The morning call., 1891-12-21
A BASRFUL LOVER.
BY PHAN PHANTOM.

BY PHAN PHANTOM.
as there any one you love very particular
much, Miss Kate? l mean real up and
down, sure's you live and die love"
"Of course there is, you absurd little
manakin! There's my father; I'm rather
particular in my love for him; and as for
you, Jenny, I've only seen your curly head
within six weeks, and yet I'm half tempted
TO wait for you, laddie."
THANK you very much, Miss Kate, and
I'd be only too glad if I'd met you first; but
the fact is I've promised another girl, and [
'spect that it wouldn't be honorable to with
draw-leastways, that's what Aunt Jemima
reads to me out of her story-books; but
then | didn't mean fathers or kids like me,
but grown. bang-up fellows, like yourself"
Katy Raymonde gave a merry, ringing
laugh.
- give you my word of honor. Jenny,
I've never met a single man for whom l
would give a rush, and l don't think the
wicked little baby, who goes about with
bow and arrows, has ever tried his hand on
me-"
Don't know nothn about that kind o.
thing. but, anyhow, Pll tell him it's all
right"
"Nobody-that Is, l mean my grandfather
oh, no, don't either-hain't got anyl l
wasn't thinkin' nOhow. | guess I'm not
very strong in the intellec'."
Yes. you are. Jenny Bird, and l be-
lteve you are up 10 some mischief! Tell
me tile TRUTH now, little manakin-Quick"
Cant do it; he'd II me tell ale, and
aiu't-so there! only he told me to find
out and l didn't know how 'thout aSkin'
YOU"
WHO told you to fud out-and to find
out what Jemmy7"
"Mr. Warren Hastings-that is, I moan
my grandfathrr-'n thry-and he-and l,
| mean. just wanted 10 know for certain
sure if you were in love with any other fell
low"
Jenny Bird, look me straight in the
eyes, and il yen do not tell me the truth,
the whole truth and nothing but the truth,
I'll tell brownie TO sit on your bed-pOst
and pull your hair tonight"
on. dent, Mss Kate! l will wtIlV'
Very well. Now, Jenny, did your
grandfather tell you to find out if were in
iJve?"
'No, Mss Kate, honor bright"
'Nur your Aunt Jemima. Jemmy?"
mo. sure>s l live and die. and"
'Nor-nor-now be careful, Jenny Re-
member the brownie and how dTeadfuliy he
tweaks-nOr Nj. UaStngs?"
oh dear! l just knew I'd tell, did
But / know the brownie'd have it out o.
me-, anyhow. Yes, Miss Kate. he told me to
Gt.d out some way; not by sskln' the queS-
lion out n out, he said, but by beatin'
round the bush; but he didn't give me
noihin' to beat with, an l reckon he wont
care if you don't let on that told. You
wont, Will you?
NO, indeed Jenny dearl And you're a
nice, truthful little boy. Here's some candy
for YOU. What more did Mr.. Hastings say?'
oh, all sorts o things! He asked me to
come up to his room and told me TO sit down
on = cnalT, an he sat on another, an then
he laughed an said he loved a splendid
magnificent girl, but she was as tar away
from him as-as mar was from the earth,
he said, although | know his mar lives at
nome, for he tod me 50 one day-but he was
too ba,h.ul to tell her SO. He said he loved
her a thousand million times better'n any
other fellow ever loved girl, and bought
her something pretty every time he went TO
the city, bat lie couldn't get up courage to
offer them to Ter thanks. Miss Kate. these
caramels is uncommon nice-iust dozen or
so. please-an' then-an' then"
Yes, Jenny, dear, and then"
"Oh! he opened big borx an showed
me such heap o thingsl a borX O. kid
gloves. all coiorS, a case of fumery (he
called III, in four bottles all over crinkle an
gOld-Oh, such a lot! A beautiful fan that
opened and shut like a Gordon, an was all
over funny business on both sides an swan
feathers on the top; little watch that he
said came from Genevy an was all blue an
shiny, with a row OF little stones around the
blue; twas just hig enough for a kid like
me, an Ito d him I'd look up the girl an tell
her all about ii If he'd give it to me-: but he
laughed an put it back in the borx, an
then-oh, yes! he took out little borx au'
showed me a ring, the beautifulest you ever
DID see, an lie said 1t was worth all the rest
put together. 1t had three stones, just like,
for all the world, as if they were sparks of
fire. an he said lie meant to put il on that
pIrPS fin yar I aVl ha m oil
her an she would let him. l told him what
| said to Mary Jane when asked her, an he
laughed, an said If I'd find ont if you loved
any one he'd give NE bright new So gold
piece / asked him what he wanted to
know for, an he said, oh, nothin', only the
girl he was in love with was somethin' like
You, an he'd have more courage if you we're
-fancfee, | believe he sald an told him
that was just like my Mary Jane, an if l
got the flyer was going. to set up house
keeping with her right off; so | came right
down and he is waiting in his room for
me-"
Yes, Jenny, boy take some more candy
"a whole handful, dear. And what more
did Mr.. Hastings say"
ION, he talked an read some verses, an
said he had plenty of money, but that no
one loved him cause he was so bashful, an
if he could not get his girl to marry him he'd
go hang himself, leas'ways he said he'd do
susanslde' an that's hangin', amt it, Miss
Kate ?"
Certainly, dear; but didn't you ask him
the name of this charming maiden?"
"Yes'm; he said her initials were Z. R.,
but he wouldn't tell any more"
Are you sure, Jenny. that he didn't say
another single thing about her?"
yes, Miss Kate-Oh, | forgot, though!
He said ner eyes were almost as big an
every bit as blue as my alley that he gave
me, an her hair as yellow an shiny as the
new gold piece he would give me- an her
cheeks as rosy an beautiful as the peaches
on his table-and then lie gave me two of
the splendidest, bouncing fellOws-an' the
cunningest little hands an feet that ever
was; an | asked him how he knew about
her feet, an he said he saw her footprints
on the garden walk. an he bent down an
measured them. | asked him when she was
here, an he laughed an said, oh, once upon
a time, an then he held up the fiVe-dollar
gold piece and said, Remember Jenny,
whenever you find out about Miss Raymonde
you shall have it."
well, Jenny you're a good, truthful lit
tie boy, and l loye you dearly; take the rest
of the box. dear-no, l do not want it. But
now, REM mber what | say, tell Mr.. Has
tings that 've never been in love In ali nv
life lat least, until now, JENNY, but you
need only tell Mr. Tasting the first, there's
q dear; 90 quick, Jenny, and do not forget
WORD he says"
'No, deed wont, Miss Kate!''
CHAPTER II.
A beautiful, wide old farmhouse among
the Berkshire Hills. Aunt Jemima and her