The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-10-17
BINGO'S AIR CASTLE.
The Story Of the Romance That
the Twins Discovered.

of MacTavish. Time-Fivc o'clock on
blazing July afternoon. Enter Tam
my and Joe, christencd Thomasina
and Joseph. twins. aged nine years,
and youngest members of the family of
MacTavish. They promptly take up
their abode behind a screen, from
which vantage-ground they watch the
other inmates of the room with looks
Of intensest curiosity, coupled with
derision.
Seated in a low rocling-chair lounges
the prettiest girl, bar one, in all Stony
shire. And before her stands, arms
akimbo and hair dishevcled, young
man named Johnny, who considers the
aforesaid girl to be the prettiest, bar
none, in all the three Kingdoms.
10, Alicia!' he says, admiringly, as
she holds up her pretty hands to dis
play a ring upon the third finger of
her slim left hand. 10. Alicia!'
"Johnny!' she says, decisively, "if
you say %, Alicia again shall take
this ring of at once. DO you hear,
sir? shall take it off at once; and,
and-''
And then you will put it on again, :"
he remarks quietly. with an air of as
surance that makes her laugh in spite
OF herself. For Alicia knows, and she
knows that Johnny knows, that of all
things in this wide world she, Alicia,
loves rings better than any thing else.
''You remind me- she says, pres
emily, ''of q certain poet who wrote a
play in which came line:
"'Oh, Sophonisba! Sophonisba, OH"
on hearing which one of the audi ence
groaned:
"oh j. Jimmy mr. rhompson' Jimmy Thompson
"Whereupon there was an end of he,
suppose says Johnny, totally un-
moved by the poets fate.
Il do not know. He was not he
that have heard much about. Be-
sides, who cares about a dead poet?
H. with Il fascinating smile-'I pre-
fer 4 living-Johnny"
20, Alicia!' in a rapturous tone.
20, Alicia!' groaus the hooking
echo from behind the screen. where
upon Johnny, dashing around it,
catches both criminals by the hair and
drags them forward, looking red and
happy.
Now, imps! how long have yo,,
been hiding there?'' he asks. sternly,
as remembrances of various tender and
silly speeches rise to his mind.
THAT is not your business, says Joe,
aggressively.
'Only a short time murmurs Tam
my. "but we have enjoyed it so much. -
''Thank you so much for such a
pleasant afternoon" adds Joe, with a
grin, which for combined wickedness
and Joy battles description.
Little wretchesr'
"Children,' says Alicia, languidly,
''go to bed Immediately.
The culprits exchange glances of
alarm and penitence-the penitence
that arises from conviction that after
the playing comes the paying. And
then, with sudden change of front,
they assume pathetic and innocent e.
pressiOns, as OF kittens who wonder
why boys and dogs do not chase each
other instead of chasing them.
SISTER" says Tammy in beguiling
tones, do not send us TO bed and wo
will tell you all about the other couple. -
What! Who?' Alicia is wide
awake.
Tell me all about it, Tammy. You
are a dear, good child. Tell me at
once what you mean."
''Bingo,' cry Tammy and Joe in one
breath.
"Bingo!' repeat Johnny and Alicia,
in amazement. Surely the children
are mistaken. Surely Bingo. the peer
less Biago, the never-firting, calmly
polite Bingo has never, never fallen SO
far from his high estate as to talk to a
girl.
Eye powers!' gasps johnny.
"A grip" gasps Alicia. Children.
you are mistaken. You can not have
seen Bingo, our Bingo, in conversation
with a girl! With g. farmer, with a
chimney-sweep, with dog. pig
sticker, yea even with pig will Bingo
converse. But with a girl! Johnny, is
the moon at its full?''
But, Alicia, it is true. The truest
true that can be- Tammy gets astride
the horsehair bolster on the sofa, aud
fiushes with Importance.
Joe and were on top of the hay
stack, eating strawber-oh, we'll, never
mind about that fo- Joe's face is j
study. and its predominant expression.
says plainly, lust wait till catch you
alone, and tbcn!'') land we heard
voices below ~ at the stile leading
into the four-uc5e meadow. So NC
looked down and llstened." ---.---