The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-11-20
MALC0LWS IDEAL
by ANNA SHIELDS.

ShO uC toll, l)ou, buc H1uSC %
graceful as willow branch, with eyes
Of midnight darkness, classic features,
hsir like the ravens wing"
Bah, who was stirring cake, looked
up at the deep window-seat that
separated the old.fashioned kitchen from
the garden beyond. Seated there,
swinging one foot idly, sat Malcolm
Hoyt, describing the future Mrs. Malcolm
as she existed in his youthful imagina-
ton.
"Well'' Barbara said, presently, after
q glance from the tall boyish figure and
frank, handsome face. to a small mirror
that reiiccted hair Of FURNISHED bronze,
the true auburn, and numerous freckles.
"Well. Tall, dark, classicallv featured.
Any other perfectionsi'
accomplished, of course. She must
dance like sylph, sing like nightin-
gale, draw, play on the piauu--'
"Make cake" suggested Bah, vigor-
ously stirring her batter.
'Why, no-AIrs. Hoyt Will not need
to make cake, thiuk. Not but what
it is very jolly TO know how" he added
hastily, "but Mrs. Clark might resent
any invasion of her espe,ial depart
ment."
@"Yes. see, said Bah, dryly. ...You
cont want your wife to be a kitchen.
maid.
Malcolm blushed furiously; he was
not quite twenty-one, aud had not for
gotten how TO blush.
Il dou't mean that at all" he said,
ana then laughing heartily, added,
don't you think we are talking con-
siderable nonsense. Bab2"
II don't know" said Bah, slowly.
"Iou say your father wants you to mar
ry, and as you are in quest of wife,
YOU might as we'll have some idea of
what you would prefer"
''Just like choosing a necktie," said
Malcolm, Though think 1 should feel
more interest in tho necktie. By the
way, what is your ideal, Bab2"
~ haven't considered" said Bah,
bending her face low over the pan into
which she was pouring the cake.
Nonsense !'.said Malcolm.
Gas In girl ever lived to be eighteen
without an isssia isRssssiaIed Td the truth with .
Earring voice, and bright eyes, for she
said:
"My ideal doesn't sit on kitchen win
how-s!iis aud tnik nonsense, at any rate"
You don't know what he might do
under sufficient provccation," said Nal
ccim, teasingly. 81 have seen Steve
t;a!e look longingly at my perch within
the last ten minutes"
"Stephen Halew cried Bah, scorn.
fully, and lifted the pan to carry it to the
room beyond, where the FIRE was lighted
in summer.
Her heart was swelling with indigna.
flon. She was only a farmers daugh-
ter, she told herself, and Malcolm Hoyt
was heir to magnificent estate aud tor
tune, college bred, and could marry in
arlstocrstic circles. But to think she
could look at Stephen Hale, her fathers
"help." man who could not readl It
was insulting. little Barbara thought,
and she took an unreasonably long time
to adjust the cakepan on the oven bars,
and pile on fresh wood in the stove.
"Good-bye!" shouted CHEEKY voice,
presently. "Im off to the postofice,
but I'm coming to tea to cat some Of
that cake.
"l've great mind to scorch it.,
thought Bah, spitcfully. II would too,
If it wasn't fathers favorite.'
81 do believe she is fond of Steve
thought Malcolm, as he swung himself
into the saddle. "Shc blushed as red as
pcony when mentioned him. Isup.
pose il would be what my father calls O
suitable match, but she's thousand
times too good for him. Why, she's as
good Latin scholar as half our col.
lege fellows, and she sings so beauti-
fully, that it is a burning shame she has
had nothing but concertina to accom-
pany her voice" Then his reverie took
another turn, and he thought: IL won
der if father is i'll J"
1t was the nineteenth century, and
Malcolm was an only child, denied no
indulgence from his infancy, but he
never thought of his father as the "gov-
crnor" or the cold man" His mother
was Dut a memory, for when he was five
years old. her golden. haired beauty was
hidden under the daisies. He liked to
think his great, blue eyes and crisp,
mothers portrait, but imagination was
more potent than actual memory in lie.
calling her.
81 wonder if father really is ill" he
thought, jogging along slowly. "He
seems SO anxious to have me settled.
And that means married. lie seems to
think will weary Of dear old home, il I
have no family ties to bind me there"
And then fancy painted again that ex.
qustc, graceful and accomplished be.
ing he had cndeavored to describe to
Barbara. 1t vas odd that even with
this mental vision before him he thought
what home Bah would make of the
stately pile that was to be his inheri-
tance.
There Is not much that is home Like
about it now," he thinks, "for Mrs.
Clark is too ola 10 ius, m.ca, ana I'M