Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-10-01
THE JOLLY MANDARIN.

Before Clementine went down to Mill
town for the summer she made up her
mind that she would bend all her ener-
gies to wheedle Aunt Phoebe out of the
old blue ginger jar that Uncle Julius had
brought home from China, little think
ing that the old slant eyed, fat sided
mandarin would take such jocular in
terest in her joys and sorrows.
The old blue jar had perched for many
years on the corner Of the high mantel.
piece in the old fashioned country parlor,
and Aunt Phoebe knew that il she gave
1t to Clementine she would have dread
fully lonesome feeling every time she
stood on chair to dust the old clock,
the shells, the peddler vases, the feather
fans, and other companions of its lofty
abode. But Clementine was an accom-
plished wheedler, and the fond old aunt
finally said she might have her wish.
When Aunt Phoebe gave over IN
Clementine her right and title to the old
blue jar, Randall was leaning in the win.
dow and idly sitting rose leaves from tn,
old climbing vine through the meshes OF
his tennis racket. lie sympathized with
her lively admiration for the antique and
unique in china, and was glad that she
had attained her hearts desire; but
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 de-
clarative point. She was such lively,
fun loving girl, and love, you know, is
such intensely serious business. Several
times Randall fancied he had found her
in sober and properly receptive frame
of mind, when, with trifiing Jest, she
would defeat his intention and put the
little god to fight.
Now, however, when the slant eyed
mandarin on the blue jar winked at him
through the vines, Randall said to him
self enthusiastically:
well, old boy, that's the very thingl
thank you for the bright ideal Are they
all as clever as you are over in China p
That nj. t, in his room under the
caves, he constructed an eloquent letter
to Clementine, and, in the early morn
ing, sneaked into the parlor and deposited
IL ia the robust bosom of the old blue
mandarin.
IF she finds it before she goes home (.
is all right, said the timorous, adorinY
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 tbs
ginger jar full of her silken hose, that the
precious article might take no risks Of
breakage in its voyage. So, when Ran
dali parted from her at the station she
made no sign ofs knowing anything il
particular, and his hopeful heart decided
that she would surely find the letter
when she reached home, and he would
then hear from her.
Now Clementine was girl who alwayp
had great many things on her mind,
and when che had unpacked the treas-
ured jar and placed it on a dainty table
In her pretty parlor-with self con-
gratulatory thought that 1t was 50 re
spectacle to have things that ones reIa.
tives had brought from China---she
wholly forgot the curious load that the
mandarin had on his breast. She missed
her silken hose, Of course, and pestered
Aunt Phoebe with messages about them.
In Milltown, as you may imagine,
Randall waited for the answer to his letter.
Awhile he waited patti ,tly, then impa-
tiently awile, and then dived 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 ths ungentlemanly trick of in
tercepting love letter.
But the fun loving mandarin knew
what he was about He was notwithou.
experience in these matters, and he
wanted to punish Clementine a triie
and bring her to the proper condition Of
seriousness.
And CIenentine was feeling the situa-
ton with all the sobriety that was desir.
able. She had suspected all summer
that Randall had tender feeling for hei
which she felt qualified to reciprocate,
.bnt she was proud girl, and could not,
by a feathers weight, influence the
balance of his intentions. Therefore, be-
hind her smiles, she had been not little
wounded that he had allowed her &c
come home without having given ex-
preston to bis sentiments.
So she, too. now took on q sober conn
tenancel and banished thought and re-
gret by joining several new clubs aud
taking membership in two or three moro
charitable organizations.
just before Christmas, Randall. one
day, experienced IN his breast q soat of
imperative fntimafion- perhaps Jiree
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