Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1893-06-22

too
''Then You refnse?"
81 am afraid that cannot interfere -
Tho doctor was very angry. "Very
hell, madam" said he. "In that case
,an only soy that have tho honor t
wish you very good morning" He
raised his broad straw hat and strobe
away up the gravel path while the widow
looked after him with twinkling eyes.
She was surprised herself to find that
she liked the doctor better the moro
masculine and aggressive he became. 1t
was unreasonable and against all prin-
ciple, and yet 30 twas. and no argument
could mend the matter.
Very hot and angry tho doctor retired
Into his room and sat down to read his
paper, Ida had retired, and the distant
walls Of her bugle showed that she was
up stairs in her boudoir. Clara sat oppo-
site to him with her exasperating charts
and her blue book. The doctor glanced
at her, and his eyes remained fixed in as
tonishment upon the front of her skirt.
"My dear Clara" he cried, "you have
torn your slirtp
His daughter laughed and smoothed
out her frock. To his horror he saw the
red plush Of the chair where the dress
ought to have been.
"It Is all torn" he cried. What have
you done?"
"My dear papa" said she, what do you
know aboutthe mysteries of ladies' dress?
This is divided skirt"
Then he saw that it was indeed 80 ar
ranged, and that his daughter was clad
in a sort of loose, extremely long knick-
erbockers.
sit will be so convenient for my sea
boots," she explained.
Her father shook his head sadly. "Your
dear mother would not have liked it,
Clara" said he.
For o moment the conspiracy was
upon the point of collapsing. There was
something in the gentleness of his re-
buke and in his appeal to her mother
which brought the tears to her eyes, and
in another instant she would have been
kneeling beside him with everything
confessed, when the door flew open and
her sister Ida came bounding into the
room. She wore short gray skirt, like
that of Mrs. Westmacott. and she held
it up in each hand and danced about
among the furniture.
81 feel quite the Gaiety girlp' she
cried. GLOW d.licious II mnst he to he
upon the starel You can't think how
nice this dress is. mana. One feels so free
in it. And isn't Clara char,ning?"
$50 to your roomthis instant and take
it Off thundered the doctor 81 call II
highly improper. and no daughter of
mine shall wear it."
"Papal Improperl Why it is the ex-
act model of Mrs. Westmacott's.
81 saw II is imnroner And yours also
Clara. Your conduct is really outra-
geous. You drive me ont Of the house
/ am going to my club in town. l have
no comfort or peace of mind in nv own
house. | will stand il no longer. / may
be late tonight. I shall 90 TO the British
medical meeting. But when | return
shall hope to find that YOU have recon-
sidered your conduct. and that YOU have
shaken yourself clear of the pernicious
influences which have recently made
such an alteration in your conduct.n He
seized his h. t, slammed the dining room
door. and few minutes later they heard
the crash of the big front gate.
"Victory, Clara, victorylo cried Ida.
still pirouotting around the furniture.
seDid YOU hear what he said? Pernicious
influencesl Don't you understand. Clara?
WHY do YOU sit there SO pale and glum?
WHY don't YOU get up and dancer
"Oh. l shall be SO glad when it Is over.
Ida. 1 do hate to give him pain. Surely
he has learned now that it is yery mn
pleasant to spend ones life with reform
ers.n
ale has almost learned it. Clara.
inst one more little lesson. We must
not risk all at this last moment"
eWhat would YOU do, Ida? Oh. don't
do ANYTHING too dreadful. feel that we
have gone too far already"
mOh. we can do it yery nicely, You
see we are both engaged. and that makes
II very easy. Harold will do what YOU
ask him. especially as YOU have told him
tbe reason why. and nv Charles will do
II without even wanting to know the