The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-01-01
Hal BURTON'S MISTAKE.
BY JENNIE S. JUDSoN.

BY JENNIE S. JUDSoN.
When Hal Burton wrote and mailed
these two notes, one morning, he little
imagined the trouble he was calling
down upon his devoted head, The
first one ran:
DEAR OLD FELLOW:
If you really want her, don't let me stand
I'm your way. Go I'm and win. thought you
understood that was fooling from the first
Yours in haste, HARRY.
And the other thus:
DEAR Miss MABEL:
Owing TO pressing business engagements, l
shall have TO defer my call for this evening.
May come soon again. Your friend,
HARRY BURTON.
The first of these two notes, addressed
in bold chirography to Miss Mabel
Benton, was placed in that young lady's
hands two hours later, and the flush
which overspread her face as she recog-
nized the dashing hand, told q story in
itself
"Dear Old Fellow" were the words
which struck her amazed vision as she
began its perusal.
"What in the world can Harry mean ?"
she stopped to say, but as she read on
the flush on her cheeks deepened to a
redder, angrier hue, and when at it's
close she raised her eyes they were full
of both pride and pain.
This note was intended for Tom
Steele, or some young man of that set, 3"
she thought, with bitterness, "and has
been sent me by mistake. 1 shall
act on this revelation of fate, however,
and in future avoid Mr.. Burton and
the TESTING he has enjoyed so much of
late"
"Hal is getting dreadful polite, :"
muttered Tom Steele as he threw the
note Just received and read, among
cigar-ends, tapers, etc, which adored
his center table. MAY he come soon
again? When I've scarcely missed see
ing him one night for week, what
docs the boy mean?'
"May / have this waltz, Mabel"
whispered Hal, as the two met in Mrs.
Trenton's ballroom, two days later,
his eyes full of undisguised admiration
as he looked down at her.
what Hypocrisy was Mabel's
mental comment, as she caught the ex-
preston, and she answered, coldly, II
dIh Ddil-DOOh
full, handing it indifferently to him as
she spoke.
A strange light spread into Harry's
eyes as he saw on every other line the
name of handsome young fellow, who
had lately come to Morton, and who
had already supplanted him as Mabel's
escort for the evening.
at is full" he replied, carelessly,
and he returned the book without an
other word. But he gnawed his mus
tache fercely as he walked away.
MabePs manner lost none of its
gayety because he held himself dis
family aloof from her for the rest of the
evening. She had never been more
animated.
"If she can throw me over like that"
thought Harry moodily, as in his room
that night he went over and over again
acquaintance of a week, too, she is not
the girl for me, and / have no earthly
reason TO care" He did care, though,
as pain at his heart gave proof, but
he smothered it down and determined to
make no sign.
an the cast of characters for our
play" announced the chairman of the
Morton amateur theatrical committee,
week later, I'VE have assigned the
part of Norman McGregor' to Harry
K Burton, Janet Grey to Mabel
Benton, and Edgar Montrose' to John
s. Fremont"
"There couldn't have been more
suitable cast, as far as real circum-
stances are concerned" thought Harry
while reading over the play. Norman
and Edgar are both in love with Janet
Grey, Norman desperately jealous, and
Edgar successful for the time: happy
circumstance for me-" he added, with a
sigh, eff the real affair could assume
the aspect of this at its close, for Nor
man is successful in the end"
"Why are women so wild always" be
cried, giving a savage clutch at a paper
weight sitting near, about handsome
men? / could have sworn she cared
for me until Fremont came, and now she
scarcely deigns q glance in my direc.
ton. Heaven knows i wish / could
give her up as easily as she has me, but
/ can't do it, and il costs desperate
effort to wear the Indifferent face do. :
As Janet Grey, Mabel was more
fascinating than she knew. and Norman
UcGregor, the unsuccessful sutton
found her constant GOODNESS prompted
more by nature, he felt, than 10y thu