The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-12-24

chimes merrily, and the freight
dances and gloWs on two tear bathed.
faces close together on the yellow
cushion.
Come" said Beth, at length, 1--WE
must dress; you know we are going to
the opera this evening Well see
everybody, and Il want you to store
up your impressions to relate to me
when we come home"
Mrs. Sidney might well be proud Of
her charges that evening, for there
were not two brighter or prettier girls
in New York than Beth and Luray,
as they entered their box lust a
minute before the curtain arose.
The unconcern and apparent uncon-
seriousness OF a thoroughbred society
girl when she knows a hundred pairs
OF eyes are fixed admiringly upon her,
is beautiful to behold; particul arly if
she feels she looks well. Luray had
remarked with guileless naivete
as they were leaving the house:
"Beth, my child, the conviction
forces itself upon me, in spite Of my
innate modesty, that we are looking
very fetching this evening""
The girls settled down with a few
graceful hutters, and lazily
waited their fans and scanned
the bill OF the play, completely OBJ
livious OF the fact that there was any
one else in the house but themselves.
Not until after the first act and the cur
tain had fallen again, did it apparent
ly dawn on them that possibly there
might be some one in the audience to
whom they were expected to acknowl-
edge their acquaintanceship.
Beth religiously bowed and smiled
on all sides, interpolating the bows
for the benefit Of the others, with ex-
planatory notes. -.
''There's Maud Douglas and Made
line and Mr.. Bridges. Mr.. Bridges and
Maud are to be married in the Spring.
And there's Phil White and Cousin
Algy. Algy is the dearest little man,
Lu; he'll be the first to fall in love with
you-he always does, you know with
every new girl. He has a regular code
which he always follows. l know it
by heart. The first day he meets you,
he'll sit and gaze at you
pensively, with a.. sweet, far
away look in his eyes. The
second day he'll bring some roses and
say, 'Fairest OF all in this fair garden
of girls The third day, he'll kiss
your hand and whisper, oh, theyears
l lost before l knew you, love- We
all have an awe-inspiring reverence for
Algy's quotations, he has one for
every occasion. Pm sure he sits up
nights to learn them. We'll, the fourth
day he'll propose with great fervor;
the fifth day you will manage to con-
vince him that nothing would in
duce you to love him under any
circumstances; the sixth day he'll
60 away to die, first narrowing
up your feelings by a parting scene,
and the seventh day he'll come back
and say it's nobler to live and suffer,
and that his life will be better and
truer, though sadder, for having loved
one woman truly.
"We're all fond of him, and
couldn't get along without him. Ma
mma," with a little catch IN her
voice, 81 think Jack Shepard and Mr..
Won Bryck are coming this way" A
moment later the door opened. To
these two men Mrs. Sidney was al
ways gracious and cordial. She
viewed them each in the light of a.
possible son-in-law, and carried her
blessing around in her hand, ready
to bestow it the moment it was called
for. "
Emil Won Bryck took seat be-
tween the two girls, and Jack leaned
with a pose which he knew was effect
i've and picturesque, on the back of
Mrs. Sidney's chair.
"Jack's come for another talking
TO-" ne whispered, with the soft, peni-
tent look in his eye that experience
had taught him was irresistible. And
bending over till his lips lightly touch.
ed the soft, waving gray hair, "He
wouldn't be so bad if he always had
little Mother Sidney to look after him.
He might as we'll go to the devilfor all
anybody'd care" And his eyes wan
dered to the group OF them. Jack was
very accomplished indeed, and the
effect was never lost.
The curtain had dropped for the
last time, the carriages had all rolled
away in every direction, and Beth and
Luray were at home again. s.
"Well, said Beth, chow did you like
him." .-
"Emil?" said Luray, innocent
ly; oh, very much. Nature
might stand up and say to
all the world: This is a man.
think that must be what impresses
everyone at tirsU,-his manliness; then
lis eyes are so earnest and true, and
his mouth SO frm-and frivolity does
not seem to be the end and aim OF his
existence. should fall in love with
him myself if had not observed what
my native intuition assures me to be
n fact, that all my most willy machin-
ations would be futile in his direction.
All. Beth, my poor misguided child,
Emil is all yours, as you, OF course,
are aware Then, with mournful
shake OF the head, II hate to see all
that affection going to waste"
Beth flushed. II meant Jack, Lu,
not Emil"
"Oh, Jack! Why didn't you say so;
that's quite different Well, Jack i'm
presses me particularly as lily in
tie field. Pm sure Solomon's popu-
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