The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-05-19
TWO WAYS OF ASKING.
Miss Dolly's Lesson in Love and
How to Manage.

s'Tears, idle tears! Nobe dissolved My
dear child, what on earth is the matter2"
Time Four of a summer afternoon.
Place: A pretty boudoir furnished in the
fashion of to-day, modelled on the style
of Louis Quinze, with a dash Of Liberty"
thrown in, and modern accessories, such as
crystal flower vases, three-vOlume novels.
and photOgraph-stands, juXtaposed with
Queen Anne silver and kncknaGks ancient
and modern. Dramatis PersOnae: graceful
figure in white, flung with an air of desola-
ton on the floor beside sofa, her charming
neck visible beneath delicious little rows
of golden curls her frame shaken by sobs;
an older woman standing few yards dis
tant, dark, beautifully dressed, "good-look-
ing enough for any thing" without being
distinctly handsome aged somewhere with
in the right side of thirty, and wearing an
expression half compassionate, half amused.
There is a suspicion Of raillery in her voice,
which is felt and deeply resented by the fair
sorrower. Anger is often akin to sorrow as
pity is to love- and thevoice which responds
to the question when reiterated is decidedly
petulant
Il wish you would go away and leave me
alone"
81 shall not do any thing of the sort" re
turns the other. Il am going to talk to you
and do not care in the least whether you
are angry or not, although l had much
rather you would take my remarks in good
part"
COZ responds the voice, still smothered
in the sOfa-cushiOns but losing nothing of
its resentful quality. 81 know how clever
you are, and that you think that you can
manage every ones affairs great deal bet
ter than themselves
She intends this to be ''nasty one and,
as a matter of fact, it does not fall very
pleasantly on the ears of her interlocutOr;
but she sits down on the sofa, and replies
with good humor: "Wen, my love, l may
confidently say that could manage your af-
fairs a great deal better than you manage
them yourself, and that if | We're you,
would have Mr.. Clement Lascelles at my
feet in a very short time"
perhaps you have him there nowr says
the PROSTATE one ceasing to sob and trying
to sAeer instead.
'Well, Dolly DEAR to tell you the truth,
fail myself to recognize in that young man
the charm which observe he has for-for
some people; indeed, | do consider him a
poser, with an exasperatingly good opinion
Of himself. If you ask my candid opinion,
think that he would be all the better for
being lSic-"
Dorothy flounces up in a moment. II will
trouble you not to insult my friends" she
cries, with flaming cheeks. "And it is not
very easy to believe your sincerity when he
was sitting in your pocket all last night,
and you were out walking with him for two
hours this morning"
I'm any case,n replies Mrs Dalton coolly,
t'your remarks prove that have had time
and opportunity to form an opinion of his
qualities. I don't deny that he is good look
ing but it is intolerable that he should be
so conscious of it. | admit that he is not
without certain amount of cleverness, and
has been fairly well educated; but [ VIC
lently object TO his thinking himself able
TO sit in Judgment on people a good deal
older and cleverer than HIMSELF
"On you, for instancel" cries Dolly.
''No, / was not thinking Of myself, though
/ admit the soft impeachment (the one re
garding my age, at least) and what dis
like most of all is his placing himself on a
pedestal to be looked at and longed for by
by pretty, silly little girls, who oughtto know
better"
Dolly stiffens her back, and says, with ar
assumption of dignity which sits Indifferent
~ well upon her: ''If you will excuse me
should prefer not discussing Mr. Lascelles
with you You are perfectly welcome tC
your opinion of him, and claim the liberty
of retaining mine" Then, her majesty, sud
denly, topping over, she says vindictively
in quite different tone Of voice: "Perhap
you think am such a fool that don't SEE
through your mean abuse Of himr"
''That may win and wear him myselfr
suggests Mrs. Dalton, quite good-humoredly
sNo my dear and acute child, believe me
YOU have not fathomed and unmaskcd m,
baseuess this time know your dear ant
sensitive little heart is setupon this fasclna
ting young man l don't think there i
really any harm in him, and l am mag
unanimous enough to be ready to show yol
how to obtain his affections, and to max
him the suppliant instead of you"
"Suppliant!' cries Dolly, with fresI
flames from her burning heart ascending +
her cheeks.
ayes, suppliant. Every one, my love, ca