The morning call., 1890-09-01
ORDERED BY TELEGRAM.
RY AMY RANDOLPH.

BY AMY RANDOLPH.
Send me down bride in full dress for Friday even
ing Ii. SMITH, Walkley Station.
s.s-a, HAT was The tenor OF The telegram, Miss
SR22 Betsev Blythe knew, because she fea9 II
VsyN over 40 times, ii she read II once Sl ~,
tY2eCS picked II lp on tic step oil the teltgiapn
office. where The lucky recipient thereof must
have dropped it-aud, unluckiiy, the ADDRESS WAS
torn oil The northeast corner OF the ioidea papelc;
But Mis- Betsey Blythe had not been ehgaged
in looking after her neighborS, business an nc,
life to be foiIed now. She wiped the stfeel,inuo
OF tie Telegram with her pocket handkerchief.
mn il safely rto her reiieule and carried II home
10 her sisters. Miss Aialhusa ahu MISS iaihe'"
Blythe. rJ,.o,a
Smith was going 10 be married on The sly?'
Goodness met said Arethusa.
"It can't be possible" piped Pamela. but
who can the bride be?' - No..
"ThaI's the question" declared Miss Retsey
starting back at the p0il-parrots cage IN Tue
window. land Friday Is TO be the wedding
(which Friday, 1 wonder?" said Miss Are
why, this Friday, OF course" pronounced,
| Miss Pamela ''rhe day after tomorrow, OF
| course; or IL would have been a deal easier ana
cheaper 10 write instead OF telegraphllg Doht
"Frldav's an unlucky day for a wedding"
groaued Miss Retsey. ,, go =
r"Just like Harold smith to get married on ~,
Ing fun Of what he calls 'supersiiiiouS opSeF'
"Well. l never." said Miss Arethusa. "Who
III SIZES eirI OF any spirit whatever" tartly
observed Miss Beisey, "she wont allow herself 10
be telegrarhed around tie country Ike package
Of dry goods" :,
some girls will do anything TO get married"
said Arelhusa, with vicious cmphaSs.
"Irs Jessie Moldaunt. oil course" 9ee ls',G
Pamela, .Shc's been flirting on and OH win
Harold Smith Cor these three years, but diGn'l
suppose he foolish enough 10 iall INTO hef
.Or perhaps it's Marian Shelton" added Miss
Betsey. II know they've been making up new
white SILK dress with iablier fronts and trained
herself And l can believe any amount OF loly
of the Shelton family since they changed that
Girps name from Mary Ann 10 Marian; evsrv
one of 'em crazy after Harold Smith," suggested
No" said Miss Pamela. decidedly. You
may be quite certain It's Jessie! Jesste's
hiGhty enough for anythingi / think shed
rather enjoy an escapade like that ado, ,,,..
AreIhUsa, WHO was the eldest sister OF the
three and the least addicted TO favorable views
OF human nature. "they think IFS an untathom-
"Waikiey Station is only three-quarters OF an
hour from New York" said Miss Betsey' LETS
60 to the weddlngt ,,.
and" added Miss Pamela, In chuckle,
'lets notify all cur friends 10 go ~
For tie three Misses Blythe were not pleased
that Harold Smith should presume 10 lake so
important step as that OF matrimony, without
their consent and advice. Hadn't they known
him as o curly-headed lad before he ever went
into college ? Hadn't he played many practi-
cal Joke upon them in his Wild, Iolicllins way
and didu't they know perfectly well that he dis
regarded Them as three sour, RIDICULOUS, dlsap-
pointed old spinSIers?
And now that they had come into possession of
one OF bis choicest, dearest secrets, 1t was
scarcely IN human nature not to be reYenged,
fully and entirely.
DO you suppose she'll go out in the cars?'
:" In fuIi dless! What nonsense" retorted
Dsy1 aln fafH r
.eShe'l get her death of cold" said Miss
Betsey, with shiyer. "DEiylng htteeh miles IN
The idea of Harold Smith ordering her
around in that majestic fashion, cried Arethusa.
But girls, FL tell you what we will do; We'll
60 and call on the Mordauuts."
Mrs Mordaunt, pretty. full blown rose style
OF matron, was doing cFewework; Jessie, her
the family. was painting vase oil purple pansles
iu water-colors. They did no. appear In the
Least IKE ersiSaans s OF an
the subject of impending marriages and said
they had heard OF no wedding ~ the neighbour
asked if they hadn't had a dlessmaker in the
I'VE always do our own sewing" said Mrs.
Mordauut. Jessie can Ut dress as well as
Madame Mondn herself"
" But Tor such very. very important occasion
as this" smirked Miss Arethusa.
" We never have any import ant occasions"
laughed Jessie. " Look, Miss Blythe; do you
think my Pansy petal is as deep purple as the
Original?'
And when the three old maids had at last taken
their departure Jessie looked at her mother In
amazement. mingled with ninth
Mamma" said she, what do those old
women mean?"
Il think, DEAR" said Mrs. Mordaunt. THAT
they are the least bit unsettled in their minds
just a title crazy, you know"
And the Misses Blythe went away, exchanging
mysterious glances and whispering TO each other:
They cannot deceive us ~
= pI.~tI,a ynGh vIhbx fhaU nrtlh
think of-always III strict confidence, OF course.
Everybody repeated II 10 everybody els, and by
Friday evening tue train to Walkley Station was
full.
To Miss Betsey Blythe's infinite disapnont-
ment the Smith house, pretty, old-fashoned
mansion with pIared front, garden full of
clipped box monstrosities and an octagonal con-
servatory. built out from the south end, was not
lighted up after any extraordinary fashion Mrs.
white lace cap and cleaning gold spectacle
glasses, was knitting half asleep. when the
three Misses Blythe were ushered IN, followed
by a crowd of other acguaintances.
"Oh (" said she, rubbing her eyes to make
sure that It was not dream, 'thls Is surprise
party, is 1t? I'm sure I'm delighted to see you
Only It's pity Harry isn't ut home !"
"My good soul" said Miss Arethusa Blythe,
shaking her finger, 't's no use trying to deceive
US. We know all az, i, ii% r.. Cain,
about the weddingp cried out the company
in Chorus, ,o,, uoo,, ,.n,n,o, 49,. Sn,,,
"Why, Harods, to be sure!" they responded.
But Harold isn't going TO be married." said
Mrs. Smith. lie Isn't even engaged Good
gracious! What can have put such thing into
peoples heads?"
airs the telegram" said Miss Pamela.
~ don't know what you are talking about"
said Mrs. Smith, in despair.
"Well, IL you wont believe me, you will. per-
baps, believe your own eyes," said Miss Betsey
Blythe, with dignity. as she drew the telegram
from her pocs Ell, and carefully Strengthening out
its cTeaSes held II up before Mrs. Smiths spec
tacle glasses
"Dear me !" cried Mrs. Smith, at last compre-
purposes '''s Bella Smiths big doll 7"
what I" sbreked Miss Arethusa, Miss Pam
Ella and Miss Betsey in chorus.
''What! !" more wildly echoed the rest Of the
assemolage crowdiDg eagerly around.
ANTS. IL lena SmitlPs little daughter, across
the street." explained Mrs. Smith. IT'S her
birtli-nlght party, and an immense doll. dressed
as u bride, was forwarded by express this after
vail and wreath. white satin boots, buttoued by
knobs Of pearl and long.wristed white Kid
gloves, entirely complete. And you thought
you really imagined that my Harold was going
New York for his bride ~
The old lady broke out into fit OF SOFT sweet
sounding laughter, which shook her as If she had
been a mold OF Jelly. Everybody else laughed,
too, except the three Misses Blythe. They only
looked blank.
"But, now that you're here" added hospItable
Mrs. Smith, you'll stay to tea, all OF you? But
you must The down train don't leave until 10,
and you'll be half starved. now that there is no
wedding feast for yoD. On, Insist upon you
staying 10 tea"
The biggest tea-kettle in the house was put
Over TO boil, al once; seven pounds OF coffee
put INFO the pot, aud the maids ran one to the
muffie-and-crumpet store and cake bakery, the
other TO the oyster stand. which, luckily, was
not yet shut UP for the night. And kind Mrs.
Smith entertained her unexpected guests with
gracious pOllteuesS.