The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-09-09

into it. bat so close to it that we lSr| Z
it would be dreadfully spattered.
Nell was in the middle of sente,
but she broke down fatty with:
-that-a-" she repeated. absent D
"So-that-a--' mimicked Tom.
which laughed, weakly and helplessY h
Nell gave him-both of us, in factl
furious glance, and returned to her
charge.
All this time Mr.. Everett had be-
haved admirably. He must have OBJ
served our hysterical nervousness, but
presume he attributed it to the dire
confusion and disorder of our surround
ings.
When he arose to take his departure
Nell put her kerchief TO her lips with a
shameless pretense at coughing-she.
who had the strongest lungs in the
family,-and said rapidly: For Heav-
ems sake, Kate, pick up his hat and
wipe the chocolate off before he sees
it" Then louder: 81 am so sorry we
did not know you were coming, so we
could have made your visit pleasanter. !"
by jingo," said Tom, making dash
for the cubby-hole. THAT reminds
me Id better be getting his coat before
he investigates and finds it between the
potatoes and the coal-oil can! My,~
he CALCULATED, shifting exaggeratedly,
as he returned with it., 1T smells Of
coal oil-'
by the way" said Mr.. Everett
turning to me kindly, here is letter
for you from my brother, which I
should have given you before. / shall
tell him how greatly | enjoyed my
call" And as he bowed himself out
there dawned upon his face a slow
smile of such intense and uncontrol-
liable amusement that it made me feel
as if an icy hand was clutching my
heart We all stood transfxed until
we heard the door close behind him.
Then
His brother" exclaimed Nell. in a
low, terrible tone. "Wreched girl!
Who is his brother?"
II don't know" falterel, almost in
tears, tearing open the letter.
Ten to one" said Ton, strutting
around with his thumbs il his button
holes, ''it's proposal of marriage"
''Or hundred-dollar eleck for that
last story" said Mel, laughing
nervously.
They came behind nR and looked
over my shoulder, all realing together.
1t was not q proposal of marriage, but
it was a check-an efftctual one--to
our spirits.
MY DEAR MISS ORNE: WEAVE long desired
to make your acquaintance AID as one of us
must go to your town on business shall let my
brother have that pleasure, d,nying myself be-
cause l am so deaf-as l hap told you-that
you would find conversation with me en-
barrassing My brother is sc fortunate to en-.
JOY perfect hearing. 1 am sure you will like
him, although believe l have never mentioned
him to YOU He is associate ,ditor OF the Re-
view. am
Yours very sincerely.
HUH A. EVERETT.
For a moment that seemed a wear
there was deadly silencs. Then l be-
gan to sob childishly, end NELL re-
greet to be compelled u tell it-Nell
went into regular Mysteries of mirth,
and laughed and cried alternately.
NOT uiu sne entlrely recover for weeks,
but would 60 into commissions of merri-
ment at the mere remembrance of that
evening. Tom neither laughed nor
cried. He just sat down on
the edge of the organ stool and
twisted his faint presentment of
and swung his long legs to
and fro and reflected. When his
thoughts had had time to travel down
to the bag of potatoes and the coal oil
can, l imagine he concluded that he
could reflect more clearly if alone. for
he arose silently and stole into the
store. nor did SO much as murmur
emerge from him during the remainder
of the evening. 1t was the first and
last time in my life that ever saw
Tom completely squelched. Ella Hig-
ginson, in Ladies' Home Journal.