Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-12-04
TWAS ALL A JOKE.

4
urday night, and so do not disappoint her
| Your loving aunt. JESSIE.
Lois Langford held this open letter
in her small, fair hand and read il
| over and over before showing 1t to he,
brother. Then, unable to answer Il
herself. she went into an adjoining
room, where a young man sat paint
ing.
lie looked up as she entered and
laying aside his brushes, smiled anG
said:
Something you want LoisP Aha
letter"
Yes, she answered, handing 1t to
him: Il wonder If l ought to CO."
The young man read it over, then,
turning to his sister. said quickly:
Yes Lois go and enjoy yourself.
declare you are looking ghostly OF
late" Then turning to his work, Lois
sat down to read her letter again.
'Saturday-do you think you can
spare me- Tomp Oh. how lonesome it
will be for YOU" she said rising and
standing behind his chair.
He looked up at her and smiled
kindly. Never mind me, sis I shall
have my work to keep me busy. I
have a great deal to do now, SO per-
haps when you return i will be a rich
man."
Oh Tom. it seems hard for me to
be enjoying myself and you working
SO hard. Yes I'll 60" and she left
the room.
1t was Friday night and on the
morrow Lois was to start on her
journey. She and her brother sat to-
gether In the little parlor she finish
ing some sewing and he looking over
some papers and orders. After few
minutes he drew out cabinet photo
graph. handing it to his sister, said
laughingly:
Here Lois, is something for you
to treasure.
She took it and blushed. It was a
photograph of young man whose
dark laughing eyes peered up into
her own and whose smiling face caused
her to blush.
"Oh. Tom. this is the copy you
were painting from! Did you finish
the paintingP"
Yes. ] sent it to him to-day. /
should have liked it better if he had
come and sat for the picture. don't
like to copy photographs. However,
| think l did it we'll"
ut seems a hard face to paint. Was
1t, Tomp" she asked, holding the pho
tograph at distance.
mo, notvery. 1t seems to me Lois
that you admire that face very much.
! wish you could see the original"
So do /" she answered. quickly.
'Did you ever see him?"
No, / never did. Better take the
picture with you and play the part of
the prince in Cinderella'-find the
original" and Tom laughed merrily,
as Lois blushed again.
May have it TomP / must con-
fess like this face. 1t always cheers
me. I'll take 1t with me- and II should
get lonesome and cross I'll just take a
peep at this picture, and giving her
brother a mischievous look she con-
tinued her work.
',All right take it. 1t is of no other
use. l suppose you will meet the new
professor out there. l heard Cousin
Rose speak about young professor
and not waiting for reply. he went
to his room, while Lois sewed on until
midnight.
so you have come dear. Oh.
what splendid times we will have. /
was afraid that you'd disappoint me"
and two girls embraced each other
affectlonately.
Lois Langford surveyed her cousin
with much interest. and what she saw
was slim, girlish figure wrapped in
furs, u small baby face and pair of
large black eyes looking up into her
own. and Rose Thorn admired her
cousin also.
Come, the sleigh is waiting over
here, said Rose, taking her cousins
arm. and they were soon on their way
home.
Il wish the professor were here"
said Rose one evening as she and Lois
sat alone by the glowing fire in the
drawing-room.
I'VE should not be so quiet / fear"
Lois looked inquisitive.
Professor Stone | mean. He is
away now-in New York, l believe.
Perhaps you have met him?"
Lois shook her head.
4 will tell you som ething if you
choose to listen"
Lois did choose to listen and soon
learned that Professor Stone was her
cousins lover, and that they were soon
to be married.
You will meet him, dear. He is
TO be back this week, l believe
Lois would be pleased to meet him.
Have you a lover, Loisp" asked
Rose; and Lois blushed and smiled.
mot a real ver-but-but-yes
! have. l will show you his picture"
and smiling and blushing. she ran to
her room to find the unknown photo
graph. The handsome eyes once more
looked into her face and seemed to be
with her.
She hurried down to show IL to Rose
her pretty face flushed with excitement
What fun it would be to tell her and
make her believe that this handsome
man was her lover Here is his
picture" she said proudly, as she
handed it to her cousin.
Rose took the photograph. and,
holding it down where the light of the
fire fell full upon it, she looked once
hen grew deathly pale.