Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-15
THE PRINCESS MOLL.

She came TO US rather late IN our hves and
found, if not exactly welcome, at least
perambulator in our halls and . bib ct our
table.
There were four Of US in or Just out Of col
lego when, at the beginning Of long vaca-
ton, We were called upon to rejoice at her
arrival. "Quite little princess" mother
remarked, when for tEe,firsu time we stood
in row before her, and presented our COM
ments, or what mother was pleased to term
as such, to the roll Of muslin and lace in a
bassinet; and somehow from that hour our
sister was known as 'sthe Princess Moll."
Tom was in uniform, and l in cap and
gown, and for this reason we believed the
Princess selected us as her favorites from the
first. "Gad" said Tom, with mixture of
horror and establishment. .slook at her make
eyes st me! Do they do thst usually at her
aSe!"
But Tom is irordinately vain, and the
s'eyes'' Of which ho spoke were the mere
languid roll of pair Of blue optics that
might quite IS well have CHANGED upon me
as him.
Wen, Moll had come to stay, we discovered,
but with the exception of an occasional cry
from the nursery or the roll Of the perambu-
letor under our windows, we heard and saw
little Of her. Tom went back to West Point
and Winthrop joined the sophomores Of
Cornell. To Malcolm and me, who We're en-
gagged in choosing profession, remained the
privilege Of becoming better acquainted with
tho Princess Moll.
She had reached the age Of IS months when
1 was first called upon to rescue her from
position Of peril. GradSrind, the maid-ny
mother IL English, and calls her American
servants by their surnames, to their own
myst1cetion and resentmont-had stepped
OF piece" and loft the perambulator oscil-
lating on . Ledge Of rock at Newport.
1t was a charming day, and the Princess
was, observed, as gathered her from the
sand into which the perambulator had eventu-
ally plunged, arrayed In her best. She wore
little coat Of silky cloth, and white plush
cap that reared up in the crown in an alto
gethor fetching manner.
Happily no one but Gradgrind, who was
instantly threatened with dismissal, received
any injury from this mishap; but it was the
beginning Of a curious alliance on my part
with tho Princess Moll.
In the extremity Of my wrath l banished
Grndgrind from the spot. She came back,
however, or rather she did not actually go,
and besought me, with wringing of hands,
not to report her carelessness to my mother
In vain. I was adamant-until she began to
cry. when l told her that the thing must
never be repeated, and myself adjusted Moll
in the coach.
The Princess seemed instinctively to per-
ceive that Gradgrind, whom she never ap-
peared to love, had in some mysterious way
come off conqueror in this affair and pouted
her disapproval at both me and the maid
When l stepped back to allow the coach to
precede mo, she made frantic gestures with
her hands, which were encased in small white
mittens, and fairly drove Gradgrid from her
post. She then bent her eyes upon me in an
imperious manner, which caused ME to
cringe.
"Ah, but, dear Princess" mentally ex-
postulsted, 1--WE ere on the avenue, and it is
the hour for Miss Reardon's ride You
couldn't-you wouldn't have your brother
turn nursery maid hereT"
But the mittens continued to beat the air,
until, muttering to Gradgrind, keep close
beside me-" took my place at the helm and
miserably trundled the coach. Moll gurgled
triumphantly, as we'll she might, for it was
the successful preface to her scheme Daily
after that she contrived to attach me to her
tering the interesting trio at the gate, de-
manded.
II say, is it Gradgrind or Moll"
Now GradSrind, who had a face of the
heavy, manly type, and figure like an en-
cyclops>dia, was not the sort of person to
call forth that kind of remark, and could
afford to laugh good humoredly.
Don't you see the fix I'm in-the kind Of
~ ~ To-
scheme of Molls to enslave me, and there's
no moro escape from her than from a Norm
She's had me at the casino and on the ave-
nues till I'm the figure of the day. She stops
at the bazaar and calls my attention to the
rugs and she even went SO far as to demand
a Persian lamp, which-heaven help mel
bought for her and permitted her to carry
home"
Malcolm grinned. "As if she didn't try her
little game on me, and as if I'd allow myself
to be gulled that wayl Gradgrind to the
Princess Moll, and the Princess Moll to Grad
grind I'm the slave of no infant So
was a slave-and to an infant Well, 1 had
suspected it. But why should Malcolm stand
there tapping racket on his arm and grin
ming hike gargoyle? suppose the fellows of
my club looked that way when Ipassed-and
Miss Reardon.
had discovered the intention of the Prin-
cess to thwart all possibility of a match be-
tween me and the latter, for which she had
taken the popular method of making me ap-
pear ridiculous in the eyes of the one woman
before whom | desired to shine. Only that
very morning we had passed her, the Princess
imbibing the juice of an orange through a
column of striped candy, while wiped the
yNI,,r, = h. =
with my handkerchief Gradgrind contriyed
to look provokingly detached from us at that
moment too.
Miss Reardon, sweet girl, never 50 much as
smiled, but bowed sravely, and with linger-
ing expression which would, under other cir
cumstances, have filed me with happiness.
The Princess frowned, withdrew the striped
column from her lips, and said, Go way
in unmistakable accents to the lady who pro-
posed to do her the honor al stopping to look
at her.
pray don't notice her ill-humor," urged,
terrible ahashed for Phi. D. AMI club man
''She hasn't learned to make distinctions yet
She regards all young ladies as her natural
enemies. Nould you believe me, Miss Rear
doa, she is frightfully jealous of mes
Miss Reardon smiled. ''Of your How sin
gular!7
"1eS And she absolutely viii have me
gaddlng about with her. You can't fancy
the KIND OF machine am reduced to. I've
hearu-Ive read about the tyranny Of
woman but shouldn't have believed that it
commenced at the age Of IS months
turned TO the maid Here. Graderind,
take my sister over to Violet Patch, and tell
my aunt
Moo! moo! n-o-o!" ahr;eked the Prin-
cess