Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1885-07-22
A MEAN ADVANTAGE.
BY NJ. G.

\ sunny head, almost hidden by a
white straw hat, was thrust into the
window OF the parlor of DR.. Pritchard,
in large brick building planted in the
vicinity of a newly discovered mineral
spring, and a clear voice laughed:
tShame on you, ladies, for sitting in
the house on such a lovely May morn
ing. Just look at my beauties!" dis
playing a pretty toy of a basket, in
which nestled rosy verbenas, big blue
vlolets, and the waxy bells of the wild
hyaclnth, IN charming confusion or
profusion. "Take that for your want
Of tastep'
And she threw handful of flowers
into the room and sped away with
saucy laugh.
ooh, that Moral" sighed Mrs. Ora
pier, a languid widow, in a blue cash
mere wrapper, all cream colored lace
and embroidery.
"She is a combination of exclama-
ton points and boisterousness, COM
mented Miss Effie Morton, who her.
self was a combination of dieaway
prettiness and a Jealous disposition, as
she spitefully ficked away one of
Nora's violets that had fallen on her
dress. "And such a hoyden as she
isl"
"Such a contrast to her father T"
mourned Mrs. DRAPER, who was more
than suspected of having designs on
the heart and hand of Mr.. Carston,
the millionaire widower, who, for his
imagined and multifarious ailments,
was staying at DIR. Pritchard's with
his pretty daughter, Nora.
Eyes. she Is a contrast" assented
Miss Earle, an heiress, and brunette
beauty, looking up from the cardinal
silk purse she was beading. "Mr.
Carston is an old granny, and Nora is
as sweet as a rose, and as pretty as a
picture, and full to the finger tips of
vigorous life. The trouble is, you are
all jealous OF her!"
1.-The ideal" shifted the ladies, in
simultaneous scorn.
II wonder what DR.. Branscombe
will think OF Nora? He has finished
attending those medical lectures at
St. Thomas, and will be back this
evening TO enter into partnership with
DR.. Pritchard," added Miss Earle
quietly.
Il fancy he won't waste many
thoughts on her. He has often said
that he admires only womanly Wom-
EN-" sinpered Miss Morton, who fan
cied herself a ''womanly woman" and
consequently the handsome young
doctors ideal, on the strength Of her
utter ineffectualness and why clinging
to masculinity.
Il fancy he will get enough OF her
tonight. She is to sing in the con-
cert we got up to celebrate DR.. Pritch-
ards birthday. We had to ask her,
you know. I've never heard her sing,
except in hymns on Sundays and at
prayers, but [ suppose she'll give US
An Awful Little Scrub, or something
OF the sort" said Mrs. DRAPER.
Miss Earle smiled. She had heard
Nora sing.
Nov prepare to be astonished, !"
Uttered Miss Morton, behind her blue
ostrich-feather fan, to DIR. Brans-
combe as she pointed out on the satin
programme the announcement Song
by Miss Carston."
4 sudden CLEAN of admiration shot
into Allan's dark eyes as an aurora in
rose and silver came lightly and swift
" to the front Of the improvised
stage.
4 tomboy the lovely girl with the
arch perfection of her face lit by a pair
OF laughing eyes, and a shapely ''little
head running over with curls' of gilt
tering gold
She cIasped her dimpled hands light
~ in front of her, and the silver bangles
on her round wrists clicked q sweet
noted little overture as she began her
song.
1t was one of those which have sung
their way down the centuries from the
time OF Shakespeare. As she finished
the concluding lines:
''To bid my love good-morrow,
Sing, birds, in every furroW."
she began to tune her merry note unto
the sweet birds throat, and a mad.
musical medley twittered, thrilled and
warbled through the room, as if all
the birds the poet had mentioned in
his song were swinging on blossonling
sprays and fairly outdoing themselves
in their efforts to bid his love the
sweetest of good-morrows.
.'What an exhibition! | told You
she would astonish you," whispered
Miss Morton, IN the pause which fol-
lowed the rapturous encore.
II am astonished! had expected