The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-05-04

| perhaps, the twentieth time she had said
this since his return, three days before.
| Chow much do you love me?' Nicholas
asked, with a great craving for loves
support.
"Mo'n anybody else in all the world,
Missy answered, with emphatic decision.
''Oh. monstrousr' cried Nicholas, SO
much moved that he was constrained to
speak Lightly. 4 suppose you could
undertake to fight dragons for me?"
''Dragons%' CONTEMPORARY. Il could
fght-the dovil and all his works"
"What in the world?"- exclaimed
Nicholas, with a burst of laughter.
Well said Missy, discreet,y, ''them's
the strongest words l could use, bein' a
girl. They're in the catechism, she ad-
ded, by way of recommendation, ''or the
baptism. forget which"
"AIissy, Missy, I'm afraid you're sad
pickle
"Tm goin' to be very good now, since
I've got you home. I'll do just every
thing to please you. I'm all the sister
you've got"
Eyes! you're all the sister I've got! Oh,
Missy, how l wish you were older"'
"H'm!' said Missy, not at all compli-
mented. Then I'd be young lady at
the pianner, like my cousin Flora, al
ways afraid of spelling my clothes.
Bound you wouldn't get her to ride
double, this er way"
Il shouldn't think of asking her"
laughed Nicholas.
"No," Missy asserted, comfortably,
'Tm nicer than her. She was bitterly
! jealous of Flora.
The family were at tea when the broth
er and sister came in, Missy clinging to
! Nicholas arm.
'How you do spoil that child" said
Mrs. Leonard Thorne. She disapproved
! of Missy's ways" with Nicholas; in fact,
disapproved of Missy altogether.
NO" said Missy, with motherly air,
"it's me what spoiis him"
The colonel frowned Flora" he
said, 81 wish you would undertake to
smooth my little daughter"
SIS she fat from" said Missy, pertly,
stuffing her handkerchief into her mouth.
Nicholas and Flora exchanged glances
and frankly smiled.
"Winifred" expostulated Miss Elvira;
but Missy had seen her brother smile and
she cared naught for her Aunt Elvira.
In the privacy of her own room that
night Mrs. Leonard Thorne expressed the
/ opinion that Winifred Thorne was born
! to be modification to her family. "She
makes herself perfect nuisance to Mich
! olas."
sob, mar Flora demonstrated; and,
seeing that her mother was bent upon
talking about Nicholas, she began to
comb her beautiful, luxuriant hair over
her eyes.
''Not but that it's very admirable in
Nicholas to be so indulgent toward her.
l always did justice to Nicholas good
| qualities. He may have been a little
wild, but what of that? All young men
of spirit are FESTIVE under restraint My
brother-in-laHy, the colonel, demands per-
! lection in 4 us son and heir-as if he were
anywhere near perfection himself"
"Oh, ma" said Flora again. You know
| Uncle Jasper never was-lille Nicholas"
''No, he never was" repeated Mrs.
Thorne, with emphasis. Catch Col.
Thorne confessing his foIlies and short
comings, as Nicholas has to me. That is
what | call honorable in the highest de-
/ gree. It's what most young men wouldn't
dO-under the circumstances. l always
/ knew he would come out right in time.
| And what property he will have, Flora!
/ Three fine plantations, besides the Fern
/ dale place to be divided between him and
that little monkey of a Missy. Then your
Aunt Elvira will probably leave all she
has to Nicholas; he always was her IA
vorite. And Nick is SO pleasant; he hasn't
lost any of his bright spirits"
Il don't know about that, ma, y said the
more observant Flora, behind her brown
tresses. MY Cousin Nicholas hasn'tsuch
bright spirits as he'd like to have body
believe. They are too bright; and he is
moody enough when he thinks nobody is
noticing. And them
'.And them" repeated Mrs. Thorne, all
attention.
He is in another scrape, I fancy" said
/ Flora, slowly. There is certainly some
/ thing weighing on his mind.
cor his heart" suggested Mrs. Thorne.
1t afforded Miss Flora's mamma ex-
quisite enjoyment 10 watch the progress
OF affairs between Nicholas and her
daughter. 1t was like a vivified novel,
and upon no account would she have
been willing to see this romance hurried
to precipitate conclusion with the music
of marriage bells. 1t was quite the proper
thing that the young lady should be coy
and disdainful denying her true feelings
and flirting with a rival, while the young
gentleman distrusted his own desert,
counterfeited gayety, and was prey to
gloom; all this was too delicious TO be
married by inconsiderate haste.
| Never had Mrs. Thorne seen devotion
so delicate as that displayed by Nicholas.
Every morning, Immediately after break
fast, he fastened away TO see about the
work on his aunt's house; every noon he
returned with suggestions for improve
ments and conveniences that he detailed
| to Mrs. Thorne, with an interest and en-
| thusiasm that took her vanity captive.
Devotion TO Floras mamma was sure to
be appreciated by Mrs. Thorne; 1t was
the dream of her heart that her son-in-
law should be in love with herself. Fur
nival was now at work upon the house.
and it pleased Mrs. Thorne to fancy that
the impetuous Nicholas must worry the
life out of that diIstory mechanic.
Not that l am in haste to have you
leave us. aunt, YOU understand said
Nicholas, blushinE. when rallied upon