The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1891-04-04
Copyright. 1891, by A. N. Kellogg Newspaper 20.

with assumed regret. II can not ask q
simple question about a neighbor, but
of YOU av into the realms Of romance
and lEatrimony. See, didn't even ask
after the widow at ALL said the Be-
SAINTS, as plain as could speak. Now,
do you think you can come down from
your stills long enough to tell me who
the Bcsants are?'
''But, Mark, there are no Besants
but Mrs. Besant," Mrs, Burrows
pleaded.
''Shc is widow with some means, :"
her husband explained: who lives in
the best house in the village, and is de-
cidedly tie person of the place, as you
will lind out before you have been here
very long. She has only one child, a
son, who is now covering himself with
glory on the battle-felds."
eyes" Henderson Interrupted Il
spent the evening with him few nights
age at $sedalia.'
"Whatn' Mrs Burrows calculated.
s'you have been all night in the house
and never told us this. Why, Mrs. Be-
sant will be wild to see you. Get ready
to go with me at once, sir, or shall
never be forgiven for having kept her
SO long from seeing you.''
Il object, ruthlessly declared DR..
Burrows MARK is an invalid and
wants rest Then, seeing the pout on
iliswife's pretty lips, he'added ''Rut I'll
propose an amendment to your propo-
sition We've never attempted to give
a party since we we're married. Now,
suppose you go to the Walnut House
and invite Mrs. Besant to tea tonight.
Y on can then trot round to the parson-
age and ask MI Brentwood and his
worncn-folls. and
won't that be perfectly splendid!'
Floss!u burrows cried, and as Mark la
zily accepted the plan it was forthwith
carried out.
But Mark Henderson was fated to
meet Mrs. Besant before the evenings
festivities, for in the early afternoon
note came round from Walnut House
to say that that lady's niece lad just
arrived from Chicago, whereupon the
accommodating officer was commits
stoned Ev his sister to call and induce
both ladies to honor them with their
presc nee.
S:You know didn't dare to say that
Won were a friend of Franks this morn
ing, OK we should have had the widow
down here long before this, interrupt
ing my immense preparations for sup
pcr~-simply I'D army officer, my dear
boy--so while you're there you can
Just let the t1ood-gates of your informa-
ton flow. or you'll be boring us to death
this evening with it ALL" the volatile
little lady suggested.
And this niecc-do you know any
thing about her?'
'sOh, suppose she is lady who was
visiting Mrs. Besant two years ago.
whom met at the Brentwoods, when
first made LIarrys acqrainJance--not
at all good looking and rather passe-
not bit your style, ray dear: but, as
she II be up to her eyes unpacking. you
may rely on having the fair widow all
10 yourself y" ~"
Henderson was fine, handsome fell
low, with disting uished military bear
ing, and had often been the exposure Of
adlniring eyes on the parade-groun
and in the drawing-room, but he had
never known what it was to be stared
at as he was by the gaping rustics on
his way through the village, and well
they might feast their eyes on his gal
liant figure; for Meltonburg was one Of
these delightfully."- primitive villages,
where, if you had an egg for breakfast,
there was not an old maid in the place
who did not know which end you had
broken it at before dinner-tin1e, and
consequently Marks arrival had been
heralded from house to house.
His doughty deeds had been carried
on the wings of gossip from freside to
fireside, and the patriotic editor of the
Weekly Advertiser had primed them
with double-leaded description of the
glorious cavalry charge at Springfield:
sin which the brother-in-law OF our
talented fellow citizen, DR.. Burrows
took SO noble part. Nay, not half an
hour ago, the new edition of the paper
had come out with the announcement
in bold type that ''The hero of the bat
tie of Springfield is among us, visiting
Doctor and Mrs. burrows. It is pro-
posed to give him a public reception be-
fore he goes back to gather fresh
laurels," a piece Of information which
Marks sister religiously kept out of his
sight, for she felt sure if he saw it he
would be off to Dayton by the first
train. So the villagers stared their FILL,
Women ran to their doors to gaze after
him as he passed, men gathered on the
sidewalks to discuss his martial bear
ing, and more than once the little boys
got up d feeble cheer, which was sup
pressed by their elders. If he had only
entered store, how they would have
crowded in after him and solaced them
selves in true rural fashion with
hearty hand-shake, but he kept right
on up the main street till he reached
the garden gate of the Walnut House,
where he was lost to the gaze of his adj
mirers.
A neat maid servant, all bushes and
giggles, received rim. Yes, Mrs. Besant
was at home-would he be pleased to