The Red Cloud chief., 1892-09-09
into it, but so close to IT that we knew

into it, but so close to IL that we knew
1t would be drcadfullv spattered.
Nell was in the middle of n sentence,
but she broke down fatty with: $50
-thnt-a-' she repeated. ubsently.
"So-that-a--" mimickcd Tom, at
which laughed, weakly and hclplcssly.
Nell gave him-both of us, in fact-a
furious glance, and returned To her
charge.
All this time Mr.. Everett had be-
havcd admirably. lie must have 6b-
served our historical nervousness, but
] presume lie attributed 1t 60 the dire
confusion aud disorder of ouv surround
ings.
When he arose to take his departure
Nell put her kerchicf to her lips with %
shameless prctensc ut c~oUghing-shc,
who had the strongest lungs in tho
family,-and said. rapidly: "l'or Heav-
ems sake, Kate, pick up his hat and
wipe the chocolate off before he sees
It," Then louder: II am 80 sorry we
did not know you were coming, SO we
could have made your visit ~plcasantcr."
"liy jingo,' said Tom. making a dash
for the cnbby-holc. "4hat refunds
me I'd better he getting his coat before
he investigates and finds IL between tho
potatoes and the coal-oil can! My!"
he ejaculatcd, shifting cSaggcratcdly,
as he returned with it., lit smells Of
coal.oil," 81
by the way" said Mr.. Everett,
turning TO me kindly. ''herc is II letter
for you from my brother, which I
should have given you before. ] shall
tell him how greatly /, cnioycd my
call" And as he bowed himself out
there dawncd upon his face a slow
smile of such intense and u~ncontrol-
liable amusement that IL made me feel
as IL an icy hand was clutching my
heart. We all stood ~transfxcd until
we heard the door close behind him.
Then
Ellis BROTHER exclaimed Nell, in a
low, terrible tone. : ''Wrctshcd grill
Who Is his brother?"
~ don't know" faltcrcd, almost in
tears, tearing open the letter.
Ten to one" said Tom, strutting
around with his thumbs in his button.
holes, its IA proposal of marriage"
''0r a hundrcd-dollar check for that
last story" said Nell, laughing
%ncrvously.
They came behind me and looked
over my shoulder, all reading together.
1t was not a proposal of marriage, but
it was u chcck-un efEcctual one--to
our spirits.
MY DEAR Miss oRSg: We have long desired
10 make your acquaintance. ind, ns one OF us
| must VD 10 NDur tOMn On huslQpSSI glAn lat nj
brother have that pleasure, denying myself be.
cause l am SO deaf-.s 1 have told you-thnt
YOU would lind conversation with mo cm.
barrassing. Ny brother Is so fortunate TO en-
Joy perfect hearing. ! am sure you will like
him, although l believe ] have never mentioned
him TO you. He Is associate editor OF the Rc-
view. an
Yours very sincerely.
HUon A. EvERETr.
For n moment that seemed a year
there was deadly silence. Then I be.
gan to sob childishly. and NELL re.
greet to be compelled to tell it-Ncll
went into regular Mysteries of mirth,
and laughed and cried alternately.
Nor did she entirely recover for weeks.
but would go into commissions of merri.
ment at the mere remembrance of that
evening. Tom neither laughed mol
cried. He just sat down ~
the edge of the organ stool and
twisted his faint %presentmcnt Of a
mustachc and swung his long legs tc
and fro and reflected. When his
thoughts had had time to travel dowr
to the bag of potatoes and the coal oil
can, ! Imagine he concluded that he
could reflect more clearly IL alone, fol-
he arose silently and stole into the
store, nor did so much as a murmui
emerge from him during the remainder
of the evening. II was the first and
last time in my life that / ever saw
Tom completely squelched. Ella Hig
ginson, in Ladies' Home journal.