The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-12-16
WANTED: A SENSATION.

sensation like other people The
theatres are full of sensations and SO
are books, but am exactly like one Of
Howells's heroines; I do nothing but
eat and tie my bonnet-strings, varied
by buttoning my gloves of course one
must wear gloves"
Miss Blenkinsop was speaking to
dearest and "Dearest" was Sophia
Higginbothem. She and Miss Blenkin-
sop were coming home from the mat
inee one foggy afternoon.
Dear, if had your bonbons and
your check-book and your roses
wouldn't be signing for sensation, -
Sophia answered.
All the same get desperately tired
of il. It's just what mamma did and
! grandmamma did, and shall have to
do for ever and ever, suppose. The
heroine in the play this afternoon had o
perfect plethora of novelty. OF course,
L don't want ridiculous things to hap
pen, but oh, for something besides An
stey Beverley's bouquets, and having to
decide what dress to wear"
The two girls had reached the steps
of the Jacquerie, an uptown family
hotel, deservedly popular in San Fran
cisco and somewhat informal. Here it
was that Miss Blenkinsop had come
when she bid mamma and papa good by.
They had sailed for the continent with
her invalid elder sister, and SO the big
house on California street was darkened
and shut up.
Dearest could not be prevailed upon
to enter, so they stood talking for O
moment. Then Miss Blenkinsop, with
her unfailing regard for the convention
alites, thinking they ought either to
come in or pass on, stopped and kissed
Sophia ever so lightly on the cheek with
that graceful, inoffensive and positive
hint that she knew how to give to per-
lection, and turned in at the doorway.
Then the weary look settled down upon
her face and the tired stroll, so habitual
with her, took the place of the unusual
animation she had shown moment be-
FORE
In the idiomatic dialect of to-day,
Miss Blenkinsop was thoroughbred. i"
Miss Blenkinsop never dreamed every
one was envying her her money and her
lot in life. She supposed people had
everything they wanted anyway. If
they hadn't, why didn't they get it some
how She was tall, with clean length
of limb, low sweep of bust, long lines
to her back and a quiet dignity of car.
riage. Her features had that aristocrat-
ically pinched look which is the envy of
the composite American girl, and her
small, well-shaped head was set like O
racing filly's. The noiseless fall of her
skirts, the dull old colors that she wore,
the unpretentious yet faultless fit" of
her clothes were all characteristic of
her Mrs. Morgenstern had called her
hand "clawy," but then Mrs. Morgen-
stern's own were pudgy and broad
the trade hand-and were covered all
over with sparkling rings for breakfast,
and Mrs. Morgenstern dressed in green
and yellow, like an omelet garnished
with parsley.
Miss Blenkinsop stopped at the desk
in the lobby of the Jacquerie and
asked, with her inimitable and slightly
drawling accent: ''Is there any mail
for me, Timothy?" ''No. ma'am, an
swered Timothy. And there was about
this brief dialogue something of the
red l-tapiness that there is about court
presentation.
eff any comes for me kindly bring it
to my room," and Miss Blenkinsop
lowered her tired eyes and passed on.
She had reached her room, when she
noticed to her surprise that her door
was partly open. The key, too, was in
the lock and Miss Blenkinsop was posi-
tive that she carried the key in her own
pocket 1t was just possible that the
chambermaid was there, but the rooms
should always be in order by 10 O'Clock
or half an hour after she was dressed
and had left them, and it was late in
the afternoon.
Miss Blenkinsop's step was naturally
ooiseless, for the pile of the Jacquerie
carpets was deep and soft. She ad-
Vanced slowly at first, without any
,hought of cautiousness. Then Miss
Blenkinsop suddenly stood perfectly
still upon the doorsill as her astonished
eyes saw Chinaman stopping over a
drawer in her dressing-table. There
were- the brass buttons, the loops of
braid. the dark blue blouse with its
iabyrinthine pockets, so convenient for
. thief, and the long, sinuous sweep oi
igtail.
1t did not take Miss Blenkinsop long
% make up her mind. She felt in
some way that there was judgment on
ner for having given way to that con.
traband thing, desire for sensation.
Bitterly would she have cursed her
folly, except that she was not a bitter or
IL cursing person. She was only aware
Of distinct repulsion for what was in
store for her.
She had vague idea if she sprung
70 the door and shut it suddenly, vic.
iently, the thief would get up the chin.
ney or let himself out of the window,
rs the robbers did in plays, and if she
lid it at all she wanted to do il we'll.
If she called for help out of this most
lisagreeable of situations he wou Id
shoot down the tangle of halls and va
: sh before she could be answered, and
what was infinitely worse than all, il
she gave the alarm she might have to
go into the police court. 1t was melo-
, dramatic and horrid.
All at once Miss Blenkinsop made ur
her mind. She had never "crept
stealthily' before in her life, she had
never amhushed anybody, she had
never done conspicuous or dreadful
.hinrs. but she must do this.