The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-01-16
Benton, "that all women write their

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ones and 'sevens' alike?"
II believe they do" said Brown,
land l think ! see your drift; you sus-
pect my doubles address to be No.
II Walnut street."
Exactly"
81 am afraid you're right" said
Redmond, also let's get down there
and test the theory
While this colloquy went on in the
lower vestibule Miss Brown sat miser-
able above stairs Celia had assured
her that the gentlemen would not re-
turn that night unless they found her
brother There's nobody here but me
and the cook, miss" she continued, by
way of further comfort, land I'll sleep
right next you"
''And I've driven those poor men
from their honest"
"Oh, miss, never mind that. Many
time they stays out half the night,
anyhow, particularly Mr.. Redmond,
who's just little gay"
81 can't believe any harm of gentle
men who are so kind and thoughtful,
Celia" said Miss Brown, with q new
pang at the trouble her blunder was
costing these strangers.
ooh, no, Miss, no more would /, but
gents will be gents. Hark," she added,
they're coming in now"
81 think hear n woman's skirts on
the stairs" said Miss Brown, with a
hopeful start There was an instant's
delay, a knock, to which the door
promptly opened and then Miss Brown
was in the arms OF her sister-in-law.
"Poor DEAR" said Mrs. Brown, sooth-
ingly, "what hours of anxiety you have
had. But how ever did you take my
one for 'seven?'"
There were thanks and leave-taking,
and Miss Brown was triumphantly car
ried off out Walnut street. Redmond
looked on with rueful countenance, but
frightened up as he thought of the Sun
day dinner that he and his fellow bach
elors were to eat with their new ac-
quaintances.
$50 your double knew your brother
Dick at Yale?" said Benton, as the men
sat down to beer, pipes and a discus
sion of the days adventures. Mr..
Brown explained that he and his name
sake had discovered an additional bond
in the shape of a distant cousinship.
Furthermore he annoyed Redmond
considerably by insisting that Mrs.
Browns sister, Miss Arkwright, whom
they had seen for five minutes at the
apartment in Walnut street, was vast
ly more charming young woman than
Miss Brown.
The Sunday dinner at Seventeenth
and Walnut streets was followed by a
Wednesday dinner at Eleventh and
Walnut streets, and this by card
party at each house. Then Miss
Ellen Brown came to visit her brother
for some weeks at his bachelor quar-
tiers, and there was new succession of
calls, dinners, parties and the like.
One afternoon. Miss Esther Browns
sudden advent in the bachelor apart
ments being nearly two months gone,
Mr.. Redmond returned late to Seven
teenth and Walnut streets, after a
walk with Esther. The bachelors
were to dine that evening with the
Browns and accompany them to a
theater; SO on reaching the vestibule
door Esther babe her escort hasten
home to dress for dinner Mr.. Red
mond, however, was not to be sent
away, and he presently found him
self seated beside her in a bay
window overlooking the street. Ten
minutes later Miss Brown had ex-
claimed in way that seemed to in
dictate no very great anxiety to be
obeyed:
"Now do let 60 my hand and hurry
home to dress for dinner" Mrs.
: Brown entering the room a moment
1 later, heard her sister-in-law say,
softly: mo, won't repeat my blunder
t of the first day; you don't deserve it
now any more than you did then, you
vain creature.
The intruder involuntarily looked
7 toward the bay-window, uttered a lit
j tie scream and turned to fly.
1 ooh, don't mind us, Mrs. Brown
cried Redmond, Esther has some.
8 thing to tell YOU"
"George-Mr. Redmond-you really
: won't have time to Dress" said Esther
9 in desperation, growing very red.
< $50 you two"
: "Yes, we are," answered Redmond,
smiling gaily
d Then Mrs. Brown gave him her hand
: and throwing her disengaged arm
r around Esther, with difficulty i'm
j. printed kiss upon the downcast,
: blushing face at a point, as Redmond
i noted, not far from the spot where his
# own lips had rested only few min.
utes before
"Now leave her to me, that's good
O fellow" said Mrs. Brown, and Red
It mond was gone.
o That evening at dinner there was a
g sudden acces sion of bushes to the
r cheeks of the three unmarried women
$ when the host said: "You young peo
. pie seem to have been uncommonly
v busy for the last six week. Unless all
1 signs 90 for naught, between Esther:
n blunder and the arrived of her double