, 1891-09-06

boots, but reflected, in time, that 1t Is
wiser TO leave those mysteries to women.
There being still scouple of hours before
dinner, he visited a new apartment
house above Madison square, and find
ing a handsome suit of a dozen rooms
vacant he engaged them then and there.
Returning home he looked in at a florists
and spent ten dollars in a ~profusion of
rich color n fragrance, which he
ordered sent to his address, and then
home he went, with one twenty dollar
bill in his pocket, a joyful heart, and a
c~ountenance studiously grave.
He played the silent and serious role
all through dinner; but not 50 cleyerly
as to satisfy his wife.
Seems TO me you're very queer this
evening, Tom," she said at length
Don't you think SO, Olympia Is-any-
thing the matter, dear?"
AT that moment Tom heard the door
bell ring, and knew that his various pur-
chases were beginning to arrive.
81 suppose 1 ought to tell you, my
dears," he said, addressing the three
ladies in a solemn tone, "that-we shall
be obliged to vacate these lodgings next
week"
Mrs. Bannick gave her husband a sym
pathetic look, as much as to say, "It's
an outrage, their prosecuting you so, but
dom worry about me-" Olympia said:
perhaps / nave money enough to paw
your rent, Mr.. Bannick. Tn sure /
haver'
81 can't stand this much longer" said
Tom to himself. "Why don't they bring
that COMPOUNDED parcel up ~stairsg" But
he compelled himself to shake his head
and sigh as if all hope were vain.
Give spoken for other rooms already"
he remarked.
"Well, we shall feel more comfortable
in some less expensive place" said Mrs.
Bannick, with a smile that made Tom
long to jump up and hug her.
Mamma and 1 have been thinking
that we are able now to take lodgings
by ourselves" began Olympia, .'and"-
Tom could not have held in another
moment; but just then the door opened,
and in came h servant girl with a big
paper box, addressed to Mrs. Bannick.
ITO mev' exclaimed that lady. why,
whati in the worldwide can nave sent
me anythingT'
''Open it and let's see what it is" said
Tom, thrusting his hands in his pockets
lest, in his impotence, he should tear it
open himself.
Mrs. Bannick opened the box, unfolded
some tissue paper and disclosed a mag
niticent sealskin cloak. "Oh, this is evil
IDENTIFY a mistake" she said. 1.-THE idea
of my having a sealskinl But oh, how
lovely it isl"
mo" put in Olympia; "here's IL card
pinned to it: To Mrs. Bannick, with the
best love Of Why, my dear, it's from
your husband himselfr'
"Hurrayi Hal har' cries Tom, tits
all right, girlsl The new rooms we are
to move into are a palace! We're as
rich as Croesusi Ispent nine hundred and
eighty dollars this afternoon, and here's
the other odd twenty!' And springing
to his feet he embraced first his wife and
then Olympia and her mother amid a
chorus of ordinations and questions
and a scene of excitement impossible to
describe. And before they could settle
down to any sort of composure the bell
rang again, and more bundles and boxes
appeared, until the little dining room
looked like n haberdasher's and cos
tuners shop. The four happy people
talked SO fast that you would have
thought there were a dozen of them, and
between the outbursts of admiration and
delight at the new things Tom interlard-
ed his account of tine mornings advent
ure with the millionaire count. Finally
the flowers arrived in two divisions, one
for Mrs. Bannick and one for Olympia
and her mother.
"This is too gloriousi" exclaimed Toms
wife, kissing him. ~ couldn't bear an
other thing-tonighti Tom, you are an
angel, and so is the count What sort
of a looking man is he?'
'Oh, French style,' replied Tom;
blonde, with dark eyes; a handsome
fellow, Miss Raveni He's a bit stiff in
his manner, but that's only outside. We
got to be quite chums before he left, and,
by the by, l caught myself half a dozen
times feeling toward him as if he were
an old acquaintance, though 1 never met
any one a bit like him before. Isuppose
all good fellows will be like one another,
somehow. But it was odd, all the same"
"