The Wilmingtonian., 1885-05-16
THE STORY TELLER.
beware, BeWare!"


A charming black lace fichu was draped
across her breast; her beautiful hair flowed
in heavy curls down to her shoulders; and
she wore the most bewitching little break
fast cap you ever saw.
In short, she was a perfect vision of love-
illness.
She seemed to be all ribbon and lace, and
she would have been all smiles, as she usu-
ally was. But her liege lord had just gone
off in high dudgeon, and she stood looking
down the avenue after him with half-rue-
full countenance.
Yet what pretty picture she made, with
the trees and sky for background.
GLOW perfectly absurd" she exclaimed,
81 wonder why it is that American hush
ands are all SO exactinga In Europe, the
married women arc the charm of society,
and | don't see that the propreties suffer in
consequence. But here is one censured for
appearing natural"
"One cannot be at ease in gentlemen's So
cety, but must be prudish to the last ex-
treme. The idea of my having fiirted with
Kenneth Grayl Why, am sure | never
dreamed of such thing! l hope l have
more regard for my reputation. Lester does
know that, too.o
Whether Mrs. Floyd was more sinned
against than SHINING in this matter, is rath-
er difficult to decide.
To be sure, Lester, who loved her after
the manner of few husbands, was somewhat
prone to be jealous but then Mrs. Floyd
had certain coquettish ways, which, while
very becoming to her beauty, were not at a.!
conducive to Lester's peace of mind.
On the whole, they were about equally
culpable, if so strong word can be
used.
In the particular case of Kenneth Gray
Mrs. Floyd may have been unusually pro-
voking; for that handsome young physician
had once been suitor of hers, and she
might have known that Lester would eye
him with dsfavor.
But she had taken no pains to avoid the
misunderstanding.
She had danced with Kenneth Gray at
Mrs. Lanthrop's lawn party; she had talked
to him on several occasions; and once or
twice, when she had seen him on the street,
she had allo,-ed him to walk home with
her.
But the crowning offence in Lester's eyes
had been the acceptance of a beautiful bask-
ct of flowers which was sent from the young
physician,
To be sure, this was only the payment of
bet; but Lester argued that married wom-
am had no right to make bets with mar
riageable young man; and in particular, Mrs
Floyd should not do such thing with Ken
meth Gray.
But the truth of it was that. as the rup-
ture of her engagement with this man had
occurred under circumstances which left her
in rather disagreeable position, Mrs. Floyd
was bent upon showing him that he had
passed entirely out of her regard, and that
she could meet him on a familiar footing
without the slightest concern
But Lester could not appreciate this mo-
tive, hence the stormy scene after breakfast
and Mrs. Floyd's indignant solilo-
guy.
"a man who is so unreasonably jealous, /"
Ss sate n n SG Gtaee4 IA r,
after her husbands disappearance, fought
to have something to be jealous about.
l think that if Lester were made thor
oughly miserable about me for once in his
life, and were to find out that there was no
serious occasion for it, il might cure him OF
his uncomfortable weakness.
have thought of it frequently, and I've
half mind to concoet scheme of scme
sort, that would bring it to pass"
Her thoughts were running in this chan
mel, when she saw Lester's brother, Terence
coming up the road. Instantly her face was
wreathed in smiles, and archly smelling at a
flower she held, she said, halt-coquet-
tishly:-
81 am so glad you have c"me, Teddy!I am
just brim full of a project, and must tell
it to somebody. hope you are safe conf
dant?''
'The best in the world" was the reply,
thinking as he said it how pretty his sister
in-law looked. sit is one of my accom-
plishments"
''Well-but come into the house. You
know" she began, wen they were there,
and with little hesitation, ''you know Les.
ter and have just had a-a-"
Grow. No l didn't know it, But l
might have supposed that much. That is
the conventional thing between married peo-
Pile, believe.
Teddy was bachelor.
SIT wasn't row." Mrs. Floyd explained.
Grows are vulgar. This was a-a-diher-
ence, misunderstanding; but it was very
disagreeable all the same. Lester went off
terrible angry. Would you believe it, Ted
dyl He accused me of flirting with Ken
meth Gray
"ofcourse I'd believe it, Teddy replied
promptly. "You are just thoughtless
enough, and Lester is just jealous enough,
for you to get up the semblance of such
thing between you. Why there are times
when your impersonation of Longfellow's
she gives a side glance and looks down. II
were not your brother-in-law should say
to myself beware as Longfellow did. The
fact is easily seen, you are natural born
firt."
Mrs. Floyd pouted, and almost changed
her mind about telling Teddy; but she was
Modified when he added
''0f course there is nothing in it; its only
your way; it comes from your sympathetic
nature.
You and Lester are too fond of each other
for you to fiirt seriously. But sometimes
people are made very miserable by what is
really and substantially nothing at