Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1888-06-28


!" You can't help it. Cowardice Is con-
stitutional in scrawny dyspeptics-"
thank you, Miss Capell."
Entirely welcome, am sure"
Mollie turned her back, and they both
studied vigorously.
"She blames me-" said Judy to the
widow, dropping her book, "because 1
stood between her and what frightened
her?"
Ibid you speak, mademoiselle?'
Z" Yes, I did, mademoiselle. You called
me Miss Capell twice hand-running, and
wouldn't stoop to call you Miss Closer
"You said / was scrawny dyspeptic."
"You said I f1irted.''
"Well, you did fiirt-you lirted scandal
ously."
''And you know you're scrawny. And
don't you have to take pepsin after every
meal!-and the whole school knows how it
acts on your temper"
Il should like to have few undisturbed
moments to myself this morning." said
Mollie Close, holding her book in tremb-
ling claws. 81 shall go into the bedroom
and if you try to follow me shall lock the
door,"
''Follow you'll Iwish I might never set
eyes on you again"
$50 do l. Heartily. Our friendship is
at an end"
Miss Close walked into the bedroom
81 shall ask to have my room changed at
noon," she observed. ''And Pm going to
take down my dresses and fold them right
away"
When she had been engaged in this i'm
proving labor long enough to be Modified
by recollecting the successful recitation
she had made in the blue dress, and dis
covering some forgotten caramels in the
pocket of another, a pecking began upon
the door, which increased to pounding.
Miss Close heard it not. She continued
| folding her wardrobe ready for departure.
"May come in, Moliies'
81 said if you tried to follow me should
lock the door,"
go don't lock the door! It's all my
fault. We never quarreled in our lives
| that it wasn't my FAULT
s'Well, Judy, you are to blame. And
you annoy me more than 1 can endure"
s'I know do. Pm so horrid! Do for
give me. ache more than l can stand"
"Come in, them" granted Miss Close.
81 really havn't any right to keep you
out of the bedroom"
Judy came in downcast, with glowing
| lips and eyes, and gazed at her chum.
q wish I wasn't so hungry to be
liked" she said, suppressing a sob.
! "There'll never be any body that likes me
enough
1--WE bring our troubles on ourselves in
| this world" observed Miss Close, in that
didactic tone which always chilled the
opine of her more ardent friend.
| AT that point, the presidents pert little
| daughter, who, sometimes, condescended
| to carry cards, rushed in with a bang, and
projected an oblong bit Of white at Judith
Capell.
s1Miss Capell, Colonel Montgomery's
l hoa n no To
you this long while, and if you don't
hurry in Sally Smith will begin her noon
practice hour there, and you can't hear
your ears for the noise.'
Just after the simultaneous thunder
which the entire boarding-school produced
by drawing their chairs to sit down to din.
ner, Miss Close said to her friend:
| "And what did the wild buffalo want in
| his to-be-continued?"
| ''He wanted to enliven my deadly vaca
ton here by taking me to Newark to see
the Fourth of July parade"
| 81 suppose any proposition he makes will
be agreeable to you," said Miss Close, sit
ting upright with the disapproval Of anoth
er's admirer, which even pattern girls will
| sometimes manifest She shot plates past
| herself like shuttles as they came from the
| carver's hands,
"You judge from your own former
anxious standpoint" replied judy. And
| she added with the passionate pessimism OF
Judith, /" but Pm with Hamlet myself
| Neither man nor woman will ever be any
thing to me again. And will never. never
worry any more about any ones frame
work or digestion or engaged affections"
Still, when commencement hustle was
| over and the lonely ache of vacation haG
begun in Judith's solitary heart, wher
empty rooms echoed and she dared not
practice in minor chords for fear of sobbins
| herself, it gave her a throb of unconfesseC
delight to sit beside the Colonel on the
Fourth of July morning. He drove slender
| limbed, black horses from the blue grass
region. His entire turnout was an orna
ment to the landscape, and that landscape
was an ornament to the State. There were
/ green hills melting against the sky ano
valleys downy soft with verdure. Dense
| ranks of dewy fern brushed the carriage
wheels, and bits of wood views opened tt
and receded from the eye like enchantment
Judith's gloved hands were folded on hel
| white lap. 1t was the year when hats Of
cactus braid were introduced, and she wore
one with peoples punched above her face
The brilliant and defiant young face KEEP
it's side curve toward the Colonel.
81 put the question to you now because
can't wait any longer" said the Colonel.
81 don't want to be engaged said Ju
dith. " Engagements reduce the sum Of
Human happiness"
The Colonel laughed.
'My roommate got herself engaged to 6
man, and it spoiled her. have seen the
folly of such things, and I am going tt
carve out my future"
"You dear child, you couldn't carve {
good-sized roast. And future is tough
thing to tackle. I have great big hear
for you, my darling, and its lonesome like
you are"
"Oh, I'm not lonesome said Judith
lifting an Indifferent chin. II always fee
myself in good society with Miss Capell. !"
The Colon ell laughed again.
"Well Miss Capell, you know consider
able about me. And have every thing tt
give you that woman could ask for.''
Sand you think you have nothing to d.
but help yourself to me,'' said Judith, turn
ing on him. 'tYou think you can pick mi
up half in pity, give me the name of Mrs
Montgomery. pet me awhile, and then droi
me for your smoking and your mems clubs
I've seen mems patronage of wives. rv'
seen enough of half devotion don't lik'
men. won't marry one.'
"Don't you want to be 1oveda" pressed
the Colonel, still unable to suppress hi
/ laughter