The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-09-05

I'D their QoaQS Dum peO 1OS OoAOA 'AAAJ'
Both apologized profusely, of course
Dick had rather guilty look when he
faced his friends at dinner an hour or so
later. When the four were seated on
the porch in the twilight, he bowed with
great politeness at the girl across the
way.
"Who's your red-haired friend?" in
uuired Tom, surlily.
"a young lady know" was the in
different response, as Dick thrummed
carelessly on his mandolin.
"Take care" mouthed the other three
in unison, seeming treason. And then
the regular evening concert proceeded.
"
The four friends had box at the Au-
ditorium for one of the Strauss concerts,
and Tom found his gaze wander every
now and then to the face of a statuesque
beauty who sat in the parquet next to
girl with red hair. He was certain he
had seen her somewhere, but could not
quite decide where. She wore fully
white gown with wonderful pulled
shoulders, and he was forced to confess
that she was provokingly pretty. In the
foyer. during the intermiSSiOn, he
strayed away and found a friend who
introd uced him. He was little sur
prised to find that she was spending
vacation at the home of the girl with
red hair who lived opposite to him.
Both young ladies were very inquisitive
as to how he and his companions got
along in their bachelors hall, but he
parted their questions with the adroit-
ness of an old stager. 1t was with diff
ficulty, however, that he dragged him
self away and joined his friends in the
long room near the cafe whore more or
less inviting liquids are dispensed. 1t
may readily be surmised, however, chat
he made 40 revelations as to events Oc-
curing in the interim.
That night, just before the Vassar
girl dropped off to sleep. she whispered
to the red-haired girl: 'You see, dear,
l was the first to get an introduction to
one of your dudes, after ALL
Nonsense, DEAR" croned the red
haired girl, with a suggestion of tri-
umph in her drowsy tones 81 have
been on excellent terms with the little
one with the sash for over week."
Silence.
Somehow or other sort of cloud
hung over the house where the four
young men dwelt. There were fewer
evenings spent by the four toge ther,
and tinge of restraint seemed to have
fallen over the party. Harry and Jack,
two of the handsomest and best
behaved boys in the world, who bad
hitherto been the life and soul of the
quartette, spent good many evenings
out as the summer wore on, and when
they did stay at home were less CHEEKY
and light-hearted than formerly. They
smoked necessarily and assisted very
little in the conversation.
By the merest accident one afternoon
''Tot," returning from slashing tennis
tourney at the park, saw Harry, all
about whom Dick, of course, had told
her, emerging from the house of o~e of
her friends three blocks below her own
home. She hid behind her terrier until
the youth had passed from sight and
then bounced in on the aforesaid friend,
pleasing miss with pair of wicked,
swapping black eyes.
GLOW long have you known him?"
was the fair callers greeting.
Without detailing the conversation it
may be stated that the black-eyed
beauty confessed to a six-weeks' &C
Quaintance with the departed one, and
| from that the talk grew very confiden-
tial
But do you know, Tot" said the
little hostess, as the red-haired girl
rose to 60, that there's something
queer about that boy. If ever fellow
loved me"-the black eyes glistened--
she does, but he seems to have some
thing on his mind. Tot, 1 am ashamed
to say it, but he has sworn he loves me
to death, and has never let fall so much
as hint about marriage. And more
than that, mis- friend Jack, who lives
with him, goes about with lilly here,
my next-door neighbor, and she says he
acts in precisely the same way"
During this speech Tots gray eyes
had been growing bigger and bigger,
while each particular red hair shone
with added brilliancy. MAUD" she
gasped, another of those dudes-the
one with the black sash--is in love with
me, and his actions are precisely those
you have described in the other two.
There is mystery here, and we'll I'M
ravel it. Come up to my house Satur-
day night and bring Title with YOU"
The black-eyed one agreed and they
parted.
'Dick," demanded the haired
girl, ''do you love me or do you not?''
They were standing in a seauestered
spot in South Park on the scorching
Saturday afternoon. The young man
fnmbled nervously at his sash. "You
know do, Tot" he observed, meekly.
''Then," answered the red-haired girl
unabashed, will you marry me?"
A piteous look came into Dicks face.
'I-I-I-" he stammered and could get
no further.
You monster, your calculated the
red-headed girl, in white heat of pas
sion. "You would have me a woman
scorned, would you? You say you love
me. Y0m Bah! asked you to marry
me for bluff, so I did. Marry moth.
ing. You're milksop, a dude. You
pretend you love me because you want
summer girl. 1 wouldn't marry you
now II you got down on your knees and
begged me till you wore two holes in
the grass each big enough to bury you
in"
This was too much. In another min
ute the unfortunate youth had grabbed
both her hands and poured out his story
about the two years lease and the dead
ly anti-natrimonial compact. When he
bad finished hQr faoo 1nroc c4;11 - 81 II =,