Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-07-19

| though her fingers were black as ink.
''How in de world OBJ worls did yo' ebbe
! happen ter come 10 dis hyar growd-up ball
| honey, chile!" looking az her aG.niriDely. a.
she tried her steps before the long mirror.
20, Dot it'll here-my thithter, you under
thand; ard jutht thought I'd come, too"
A burst of exquisite melody-a Vaise o
Chopin's-brought Scott to the door % CLAIM
the little hand for round.
''Ith too bad. Thcott. but you are too
tall!'' looking az him from her lOwly stand
point.
NO, my dear Miss Barbara, the fault lies
at your feet; YOU are too little" looking FAR
down at her and thinking how lucky he was
to have this little bunch of exquisite lowell
ness for his sister By only going through The
several stages of ecstatic bliss with Dot
thereby killing two birds with one stone
dead as door-nails-
''I'm not going to even try TO wllth with
you-it would theem really too ridiculuth-
and I'm not going to be laughed at; leth
wait for the Lantherth-I know that betht
OF ALL
Dot and her submerged parent were now
safely on the floor Dots eyes royed over
the heads Of diminutive maidens and squatty
matrons in vain hopes Of their finding the
recreant Scott.
"Would he dare to come without mel
Would he dare! Well, he is capable Of
even so fragrant a"
MAY have the pleasure, Miss Dot! The
Lancers, l believe" and papa's business
partner, lowering crooked elbow in her
direction, leads her away by the tip of a
gloved finger that rests daintily upon his
broadcloth-coated arm. In moment more
they were standing face to face with-Scott
and Barbara
For a moment ner intense surprise held
her silent captive; then, casting one swift
glance about her, she saw that about forty
pairs of eyes were curiously intent upon
Scott and his companion; saw that people
were not censuring but admiring and won
dering over the fairy's advent; and, with
never a lift of her blazing eyes in their
direction. she cat them both dead. Barbara
felt that her sister was tragically inclined,
despite her lack of worldly experience, and
80 fear kept her dumb; for Dot could be
''awful" when she chose, this young sister
knew to her sorrow.
In and out and ont and in; and in the
grand chain Dots glove was squeezed by
poor innocent young fellow, who thought
slight pinching of the leather-covered finger
tips would win one uplifting of the long
lashes Scottward; but the lashes, though
they trembled, were not raised.
A crash Of musical discord, the dancers"
was breaking up, when papa, walking about
with step-mamma-elect, saw prince and
fairy and recognized them as beings of his
own household.
D, the enchantment of that night to Bar
bara! And how the fairy folk came troop
ing out from the gorgeous bindings of her
books and danced about her as she lay in
dreamland, after the lights were out, the
ball room deserted, and Dot had sOlemnly
refused to kiss her goodnight.
Next day note from Scott to Dot fell into
Barbara's hands. She coolly opened it and
read as follows:
''Dot, am in disgrace; why Is il! Why
did you not speak to me last night! Did l
anger you, Dot, by refusing to listen longer
10 lecture did not need! How soon will
you learn to trust me: But if you are really
convinced that am the guilty wretch you
lectured so soundly, I would advise you to
think no more of Scott"
'SThath awful said Barbara: ''ith
awful-and if Dot geth a glimpth
of thith I'll be mothed killed, 1 have to be
blamed for every thing, it theemeth. and
Thcott ought to know better than TO write
a note like thith-rn teach him letthonr'
and the red Goals of the CRATE had merry
time for a second with bit of crested note
paper.
All that week Scott waited and waited,
and all that week Dot hoped and hoped: and
the old saying that 'hope deferred maaeth
the heart sick" proved itself a truth, for it
came to pass that Dots body caught the
fever raging in her heart and there she lay,
a downright invalid, for four weary weeks.
The tickle little birds from. Southland
came back after their long vacation to set
up housekeeping again, and every hedge
row was alive with melody; the berries
were beginning to show themselves upon
the bushes and briers. Clouds hung miles
high in the heavens, whenever there were
any clouds. and the sun went down to gather
fresh heat from his underground furnace
for to-morrow's discomfort. The sea grew
bluer as the days grew so much longer and
brighter, and guests had been pouring into
the Oceanside Hotel for weeks, when papa
piloted his5daughters to rooms engaged for
them.
Dot was white, and wan, and sick in
hervery soul; while Barbara, if she had had
her due share of remorse, had thrived we'll
upon it and was as plump as little part
ridge.
To the world Dot seemed cold, self-pos-
sessed, naughty young Individual, while in
secret she really mopsd and pinned in cease
less round of regret; and Barbara seemed
just what she was-a diminutive ten-year-
old, with precocious brain and no con-
science to speak of. She was dreadfulIy
'thorry" Dot looked and felt 80 miserably
worn and thin. but had no faintest thought
that she herself was to blame for any part
in her sisters low-spirited condition. When
ever she thought of Scott at all she deter
mined to bring him back to Dot again-and
so make Dot happy once more.
They had been there one whole week and
never a truant rose had crept back to the
pale cheeks Dot and Barbara wandered to-
gether up and down the long sunny beach;
Dot aimlessly and listlessly-doing any
thing to please the little unconscious dis
turber of her peace; Barbara delighted and
full of wonder at every thing she saw.
Dot was thinking, thinking, thinking one
day, as they sat down to rest after long
tramp in the shadow of gigantic bowider
when she was suddenly asSailed by,
"Look, Dot, there comth boat! Wonder
whoth in it! thaw two men. anyhow, and
they're coming thrait thith way, thee!"
''Coming this way! shall go on, Bar
bara; you may follow when you have
watched the boat come in" and she left the
child standing beside the great rock, her big
brown eyes fast fixed upon the incoming
shallop.
Nearer and carer, aud the little painted
shell, riding like some fairy ship over the
now placid waters, came swiftly laudward
When the keel grated in the sand, Barbara
with eyes like stars, ran excitedly down to
the shores edge. and in most undignifed
fashion, caught the coat-tails of one of the