The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-11-19
THE J0LLY-MANDARIN,

THE JOLL MANDARIN.
Before Clementine went down to Mill
town for the summer she made up her
mind that she would bend all her
energies to wheedle Aunt Phoebe out of
the old blue ginger jar that Uncle JUL
ius had brought home from China,
little thinking that the old slant-eyed,
fat-sided mandarin would take such a
jocular interest in her joys and sor-
rows.
The old blue jar had perched for
many years on the corner OF high
mantle-piece in the old-fashioned
country parlor, and Aunt Phoebe
knew that if she gave it to Clementine
she would have a dreadful lonesome
feeling every time she stood on chair
to dust the old clock, the shells, and
the peddler vases, thefeather fans and
other companions OF it's lofty abode.
But Clementine was an accomplished
Wheedler, and the fond old Aunt final
ly said she might have her wish.
| When Aunt Phoebe gave over to
Clementine her right and title to the
| old blue jar, Randall was leaning in
the window and idly sitting rose
leaves from the old climbing vine
through the meshes of his tennis rack
ct. He sympathized with her lively
admiration for the antique and an
cient in china, and was glad that she
had attained her hearts desire; but a
more absorbing interest possessed his
manly breast.
Clementine was going home in the
morning, and he had been trying in
vain for several days to get the feeble
courage OF his ardent convictions up
to the declarative point. She was such
a lively: funloving girl, and love you
know, is such intensely serious bust
ness. Several times Randall fancied
he had found her in sober and prop
erly receptive frame Of mind, when,
with a tritling jest, she would defeat
his intentions and put the littlegod to
flight
Now, however, when the slant-eyed
mandarin on the blue jar winked at
him through the vines, Randall said
to himself enthusiastically
"Well, old boy; that's the very
thing! Thank you for the bright idea!
Are they all as clever as you are over
In China?"
That night, in his room under the
caves, he constructed an eloquent let
ter to Clementine, and in the early
morning sneaked into the parlor and
deposited it in the robust bosom OF
the old blue mandarin.
"If she finds it before she goes home
1T is all right" said the timorous,
adoring fellow, "and if she doesn't find
it until afterward it will be all right,
too"
But the mandarin felt a little funny
that day; SO when Clementine packed
her trunk he inspired her to stuff the
ginger jar full Of her silken hose, that
the precious article might take no
risks Of breakage in it's voyage. So,
when Randall parted from her at the
station she made no signs of knowing
anything in particular, and his hope.
| full heart decided that she would sure
| ly find the letter when she reached
| home, and he would then hear from
her
Now, Clementine was agirl who al
ways had great many things on her
mind, and when she had unpacked the
treasured jar and placed it on a dainty
! table in her pretty parlof-with aself-
! congratulatory thought that it was so
respectable to have things that ones
relative had brought from China-she
| wholly forgot the curious load that
the mandarin had on his breast. She
! missed her silken sose, Of course, and
| pestered Aunt Phhoebe with messages
about them.
| In Midtown, as you may imagine,
Randall waited for an answer to his
| letter. Awhile he waited patiently.
| then impatiently awhile, and then
! Owed into his law books with that
''composure Of settled distress which
lovers have known in every age and
cline. He did not dream that the
slant-eyed mandarin would be guilty
! Of intercepting love letter.
But the fun-loving mandarin knew
what he was about. He was not with
out experience in these matters, and
he wanted to punish Cementine O
trifle and bring her, to the proper con-
dition Of seriousness.
/ And Clementine was feeling the stu
alton with all the sobriety that was
desirable. She had suspected all
/ GUNNER that Randall had q tender
ceiling for her which she felt qualified
to reCiprocate, but she was q proud