, 1888-01-25

cuTIse Ic0uldn't act-but can't your" he
aa1cl quickly, rs the thought came &C.
hiil. why don't you take Miss Towers
g~T,s' Miss Carmen flushed and
ls--hcd. 'Oh, mol l nm too old; I
c,H'dn't.' and Howard answered:
"i.ow absurd, Miss Carmen; you know
y - And then stopped embarrassed.
liz knew she was older han he; kc had
drpturcd that often, especially Of late.
lie was afraid perhaps she looked down
on EiI. he I'D not care about aGc. 81 am
getting so discouraged, ~ she went on, Il
am always trying to help or do good in
some way, but l don't seem to succeed.
My way is not the right one; I've over
done it. People are getting tired OF my
subscription lists. II | could only do
some honest work myself" An idea was
forming in Towards mind, one fun of
hope. He could give her the opportunity
she wished for. His age ought not to lie
a stumbling block; lie was sure he could
not love her more dearly were lie twenty
or thirty years older than lie was-and
just then u young lady was announced.
ooh, Annicl' exclaimed Miss Carmen,
"l'm so glad you've Gomez; | am in the
greatest trouble. VIII you help mef''
"Of course | will If / can, but YOU must
ttAl NIl1I II rs btlDIt L pEplll5t, itllII L
warn You beforehand, / refuse to be n Re-
bCcca and sell lemonade, and on no nc
count viii ] dress myself up for n Japan
csc woman. l did IL once and it was too
hideously GnbecOming; now tell mot
81 only IN you,n continued Miss Car
men, ITO take part in q little play to be
given privately hcrc-O, excuse nc, Mr..
Howurd-Niiss Gordon, my rector, Mr..
Howard. 1 nm SO upset, you know, 1
rfHffn fnrgrnt TrNyHWpff UfNn V1u,r Ia fLr1t
''lhc Mexican Indians" Miss Gordon in
terrupted; Il knew It; well, why don't
You ask Grace Ienley?'
81 did, aud she refused"
"Ben Matthew'S then, she nets"
Tier mother won't let her."
"Why not, Mrs. Portoryn
"Her husband doesn't approve"
GLOW absurd! What's the matter with
Sue Towcry''
ooh, her physician hos forbidden her
acting, and you're the only one left; l
wouldn't ask you for l know You are
very busy, but l am getting desperate"
M.ss Gordon said she would do what
She could, and took the play booi home
with her, though she told Miss Carmen she
couldn't promise to be a credit to her.
She agreed too to find a man for her Wis.
avis, and left her friend radiant once
more. "You don't know what n load
you've taken Off my mind" the latter
Snid TO Annie, ms she went way with Mr..
Howard, forgetting how long he was
holding her hand until Annie coughcd.
Miss Gordon told her mother that night
If there was not so great a difference in
their ages she would think there was
something between them.
But the next day-well, Miss Carmen
said She would have to laugh, II she did
not she would have to cry again, it was SO
crushing. 1t reminded her of the time
she had . beautiful portiere embroidered
to ruf!e for the benefit Of some poor mis-
sion, and the minister, who was opposed
TO %rafles, persuaded her they were wrong.
No one wus willing 70 pay what the Por-
ticre was worth, so it ended in her buying
it herself and giving up her Washington
trip hat winter. Now today the noon
mail brought n letter from Annie Gordon,
who wrote to know why in the world She
didn't tell her there was singing in the
part, and asking her il she did not know
that she, Annie, could not sing a note.
Aud in the same mail came q letter from
the brother of Mr.. White, who had been
her stand by all through, saying his
brother had the measles, and so, of
course, would not be able, etc. The the
atricals looked dubious. In the midst Of
her CONSERVATION Mr.. Howard arrived on
the scene. She gave him n trembling
hand, and was as frightened as could be
lest she should cry. lie told her almost
Immediately what he had como to ask.
~ know I'm young" he stammered.
40, moi" she interrupted, II am old"
But what followed is theirs, not ours, nor
Mrs. Browns, who said afterward:
'NVhat is the man. thinking Off She's old
enough to be his motherl' She was not
really, though what if she were If they
loved each other2
As Howard started to leave at dusk,
after he INT Miss Carmen had fully dis
Cusscd tho advantages Of Mexico for a
Honeymoon and for work, she said to him:
"I5 will be n wedding instead of theat-
~riCAls.n
YES, and You will play the heroine
after all, " he answered.
"If you'd like to ave mo ask Miss Cor
don''-but she never finished that sreech.
William Clyde Fitch in New York
News.