, 1890-02-08

around your creolismsl She saying Is,
however, that if there were no signing
in the world the world would stile.
Now, prepare to face the musicr"
And off he went. He soon returned.
By his side was a sturdy old gentleman.
Rosinels heart beat more rapidly.
THE dragon!' she said.
Silvery hair had the dragon. A dark
mustache had the dragon. A horid COM
plexion had the dragon. And a manner
that was grave, digniied, courteous.
Uncle Albert" explained Cyril, with
boyish eagerness, this is Miss Rosine
Wilde"
Wildel The old gentleman started per-
ceptibly. He looked at the blushing girl
at the yellowish gown. He bowed.
"And," avowed young Rodney, send
ing his sweetheart a swift smile of en-
couragement, "and-the young lady of
whom l spoke to you"
"OhI' exclaimed Albert Ellsworth.
Then i~nterrogatively: "Wilde? Was
your fathers name Clayton Wilder
Rosine assented.
"And your mothers maiden name was
Magnolia Kingsley
ooh, dear, mol Aunt Magnolia was
never married. My mothers name was
Madeline Kingsley"
"Eh?' cried the dragon.
The forid color had faded from his
cheeks. He was Juggling n~ervously at
his dark mustache. He looked agitated,
perplexed.
my mother died ten years ago" said
Rosine, and since hen 1 have lived with
Aunt Magnolia"
Mr.. Ellsworth regarded her grimly.
SIS that" he asked abruptly, "your
aunt's gown you have on?"
h soft rose fire in the girls cheek
d%eepened.
blow in the world did you know
she counter questioned.
a queer, wavering smile was his only
reply.
A constrained silence ensued. Cyril
gave his uncle an astonished glance.
S Magnolia is an old maid2' said Mr..
Ellsworth, abruptly.
"If she is" cried Rosine, stung to de-
Tense by n remark she. CHANGED to con-
slider rude, sit is because she was true to
a lover who proved unworthy of herr"
"Ehr-ejaculated Mr.. Ellsworth, more
sharply han before. And suddenly he
IuIueu anu walked AWAY.
The following day he insisted on ac-
companying his nephew to the gaunt,
ramshackle, once a~ristocratic old home
in the French quarter, where dwelt Ro-
sine. As they were passing the vaulted
entrance to the little tagged courtyard,
Albert Ellsworth caught sight of a ia
miliar figure moving among the potted
palms and boxes of blooms.
go on, ladT" he had said to Cyril
He had paused, and was looking through
the brief avenue of gloom to the bright.
ness beyond.
Cyril was about to question this new
vagary, when the thought of a peculiar
possibility made him catch his breath
and do as hidden. He knocked at the
barred black door, and was admitted to
Rosine's radiant presence. And mean
while his uncle went into the courtyard.
The little old lady standing by the ba-
mana tree looked up at the sound of the
step on the stones.
"Magnoliar" he cried.
Miss Magnolia gazed at him in a dazed,
half frightened kind of way. Did ghosts
ever appear in the daytime? Stouter
than he whom she had known, and with
hair grown gray. But the same. Around
her, in a fantastic dance, the broken
fountain, the long leaved banana tree
and the giant oleanders went whirling
She didn't faint, but she came nearer tc
it than she ever had conn in her life.
Ibid you think l mad deserted you
Magnolia? When 1 left you to go nortf
on business l believed in you as ",
never believed in any one since. AnC
while away l heard and read that yoI
had married that young Wilde 1 uset
to be SO jealous of. So l went to Europe
And l stayed there"
"But Clayton Wilde married Made
line. l always told you he came to SEE
her."
Eyes, l know that-now. I was G
fool to have beer so easily convinced oil
your falsity. You haven't changed a
bit. l knew you the l saw
you"
Miss Magnolia smiled delightedly. She
did not know he had expected to see
her.
81 never forgot the dress you wore the
last time l saw you," declared Mr.. Ellis.
worth, waxing fervent. 81 recognized il
on your niece last night"
Last night Are you-sureIy you are
not the dragon!"
"Wha-at2"
"The-the dragonr' faltered Miss Mag
nolia.
Mr.. Ellsworth still looked blank.
"That," murmured the little lady
feeling she was in for it, INC might
as well make a clean breast, twas wha'
Rosine and 1 called Cyril's uncle. Anc
Rosine was going to conquer him"
He burst out laughing.
"Well, she did. The boy shall MARI,
Madeline's pretty daughter. And you
Magnolia-youn marry mel"
"Oh, dear, mol I'm too old"
mot a day."
"And ugly-nowl"
"Loveliest woman in the world to me,
insisted the dragon, Loyalty.
BLESS you, my childrenl' cried a voic
from above.
The pair in the courtyard glanced up
On one of the inner balconies stood Resin
and Cyril.
Vanish, you scamps!" roared tn
dragon.
81 shan't allow you to marry a south