Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1891-01-01

hats. / saw who she was. rnougn 4
never met her. I don't want to meet
her." savagely; zone sees quite enough
of her in all the shop windows"
"One does" [ remarked, soto voce.
"She wanted hat the color of this
one; SO brought it out and showed it
to her, and told her the price. and ex-
planned why it was so expensive. oh,
l don't mind giving that for the hat.
she said; lit is we'll worth it. | am
quite in love with it, Nine. Destrier,
but daren't buy it without letting my
husband see it. He is so very particu-
lar about what l wear. Could l have
it sent round tonight for him to look
at? | would let you know some time
tomorrow whether [ would take it or
not Of course. | said | should be
glad to send it, and she gave me the
address. and the hat went round there
that evening. Last night she sent it
back, and said she was very sorry, but
Lord Loddington didn't think it suited
her. | thought it looked little tunl-
bled, but one has to run those risks
when one sends goods on approval.
She had determined to have that hat
just to wear for the one day. and she
was too mean to get it honestly"
''Of course, you'll have it out with
her-you'll expose her?n said.
[ was as angry and disguised as
Nina, who stood opposite me, with her
pretty eyes and cheeks flaming with
honest indignation.
MY dear boy. | would if / dared,
but | can't afford to. 1t would drive
half my customers away from me, and
/ must think of Hugo and Giles. They
don't cost much while they are such
TIMES, but l want to give them every
advantage. the darlings, and was left
so badly off, and the business is just
beginning to pay so well. | darent
run the risk of exposing Lady LODI
dington's meanness."
Il had forgotten your children. No,
I see it won't do. Trust me to give
her a mauvais quart d'heure. if l get
the chance"
Promise you'll be careful. Think
of the boys"
II won't injure the dear little chaps,
you best of mothers"
"Well, in that case. only hope
fortune may favor you"
Fortune did favor me at last, but she
kept me waiting till the autumn, like
the tickle lady she always is. My
chance came in this wise. My uncle
asked me up to his place in Scotland
for shooting, and / went. The old
gentleman is q very connoisseur of
beauty, and every pretty woman of
note is bound to be asked to =. sooner
or later. got there in time to dress
hurriedly. and appear in the drawing
room just as my uncle was telling
every one whom they were to take in.
| was introduced to some girl
haven't a notion who she was-but /
gave her my arm and took her down to
dinner murmuring commonplace on
the way. The truth is was half fam
ished with my journey, and my one
idea was dinner. 1t was not till l was
we'll on with the fish stage that looked
at my left-hand neighbor. 1t was Lady
Loddington herself.
Il haven't seen you since we met at
Ascot" she remarked pleasantly.
She certainly is Il most lovely woman,
by the way. [ stared blanklv, and she
went on, with an air of well-acted re-
proach:
Il believe you have forgotten we
ever met there"
Here was my chance; | seized it.
Forgotten! Why, | remember every
word you said, the color of your gown.
and even the very hat you wore; the
loveliest and most becoming hat ever
saw in my life
The compliment told.
Il don't believe you do, she pouted.
Upon my word do. 1t was sort
of big affair of amethyst velvet and
feathers to match. [ remember it with
double force, because | made Il cousin
of mine quite angry with the mere de-
scription of it. | don't know if you
have ever met her? She has gone into
millinery, like everybody else. She
calls herself Nine. Destrier."
[ looked Lady Loddinoton full in
the face, and laid peculiar emphasis
on the name.
never saw any one so thoroughly
caught in my life. | knew in a mo-
ment that she knew l knew, rs Punch
would put it. She turned perfectly
scarlet to the roots of her hair. and
then quite white, and didn't speak for
at least a moment. Then she pulled
herself together as only woman can,
and adroitly changed the subject.
But she has been monstrously civil
to me ever since. much to the surprise
of my friends. am plain and unin-
teresting; | am not a parsonage; |
haven't farthing-not even expecta-
tions-and they can't make out where
the attraction lies. They had better
ask Nine. Destrier of Oxford street to
enlighten m.-LOnd0n World.