The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-03-13

L soio w u
who was given to using her brains In
of-hand criticism. "lf a man will
drive carriage with hood, what is
one to call him but a pig ina poke, you
knowp He Is fidgeting at the gate
most awfully, Florence; do come and
look"
II like that hooded carriage" said
Florence. lie style c'est 'hommo
meme" And then she turned with O
ready grace TO meet Colonel Haldane,
who had just entered the room.
Felicity and / were drawn to the
window by the magnetical influence of
your charming little carriage" she
said. 81 so admire your poke.
"Do your" said Colonel Haldane,
gratefully. ut is very kind of you!'
and then he looked steadfastly at Flor
snce. absolutely blushing as he did so.
Florence, catching the glance In
terrogative, was arrested in her amiable
intention of transporting him to the
other end of the long. lone drawing
room, and introducing him to Mrs.
Harrington, the rector's wife. This
agitated gentleman did look not exactly
in fit state to be discoursed to about
Winter blanket clubs and working
mems clubs and friendly societies. :
It's all very fine talk about leading
an unpuzzled existence like Jane Aus
ten; but 0hy on earth did old Colonel
Haldane look at her with this unfathom-
able glance from his undeniably fine
grey eyes? What did il meanp She
fell away from him, musing, and turned
the outward machinery of trite COM
monplaces on her greeting OF the num-
erous guests, who were rapidly arriv-
ing.
The Whites had just started page,
who answered to the ubiquitous name
| of Tommy" one of those specimens
much adapted by ambitious matrons as
an improvement on parlor maids; q
| creature raw of the fields, with the ex-
preston of an animated turnip and
brains to match. I'm the midst Of buzz
of voices intermingling with the frou-
frou of rich dresses, Tommy suddenly
darted into the room and made straight
for Miss Florence White, carrying in
his lobster-colored hands book sug-
gestive of the p. ID. Company.
Colonel Haldane, from his solitary
seat in the deep recess of the bay win
| dow facing the entrance to THE
Grange felt an awful sensation COM
ing over him. Was this the myrtle ar
irving? and had the Mention folks alb
solutely charged the carriage to Miss
Whitep What should he do! He shrank
behind the deep amber of the curtains,
then as suddenly emerged.
Bring Myrtler' These were her
own words, and he made a violent rush
across the room to her side.
"It's the myrtler he said, breath
lessly. ALLOW me! The stupid peo-
pie have made mistake" he contin-
ued, incoherently. 1.-THE idea of charg-
ing the carriage to Your And he
threw sovereign into Tommy's BASH
full fingers.
Miss White looked at Colonel Hal
dane with ever-enlarging pupils. He
had returned lately from Egypt, had
been interchangeable at the bombardment
of Alexandria, had had an illness on
his return, and she remembered hear
ing that he had been obliged to have
his head shaved. She continued to
look at him quite tenderly, as these
thoughts fitted phantom-like about
her.
THANK you, Colonel Haldane'o she
said. "You have saved me the trouble
of fetching my purse. This is new
boy-country manners, YOU know; he
wants instruction" And, smiling
pleasantly, she moved out of the room
after the vanishing figure of Tommy.
In the round, roomy hall stood huge
tub matted up and bearing the name,
Eau Myosotis, Menton," etc.
"It's a Towering myrtle, Miss" said
Tommy; 1.-THE biggest, the carrier says,
it ever fell to his duty to deliver"
Fetch pair of gardening scissors,
other time never venture to bring p. d.
G.. books into the drawing-room. Go
to the housekeeper with that kind of
thing
Tommy took the color natural to
him in yet deeper hues. and ran for the
scissors. Miss White. soon shipped the
OBTAINING strings, and gave way to a
very natural delight as the starry bios
soming myrtle was exposed to view.
very odd" she thought; sits ad-
dressed Enthusiastically to me. Poor
Colonel Haldane! What does il meanp"
Thinking again of the shaven head
and the bombardment of Alexandria,
she sighed little pensively and little
compassionately, and returned to the
drawing-rOom just in time to escape
the entry of Mrs. Danvers, whose forest
cart, drawn by lovely pair of Welsh
ponies, she saw turning in at the gate.
The lady now entered, followed by her
ins shcd companion, perfect Dan
dyf amont, a long-bodied. long-legged,
flap, ',red, pedigreed creature. which
rejoi ID in the possession of seven
prizes.
Florence Immediately made a rush
ct the dog.
"Ah! you have brought Myrtle! I
was afraid, when saw you this morn
ing, that you would forget; though I
mentioned it In my motel" Both ladies
had moved in the direction where still
sat Colonel Haldane, plunged in start
led reflection, in the recess OF the win
dow. Was the long backed, low-legged,
appeared dog the honored object Of
the messagep
"Of course, brought dear old Myr-
tie, retorted Mrs. Danvers. II should
suffocate at an afternoon tea II hadn't
a bit of natural life like that trusty
Scotchman about me-"
"Noa0 It's erplGinedr' said deep
voice from behind the amber curtains,
and Colonel Haldane came forward
once more.
The hesitation of his manner had
vanished; he was smiling serenely, and
his eyes were fixed with an expression
OF perfect understanding on the counte-
nance of Miss White.
Bring Myrtle!' he continued, laugh
ingly. "This Is Myrtle! Rival Myrtles
there may be; but this form OF Myrtle
can't be improved uponi'
Again Miss Whites pupils enlarged
sympathetically Worse and worse!
Poor Colonel Haldanc! She trembled
for his reason. Not so Mrs. Danvers.
Fixing him with her bright eyes, she
said: what is explained Confusion
of circumstances"
Confusion of envelopes. Bring Myr-
tie was scrubbed on the wrong back
that's all, }" said Colonel Haldane.
With q sudden illumination, Miss
White sank down beside Colonel Hal
dane In the recess, with deep blush
of mortified confusion.
"Does that account for the presence
of the towering myrtle In the hallp"
she asked, after moment Of Mortified
silence.
"Yes; charming mistake for me-"
muttered Colonel Haldane. 'Gave me
an opportunity that L." and he
looked at Mrs. Danvers, who, with
| finassa worthy of her dashed aWaV To