St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-08-26
hundredth time in the history of our
mutual devotion. to be


HENCEFORTH AS STRANGERS.
Solitary and full of bitterness, pro-
eeeded to the public library to meet my
"ugly duckling" face to face. 1t was
after when a pretty little girl of eigh-
teen or twenty came into the room, ac-
companied by young sister. Carrie"
said l to myself at once. 'Where is
Polly?" The girl betrayed herself by
the way she scrutiniZed every man in
the room. She changed book she
brought and dispatched her sister with
it. Then she seated herself at the table
where l was .endeayoring to appear
deeply interested in review of
Irish politics for the past week.
Polly's description of her was very true.
She was charming and was tastefully
dressed in a silver--grey. cloth dress,
trimmed with paSsementrie. She took
up number of the Spectator and di-
vided her attention between the stair
way and the view about her-a scraggy
set to the last man. Presently long,
lanky young woman, clad in white.
came up the stairs and joined Carrie.
1t was, indeed, my ''ugly duckling."
Truth will not allow me to correct a
single statement she had made about
her appearance, and her get-up was
simply awful. She wore white Swiss
muslin gown that fitted her bOny form
like paper on the wall. Around her waist
was deep blue MORE sash, and the
large hat that made her face thinner
by comparison was trimmed with red
roses that hurt mans eyes to behold.
in state of intense but subdued
hysteria. They whispered mo-
ment or two and then sub
subsidized behind their books, Polly had
appropriated the last number of Puck.
Every man that drew near them gave
them inward commissions. They wanted
to giggle at the fun of the thing, and
they had half mind to cry over the
wickedness of it. They were clearly
enough good girls, with healthy ap-
petiteS for amusement and
KEPT ON SHORT RATIONS.
AS sat watching them | knew exactly
how cat with heart feels when it mas
a couple of mice in hole. They were
too much impressed with the impropri-
ETY. of their proceeding to talk. Polly
and Carrie absent-mindedly kept rump-
ling her ff-the-Bay-of-
dy'' HAIR. AT the end of half an hour
they began to look silly. Each hated to
meet even the gaze of the other, but at
this stage of the game Fate, Providence
something sent tall man in their
midst. He was very well dressed, and
he was not long in the room until the
smOthered actions of the girls attracted
his attention, and he determined to find
out what they meant. He brought his
book with him and sat down
at the table beside Polly, whereupon
both girls had severe inward
commissions again. OF course they
thought it was Walter and were pre-
pared for an attack. The man couldn't
understand them, and would every now
and then direct his inquiring gaze to
me, when / would drop into Robert
Browning attitude and see only the un-
seeable. AT last he picked up paper,
wrote something on the margin and
placed it before Polly. She wanted to
read it, but was to shy to pick it up.
Carrie, on the quiet, was nudging her
under the table, urging her Oh. She
began gradually to slide her hand up to
it. waited and watched patiently, but
her movements were SO gradual that by
careful calculation [ found it would
take her 129 years, 10 months. IL days,
% hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds to
accomplish her end. Life was too short.
l came off. l gave my mice up to ter
rier. If he failed to eat you, my dears,
take Pauline's advice and never, never,
never, it your love of fun lives on crllSts
through eternity, be such foolish little
mice again. PAULINE PRY.