News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-10-04
room, fairy's paradise, as it seemed to

]
/ med In finest thread. Two small slip
| pers were set precisely under the bed
| and over stool by their side was pal
of red stockings, turned wrong side out
as though to air. Indeed, / am te!lin
the truth when [ tell it, that while th
| detectives back was turned, searching
Annle's small dish cupboard, Johl
quickly stuffed that pair of red stocking
IN his coat pocket. Why he did 50 h
could never satisfactorily explain. Then
as he sat there on the bed, loOkin,
around upon the tidy disorder, it cam,
across him what was the reason o
Annie's confusion and distress, for, as
tute as mankind is generally believed t.
be, he could dimly imagine that no little
woman as nent as Annie could endure K
have her castle caught in such confusion.
Perhaps had it been the detective alone
she would not have cared and then
John smiled cOmplacently to himself. II
was her neat fitting dress and dainty
linen collars and always spotless white
aprons that had attracted Johns atten-
ton and then it was the pretty face,
with the pleasant smile and independ-
ont eyes, that had increased the interest
until it had eliminated in his meanly
pocketing her red stockings.
At last the detective gave up in de-
spair.
''She has hidden them somewhere
e Use" he replied, shortly.
'She never hvd them at all" replied
John calmly.
'Then what mnde her act so guilty %
questioned the other, almost believing
himself III her innocence.
Don't know" answered John laconi-
cally. When they returned to the fac
tory there was quite q confusion and
hubbub, for the Jewels had been found
by another detective employed by Din
gus in the possession of notorious
who, disguised as u woman,
had slipped into the store with the crowd
of factory girls. Everybody was glad
and congratulated Annie. Even the
smart detective did, although he could
not help wishing she had been so consid-
crate rs to assist him to gain that reward.
But Annie could not lock John straight
in the face. Poor child what feelings
would have been hers had she known
the enormous bulge in Johns Jacket
pocket was caused by her very identical
red stockings laid out to air that morn
ing? John, of whom she had never
dreamed as other than "Mr. Dart,
even though she worked faster when he
came that way, and perhaps felt more
anxiety about the smooth masses of light
brown hair than at any other time.
Well, when the two officers had gone.
md all had settled to work again, John
zane to Annie's chair and said kindly:
Miss Annie, that detective turned
in your room in such awful
confusion it will take you all day to
3traighten it up again, so if you like,
have gotten permission for you to take
he remainder of the day and no reduc-
ion to be made"
Thank yOu-you are very kind"
he murmured, but she would not look
It him, 9nd seemed so confused that big,
-ood-natured John turned away IN pure
indness. and let her rsnko her escape
Annie fed homeward, dashed into No.
,, glanced wildly over the room, and /
hen burst into tears
"Oh dear! Oh dear - she sobbed. I
There was my nightdress on the bed, I
nd my slippers, and my bed not up
nd oh potatoes in tho skillet Oh, T
6 will think [ am n regular sloyen !
Why couldn't it happen any other time
nan when l had to sleep so late l
Duldn't even eat my breakfast. Oh |.
ear, he will never like me again He
0uldn't, after seeing such n looking
1om." She did not stop to think that /.
er castle looked worse when they had .
1T than when they entered. But as
le disorder worried her so much she /
ould not sit still and cry. She began
er task. 1t was some time before the .
work was undone-everything /
l trim order, with the mattress rolled .
p and the bed folded against the wall .
Ike book cabinet, and the few dishes .
ashed, and the tiny stove blacked and /
le screen set around it, and the one
Ible covered with a gaily embroidered .
9th, all of which transformed the .
itchen and bedroom into cosy little .
ting room as though by q fairy's .
and.
1t was a dainty little place, nothing
lpensive, but exquisite III the taste and
Ict displayed. The prevailing colOrs
ere deep red and pale blue and gold, |
ith many neutral tints blended in the .
arious bits cf fancy work. On a
racket was a bit OF white statuary set .
n a delicate mating of tie tender green .
'aves of a growing yine-the only costly .
in the room, and Annie .
ell knew how long it took her to save +
nough to buy it. She had selected her
pom for its south window, and therein /
ere standing two geranium plants in .
al blOom-oue deep double red, the
tier n soft, single white flower. /
As Annie WAS viewing these little lux
ries with cOmmeudable pride and grad /
ally pluoking up spirits, she suddenly .
ethought her OF her stockings. She .
i'll not remember of picking them up,
nd, as she only had three pairs, it was
that none of them should be |
Therefore she began to .
carch diligently, and was beginning to .
ct tired and puzzled in the useless .
earch, when a loud rap, which she had /
card once before at the door, caused .
er to glance hastily in tho glass and /
hen timidly open the door to the
nGcber. 1t was noon. The whistle
ad blown just few minutes before,
nd instead of going to his dinner, here
as MIR. John Dart standing at her door.
Won't you come i'll p asked Annie,
18th downcast face.
90 That's what came for" responded
Ohm, honestly, aud in lie walked.
hen he turned around, and taking her
ands in his own in the time-hOnored
nd approved fashion, he said:
81 have been thinking of you this
ing while, Annie, and now I feel L can
OF wait any longer. You are alone in
n, ,r-,,-lI o,,l 7 a., oil aif3,171rrI 4
ncle is very good. Let US make each
her happy and have a pretty home
ke this th'-glaBcing around the
posies III every window"
Oh, of course. Annie said Yes
no wouldn't? And when the 1245
histle blew, John (who was very
lnctuaD went from room 81 to the
ctory as one walking on alr-mayhap
is empty stomach had something to do
tn the lightish feeling. but he never
% Ight of that, of course. Annie sat
ID laughed AMI cried to think how
ip1y she was, and spent the remain
I Of her holiday until evening build
e air castles until John came back aud
1t solid foundation to the same by
cans of his pocketbook.
They were married two months after
ard, and the next day john gave his
lfe n small bundle rolled up in white
aper and ted with blue ribbon. Full
wonder, Mrs. John united the rib
1n and behrld-her lost red stockings
" Why, John =" she exclaimed in
inctlyelE, running her hand down TO
ie toe. But there We're no holcs-only
80 or three dainty little darns, and it
safe to predict that Johns socks will
ever sutter.-Cht,"go Tlfb0I,l.