The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-05-08

was staggered by this; I had not ex-
pected him to be indirect. laid down my
fork and looked at him with mock agita-
tion. "Oh, be explicitp' cried. "Do not
fear! let me encourage youp'
A slight smile flickered round his lips
for moment Then his face grew grave
and he said in a low tone, "Heavens! how
beautiful your eyes are!"
Twas caught. blushed-faltered- had
to surrender. 1 laughed till I blushed
again for laughing, and then laughed for
I blushing again.
After this our Irritation had to stop al
together or take more really serious turn.
| shall leave the reader to imagine upon
which course we decided. I am very glad
that Mr.. Temple was not mischievous, for
might easily have been induced to dis
grace myself. He was sufficiently to blame
for making me flirt with him as wildly as
/ did-though, after all, it made very little
difference, for every girl at the table was
almost as excited as was myself. When
the crackers were being pulled I looked
round again-my first general glance since
the beginning of dinner Everybody was
talking at once: private raids were being
made upon the dishes of fruits and sweet
meats-a candle fell down in front of Mr.
Boullter, who picked it up, righted it and
quietly fixed it upon the plate of the girl
next to him, whereupon the man on the
other side of her blew it out, the girl her.
self laughing and expostulating with both
of them,
But now, much to my disgust, Mrs,
Hathorne rose to lead us girls from the
room. followed her with sigh. which
Mr.. Temple, in choking tones, Immediately
declared he echoed. He had previously,
during the course of the dinner, much de-
piored the custom which made men remain
at table after the women went to the par
lor, but declared that he had not the moral
courage to break through it. As we edged
slowly toward the door offered him an
other rose from my basket If he would 40.
company me to the parlor ON this occasion,
but he said that he wouldn't dare to offend
the other men and that his doctor had ord
cred him to smoke 'ffor cruel nervous dis
ease" / came very near telling him that
wished could stay with him; and, indeed,
did wish to do so most violently, this de-.
sire being much stronger than the conflict.
ing desire to go and talk it over with the
girls, for | knew fairly we'll what they
would say, and positively ached to hear
the male comments on the dinner, and l
bad feeling that I should like to try q
cigarette.
When the girls got together again In the
parlor there was buzz of "my dears," but
after minute or two we began to adjust
ribbons and laceS and to commend each
others appearance. This necessary duty
being over, we began once more to talk
oyer our fellow men, Olive Creme broke
away from little knot of girls and pushed
toward me. ssGirls,n she cried out, ssdid
you ever see anything so barefaced as
Ethels flirting?" Several of my friends
made group about me, and for moment
or two ! was target for all manner of ac-
cusations till | was able to restrain my
choking laughter and Fetaliate in kind
Milly Mortmain caused much excitement
by declaring that she had extracted from
an anonymous man at the dancing class
the night before an opinion about every
girl in society; but as, when she was met
by the immediate question, "Oh, MillyI
what did he say about me?" she vowed
that she was bound to secrecy, it was gen
orally allowed that she was endeavoring to
hoax us, for of course no girl would hesi-
tate to break such promise as that.
BY the time we had finished our coffee
know was quite ready for the men to
join us, and fancy that most of the girls
1eiG as uld; but we were forced to wait
for some time, while every now and then
we heard the most tantalizing bursts of
laughter from below At last they ap-
peared, Mr., Tample leading the way. /
expected him to make for my side, but it
seemed understood that the men were to
talk no more to their partners at the table,
but were to devote themselves to other
girls. Just as l began to fancy that Bran
Boullter was looking in my direction.
tall, distinguished looking man who had
been presented to me before dinner, and
whom had some difficulty in remember
ing as Mr.. Middleton Hall, came up to me.
He bowed with grave elegance of man.
nef, and began at once, not q little to mY
surprise, to speak to me of my father,
whom he said he remembered with feelings
Of great respect and gratitude. He ex-
planned to me the reason; it was only, I
think, that about the time when he was
admitted to the bar he made great blum
der through which very important case
in which my father was interested was
nearly lost, and that my father instead Of
being very angry, treated him with much
Kindness and patience. confess that this
conversation Of MIR. Hall Jared on ma,
Inc tonic NroQ or1ifa nj uorsowoo ..stf. =.