The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-07-10
AA-a::e-S- So T.
BY JOHN STRANGE WINTER.
Author Of" Boobies Baby" Beautiful Jim,'
Etc, Etc.

sister alone, in the little draWing-rOom or
boudoir, reading a book. She looked ur
as he entered and laid her book down on
her knee.
"Well?" she said, in a questioning tone.
''Wen," he returned, half smiling, "it's
all right-I've done it,"
Mrs Bob at once jumped up, letting her
book fall just as Mrs Trafford had done 9
few hours before My dear boy" she
cried, ''you don't mean it. You are sure
you really like her. Stevie?"
Eyes, am quite sure" he said, steadi.
". ''You don't suppose | should be such
a fool as to marry her or any other woman
if 1 didn't"
''WelI, one never knows" Mrs. Bob ar
swered, and then she put her arms round
his neck and Rugged him tenderly Il
hope you will be very happy, dear Stevie,"
she said, fondly, "but it's risk, my dear,
in our circumstances"
"Oh not bit of it, he returned, con-
fdently.
But she will know nothing Of"
Nothing" he broke in, sharply.
''But won't that make things more diff
fcult for you, or at least a little awk-
ward"
II don't think so; on the contrary, i'll
fact, for everything will work BETTER" he
answered
Mrs. Bob sat down in her chair again
and looked up at him anxiously. "She is
nice girl, Stevie, a dear girl and good
girl, too, I am sure-and she's fond of you
too"
Eyes, she's fond of me-" he repeated,
tenderly.
81 don't know that it's quite fair not to
tell her everything" Mrs. Bob went on
dreamily
"Ohl nonsense-absurd-is it likely"
| he burst out. ''Why, she might see every
thing in just wrong light and-and L
can't bear the idea of losing her, Mamie
I daren't risk it, so don't suggest such
thing to me again."
"But you'll take care to provide against
any accidents" Mrs. Bob urged you'll
make settlements"
81 shall settle twenty thousand on her."
''Twenty thousand! It's a big settle
ment, SteVie-still, it will be better and
she will be safe whatever happens. And
what did her mother say about it?"
''She asked what you would say" he an
swered.
81? Oh! you might have told her that
IN delighted about it-delighted"
''Yes-I told her I was sure you would
be-"
THAT was right. will go and see them
tomorrow" she said, carelessly. Are
you going to town tomorrow"
Eyes, by the MALL shall be early
enough"
eyes, and you will be able to buy her an
engagement ring if you haven't done so
already"
Yes" he said, 81 ON going to get it in
the morning."
Diamonds, of cOurse?"
''Yes-she chose diamonds"
"Ah!-her taste agrees with mine. Was
it not lucky that Violet Lucifer insisted
on my wearing that butterfly on that par
ticular evening? [ really do look upon
that as a special providence. | should
have been sorry to part with it. [ could
never have happened to meet with big
ruby of the right color again, could I?'
mot very easily" he replied.
ooh! here's Bob. Bob" cried the little
lady, ''Steve has gone and done it,"
''Done it? What, you mean the little
Widows daughter? Well, my boy, I hope
it will be all right, that do" and he came
across the room and gripped Stephens
hand hard. 81 hope you'll be happy, old
chap, and the little woman, too"
''Thank you, Bob" said Stephen, hea1t-
lily.
'Then she's to know nothing?" Bob
went on, presently.
absolutely nothing" Stephen answer
ed.
''And if she finds out?" the other in
CURED.
'She will not find out" Stephen said.
promptly.
''All the BETTER" rejoined Bob Mark
ham, with decision. "Well, Mamie, I
suppose you'll go in and talk the whole
business over tomorrow with Mrs Traf-
ford? Yes Well, you can give the bride
a handsome present from us both and
| don't stint the price Of it."
every WE'LL" she returned.
Thus the announcement of Stephen
Howard's engagement to Julia was made
to his own people, and the following day
Mrs. Bob got into her Victoria and drove
! to No to express to Mrs. Trafford and
! Julia the delight that the news had given
! her.
''Dear Mrs. Trafford, am so glad, SO
very, very glad" she exclaimed, quite
rushing into Mrs Trafford's arms: "Steph-
en- is such a dear boy. and he will make
her such a good husband. And we have
been so anxious that he should marry
and he has been so long in finding the
| right one, but now that he has found her
1 cannot tell you how very, very glad /
am"
''And am glad, too," said Mrs. Traf-
ford, graciously. She felt that she was in
the position of the approached instead OF
the approaching and that it became her to
be gracious but not gushing. Time had
been when Mrs Trafford would have
gushed a good deal over Stephen Howard
to his sister, but Mrs. Trafford was wo-
man on whom the lessons of time and
experience were not thrown away; indeed
she profited by every lesson she had ever
had.
81 think they will be very happy" Mrs
Bob went on; 'they are SO suited to each
other and Stevie is perfectly devoted to
her He has been down this morning, of
course. At least" with a gay little laugh,
The disappeared very early from our hori-