The Opelousas courier., 1886-09-11
A LITTLE MISTAKE.

Uieil bcHsoH DleVenS Went nome from
his fathers office that aftcrnoon-Ste.
VEINS d Gosse were we'll known solicitors
-he saw Carrie Kinsler sitting in the
parlor window.
The window looked attractive from
the outside, with its double curtains, it's
palm on q fancy stand and its glimpse of
of a blue plush char back, against
which Carrie Kinsler's light ha. r, and
gray-eyed and pink-chel ked face, looked
especially well.
There might possibly have been some
Fermentation in Miss Kinsler's being in
the window, in the most becoming chair,
al precisely the hour at which Benson
stevens might be expected to pass, on
his way home from the office.
But it was no more a suspicious cir
cumatance than the fact of Benson Ste
vens' passing that way at all, since his
shortest route lay in quite another diiec-
tlon-a direction he was never known to
take.
He returned her smiling nod with a
god deal of effusion, hes;tated a mo-
ment, and then turned in at the gate
with an air OF not having purposed it in
the least, and of intending only to stay
a minute.
The young lady opened the hall door
before he could pull the bell.
II didn't wart you to ring she cx-
planned, sweetly, as he hing his over
coat On the rack, because is
rocking Pet to sleep, upstairs, and l was
afraid it might wake him up"
Have you got Pet here2' said Ben
son, folio wing her in the parlor.
"Ics Aren't you awfully cold2 Come
up to the CRATE; and don't take til t
chair, : as he sat down on a stiff little af-
fair. 'sIt's horribly uncomfortable. Take
the big one-that's it,
eyes, we've got Pet here for a week."
d pursued, when they were settled
down comfortably before the fender.
Howard and Lizzie went to see Lizzie's
Teop'e, IN 6 ration, and they thought it
was too cold for Pet to go, so they left
him with us. You can't imagine how
perfectly sweet he isw.
Benson was ready to admit that Pets
sweetness was infinitely beyond his com
prehension; bur it might have been be-
cause Pet-properly, little Charles Pc
ham Kinsler-was the nephew OF his
pretty hoste s, and not on account of any
extraordinary merits in Pet himself.
"Oh, dear, yes,n Carrie continued,
softly, ehe's too cunning for anything
Papa could hardly tear himself away
from the house this morning. and mann
ma Just deyotes herself to him.
She started to repIenish the fire from
the little brass s%cuttle, and Benson sprang
to her aid. A small parcel fell from his
| pocket.
Something that took my fancy in a
window d~own-to.n,n be said, picking it
up and untying it.
IL was one of the many modern designs
In ~inkstands-a small wheeIbarrow with
a barrel thereon, the two handles being
for a pen-rest and the barrel for ink, the
whole neatly carved in white wood.
Dear me, how perfectly cutetm Carrie
cried, turning it about admiringly.
Keep it, said the young man some
what timidly.
Carrie raised her eyes to his in a pleased
way, and they both flushed a little.
He had never made her a present be-
fore. He had sent her elaborate Christ
mas, New Years, Easter and birthday
carls, and this year he had ventured to
send her q deeply sentimental valentine,
bTistllng with affection; but this seemed
different. 1t e med to them both, now
it was done, to have meant a great deal.
THANK you SO much! u she murmured.
Benson looked at her intently, and
drew his chair a little closer, bending to-
ward her. There is no know ng what
might have happened If the door had
not opened at that moment to admit
Pet.
Pet wore IN air of defiance His head
with its loug, yellow curls, was well up,
and his hand was thrust in a threatening
way into the pocket of his short white
flannel dress. He climbed into Carries
lap without remark.
why. I thought you were asleep,
dearl" she said holding his small hands
to the blaze.
Il wouldn't go, = said Pet, calmly.
sWhy, doVeyr' said his aunt, in faint
remonstrance. (Pet was never remon-
strated with seriously.) Don't you re-
member Mr.. Stevens &" Carrie went on,
somewhat entreatingIy.
Pet did not appear to be in q mood IA
vorable To showing of.
TELL the gentlemen how old you are,
darling, q she continued, Pet having re-
fused to search his memoirs for ~Tecollec-
ton Of Mr.. Stevens.
Free weeks vas Pets response.
He's nearly four years, but nc never
says SO; he says something different every
time, Carrie explained us though it were
additional proof Of Pets sagacity. aOh,
must You go2H as Benson. feeling himself
superseded, rose un~MiIiingly. sYou
must come in again. And thank you so
much for that lovely little ink-standl'
The ink-stand, after being duly adj
mired by the family, was carried up stairs
into the fair recipients room, and put In
d place of honor on D. dressing table al
ready gay with a of stdarned net
over pink silk, q plush framed mirror, a
variety of glove and handkerchief boxes,
several cologne bottles, and q tiny, be-
ribboned work-basket, which, it, is need
less 10 say, had never been put to any
manner of use.
Carrie sat here the next day, deep in a
book blythe window.
Pet sat on the floor. Scattered about
him in Il wide circle, were q set of blocks,
Il drum, Il whistle, d wooden sheep, a
flannel donkey, three picture books, 4
rubber doll and d tin engine.
But Pct, having sucked the doll and
broken the leg OFF the sheep, had no
further use for them. He wanted some
thing fresh-something novel-and his
round, blue eyes, rowing about the room
Id search of It, fixed upon the little
N heal sharrnw1 snk.sfard ae fba s.1oQt
promising object. ne had never seen