The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-10-28
because he was threatened with the
nraIlr, lo ct ,.roolr :,

| Hlgnb, perhaps. ana the nurse would
have taken good care of him."
81 should have been thinking of fire,
Group and all that"
go, nonsense! You ought to have
gone. But Herbert has no right to be-
have as he did, and he must be pun
lshed, and Mabel threw her wraps on
the bed and took her seat by the glow
ing fire. 1T won't do to let him get
the upper hand. All! l have it! I've
thought of splendid plan. A charm
ing, delightful plot.
And she clapped her hands in glee.
80, Mabel, what is it?' and Alice
sat down at her sisters feet, gazing in
her face with expectant smiles. ''What
are you going to do?'
I'm not going to do it. Ishall stay
here and watch the baby. You are to
go to the party"
Mabel! Impossiblen'
"Quite possible In fact it must be
done. You must let Herbert see that
you are as pretty as anybody, and
quite as much to be admired. 1t is
decided. You are to 60 to the party
and play part. Let me arrange the
programme.
"But, Mabel, / h aven't q. dress pre-
pared-or anything. gave up going
week ago, you see, when baby was
threatened with the Group
''Pshaw! You shall wear one of mine
-one of the most bewitching, bewilder-
ing of dresses-boughtf from my last al
lowance from Uncle Curtis. Only to
see it will throw you into ecstasies.
Worth never composed any thing more
lovely. | want to see it ON you. Come,
come, call your maid; am all .lmpa-
tience. Wen shame your bad husband
into good behavior, see if we don't. No
irresolution. / will stay at home and
fancy myself mistress here, and count
your pictures, vases and pretty things
and catalogue them, 50 as to make
mamma happy with letter tomorrow.
Order John, or Jack, or Bill, or who
ever your coachman is, to get the car
riage-if that is impossible, send for a
cab"
In less than an hour Mabel led her
sister to the great French mirror and
laughingly introduced her to the love-
liest and best-dressed woman she had
ever seen. Alice trembled a little when
she found herself actually on the way
to Mrs. Mountjoy's; but her sister s.
urgent will had conquered and her
heart was hardened by Herbert's en-
phatic expression concerning the baby.
She was reassured, however, by Mrs.
Mountjoy' hearty welcome.
I'm so glad you We come, my DEAR"
she said. Your husband said he
feared baby would keep you at home.
but told him that was all nonsense.
You did right to reconsider the matter"
Herbert, like many handsome society
men, was a little spoiled and selfish,
without knowing it. He loved Alice
devotedly; but he was not unwilling to
to receive the sweet smiles and honeyed
words of others, while, with mans.
inconsistency, he was not desirous that
his wife should play the part of a mar:
ried belle. 1t was while he was dancing.
with one of the most noted and beauti-
full women of the metropolis, who was
willing to listen to his nonsense, that
Herbert, looking up from the face
leaning against his shoulder, while the
dreamy waltz music ''thrilled the heart
sensitive to sadness as to joy" en-.
countered the sparkling face of his wife
and saw her arrayed in the freshest
and most graceful costume in the room.
She was moving quietly along with an
escort in uniform.
pray, don't STUMBLE" said his part
ner petulantly, for at that moment the
grand repose of her manner was gone,
and the lady on his arm might have
been made of wax or any other ductilc
material for all he cared now.
"How the dickens came she here?"
he muttered to himself as he led his
partner absently to seat, deaf to all
her pretty words, blinded to her fascina-
tions. 1t certainly is Alice-but that
dress-the prettiest thing here! And |
left her quite determined not to come
l don't understand it. Dancing with
that puppy, Guinett, too! She knows
hate hint"
With these amiable thoughts he laid
himself out to gain the attention of his
wife and make her explain. 1t was
some time before he had chance, so
he was obliged to content himself with
following her graceful motions. angry
with himself and with her.
"Alice! Can I believe my eyes!" he
said at last, in the pause of the dance.
81 should think you might, +" was the
nonchalant reply.
s'Pray, how did you Gomez"
"Pray, how did you Gomez Irode.
Did you walk?'
'Well, but"
''Excuse me. I am engaged four
deep, already" and Herbert was forced
to move one side as pompous ac-
quaintance claimed her hand.
..I'd like to knock that fellow down."
he muttered, angry in earnest.
Another pause and another tete-a-
tete No satisfaction given. Herbert
had hardly the grace to redeem all of
his dancing engagements.
''How about the baby. AliceP" he
asked, anxiously.
She put her rosy lips to his ear, and
in subdued voice exclaimed:
Hang the babyr'
Herbert started and changed color.
To be sure, he had used the same Ian
guage; but from her it was too exas-
perating. How he got through the
evening he could hardly tell. When at