The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-06-16
IN DISGUISE.

NFit AtftNA hAN'AhtA AtAN hOAA11 tAANA AAAos
Wade, lacking up, slw the daintiest
figure that had ever crossed her
humble threshold.
Slender AMI petit, and set off
with II jaunty suit of blue and white
cloth, with IL dropping Leghorn hat
tipped over the arch, smiling face.
"Bless your bright eyes, Miss Bess,
but you shall have them" said the
woman heartily. And you're going
to leave me Well-welll you'll
never be forgotten; but how Nora
will miss you"
"Where is Nora? Oh, at the hotel,
suppose"
"No," said the other, her face
clouding, Nora is sick-very sick.
She came home yesterday complain
ing of terrible pains in her head, and
now she lies in n burning fever"
"Oh, poor Nora !" exclaimed Bess
Bonville, sympathetically. you
must have the doctor"
eyes, I've sent for him. viii you
see her, Miss Bessl"
With nod the young girl step
ped lightly to the adjacent room
where Nora Wade lay among the
pillows, her face flushed and her
eyes unnaturally bright.
Heres Miss Bess," said her
mother; "and she's going away to-
day"
eyes," said Bess, sitting down be-
side her and taking one hot hand in
her own soft, cool ones. 81 have
stayed longer now than | intended
to--six weeks-and now it will be
nearly the middle of the season be-
fore ! reach Newport. But l have
enjoyed this quiet visit with Aunt
Harriet"
at is very gay in the village
said Nora. 81 sold II great basket
of flowers yesterday, and got several
orders. But here am, and mother
has not walked that far for years. l
shall lose my customers"
The last words were spoken al
most tearfully, and the sick girls
face grew sad.
"There is to be a dance tonight" "
she went on, "and | shall have to
disappoint them all, And l pro-
missed so many !"
Bess Bonville knew what the
caprices of these rich ladies and
naughty bells were, and she under
stood Morals anxiety.
Her eager mind seized upon the
simplest way out of the difficulty,
and her brown eyes sparkled at the
novelty of the idea.
"You shall not lose your custom
ers, Nora," she said; brightly. "Mrs.
Wade will you arrange the flowers ?
l am going to the hotels" "
"You !" cried the two women in
unison, and then Mrs. Wade broke
out into vehement protestation
"Oh, no, Miss Bess, it wouldn't
do. You go and sell flowers to the
ladies there, carry Nora's basket way
to the village, and go up to the
hotels-why, l couldn't think of it.
And your fine clothes and pretty
face-why, they'd know you were
one of them"
81 am going" said Bess, decisive
ly. 81 shall wear dress of Nora's,
and no one would suspect. Besides
I'm going to leave this place, you
know. So put up the flowers, and
l promise you l shall come back
with an empty basket"
And urged to action, Mrs. Wade
obeyed, while Bess exchanged her
pretty garments for a dark print
dress that belonged to Nora, and
reaching just to her shoe-tops, SEEM
ed to detract at least three years from
her age. Then she shook down her
luxuriant brown hair, twisted it in
a loose plait, and tied broad-brim-
med hat upon her head.
The transformation was complete,
and l doubt if her dearest friend
would have recognized her without
a second scrutiny of that dimple
face, half hidden by the big hat.
II wish Aunt Harriet could see
me now," thought Bess, as she
trugged along the dusty road with
the basket of fragrant bloom upon
her arm. "Playing the part of the
flower girl. Well, l have done it
before, at the Charity Ball, but my
appearance was somewhat different
This is no light burden after all but
there is Bayville House in sight
and 1 begin to tremble. Courage
Bess Bonville, the curtain rises, and
since you have a part to play, see
that you play it well"
At the Bayville House the trial