The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-30


quite as much t. be admired Il i:
decided. You are to 90 to the party
and play part. Let me arrange the
! programme.
''But, Mabel, I haven't a dress pre-
pared-or anything. I gave up going
a 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-bought 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 impa-
tience. Well shame your bad husband
into good behavior, see if we don't. No
irresolution. l will stay at home and
fancy myself mistress here, and count
your pictures, vases and pretty things
and catalogue them, so 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
laughiDgly introduced her to the love
Hest and best-dressed woman she had
ever seen. Alice trembled a little when
she found herself actually on the way
to Mrs. Mountjoy ;; but her sister 5
urgent will had conquered and her
heart was hardened by Herberts en-
phatic expression concerning the baby.
She was treasured, however, by Mrs.
Mountioy's hearty welcome.
81 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. lie loved Alice
devOtedly; but he was not unwilling to
to receive the sweet smiles and hCneyed
words of others, while, with a man 8
inconsistency, he was not DESTROYS that
his wife should play the part of 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 a seat, deaf to all
her pretty words, blinded to her fascina-
tons. 1t certainly is Alice-but that
dresS-the prettiest thing here! And l
left her quite determined not to come.
l don't understand it. Dancing with
that puppy, Guinett, too! She knows l
hate him."
With these amiable thoughts he lai d
himself out to gain the attention of his
wife and make her explain. 1t was
some time before he had a chance, so
he was obliged to content himself with
following her graceful motions. angry
with himself and with her
Alice! Can believe my eyesi" he
said ut last. in the pause of the dance.
II should think you might, " was the
penchalant reply.
Pray. how did You Gomez"
Pray, how did you come? rode
Did You walk?'
well. but"
Excuse me. l am engaged four
deep. already" and Herbert was forced
to move one side as pompouS ac-
quaintancc claimed her hand.
I'D ike to knock that fellow down."
he mutterel, 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, Alice?" he
asked. anXiously.
She put her rosy lips to his ear, and
in a subdued voice exclaimed:
Hang the baDy!'
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
last they were together in the carriage,
driving home, there might have been
an open rupture but for the determined
calmnesS of Alice, who took every
thing as a matter of course. One
glance in the beautiful nursery unsealed
his eyes. There, by the ire, sat Mabel
in ali the abandon of negligee toilet,
her luxuriant tresses falling in glossy
freedom over her shoulders, while the
little fellow on her lap clutched at one
long. shining curl, crowed and laughed
rs well rs he could for aunty'S smoth-
ering kisses. 4 sudden revulSion of
feeling came to the fathers heart at
the sight of the sweet home picture.
AHA. l know who contrived the
plot - he said but am glad to see
you. nevertheless.
Wasn't she the belle of the ball?"
asked Mabel, saucily.
There's no doubt of that At any
rate. l didn't get chance to dance
with her."
.'Of course. Who ever heard in So
ciety of dancing with ones wifer' she
said, sarcasticallv. II see that she
followed my directions implicitly. You
must learn that house dividedagainst
itself can not stand-that is, if one half
is flirting at party and the other half
at home crying her eyes out
go, Alice-were you, really"
II should think she was. | can as
sure YOU that | myself saw half the
house dissolved in tears, and so wretched
that"
30. Mabel, do hush." said Alice,