 60 to the Falls as red as
a hollvhock.
Despite her chagrin. Miss Daisy
smiled at the misuse of pronouns,
knowing perfectly well that if she were
to look like a fright her aunt would re-
greet it more than she. For a sensible
woman, without undue personal vanity. |
it must he admitted Mrs. Blunt had q
compliment enjoyment of the beauty of
her stylish niece from the city.
Il hate to leave you alone SO late in |
the evening. auntie,' said Daisy throw
ing handful of empty pods at the !
chickens by the door-stone. I'm afraM i
you II be nervous about the tramp that |
called this morning."
1eEonsense, my dear; I'm not one of /
the nervous sort. / always stay by my
self nights when your uncle goes to his |
lodge meetings. If / get tired and
and sleepy. lock the doors and go to |