People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1893-08-25
In IVORY AND BLACK.

a. HuNONiOh on uuCA pOCICu, 81 sur
prising that Eda Norris could not
answer it. She had been displaying
her birthday G fits to an old school
friend, reserving till the last the
present received from her betrothed,
when Nam e's sharp black eyes had
fallen upon it, and a brief, very brief
scrutiny evoked the above exclama-
ton.
81 do not know what You mean, -
said Eda, little stifiy, when the in
Quiry was repeated. II have not
seen Miss Mitohenson half a-dozen
times since | left school; my mother
did not wish me to keep up the &C.
quaintance.
And no wonder, for Polly is an
awful fiirt; makes herself notorious
with the number of her lovers. But
she is an attractive little thing, no
one can help | king her; and she was
always fond of you, Eda; that's why
she remembered your birthday"
"But she did not remember it,
was the response. Nor should |
have accepted a present from her if
she had The fan you are looking
at was given to me by Laurie. 1t is
very pretty, is it nOt?r
Very" said Mamie. picking it up
and laying it down again, with such
peculiar smile upon her face, that
provoked Eda to ask the cause.
''Why do you look at me so Oddly9
And what made you think this fan
had ever belonged to Polly Mitchen-
son? Laurie bought it for me at
Blanks, in Regent street; you can
see their name upon the box"
"Oh, yes. | know it came from
Blanks replied her friend, in the
same curt manner;and then she would
have launched into raptures over a
dainty little lady'S companion, if an
noyed Eda had not prevented it.
"a wish you would speak out plain
4y, Manic. What is it you know, or
fancy you know, about this FAM"
"My dear. | would not, for worlds,
make mischief between two fond
lovers, so don't catechise me. Iwish
HAD not recognized the thing. And.
after all, what matters? It was
Polly's. but it is yours; and it proves
that she is not as INSCRIPTIONS as
she is represented"
Explain yourself. am as much
IN the dark as ever" cried Eda, now
growing red and angry. What was
Polly MitchensOn to her, or, rather
to her intended husband, the clever
rising young fellow, of whose abill-
ties and affections she was so proud?
Nonsense, Eda; you know, and
everyone knows, it is reported that
she accepts everything that is offered
at her shrine, and never returns the
gifts of her votaries. A foolish
cousin of mine, who fancied she
meant to marry him, presented her
with a very valuable ring. She
almost broke his heart, and he went
abroad, but she still wears the ring.
Isn't it heartess of herr"
land do you mean to imply that
this fan was originally given to her
'by-iby Laurence Hayward? Re.
turned to him, and then presented to
me" queried Eda, very slowly.
Mamie hemmed, hesitated, and fin
ally said:
''Well, really,dear, it looks like it.
doesn't it?"
$40" was the passionate response
SIT is false! it is a cruel SANDER!
Laurie is incapable of such mean
ness. What! deliberately offer to
me, his promised wife. a gift that
had been bestowed on such girl as
Polly Mitchenson? [ never, never
will believe it
Eda burst into angry tears. and
Mamie ran for water and salts. and
did her best to soothe the weeper.
"Pray drink this, dear, and think
no more about my foolish revela.
lions. How could | be so silly!
Mother often says talk too fast, and
so do; but indeed and indeed
hadn't a thought of making mischief,
and | couldn't help recognizing the
fan. could |? You see it was always
in Poliy's hands at enc time, and she
never would say who gave it to her
though was very curious to know
because she made such a mystery o.
1t"
Eda sat for some minutes with he,
face buried in her handkerchief, ther
started up and dashed away hel
tears.
"You are a goose, Mamie. and an
a greater one for listening to you
OF course you are deceived by a fan
cied resemblance, There are plenty
of ivory and black ostrich feather
fans imported from China and japan
every year, and the one you saw il
that girls possession was, l daresay
broken aud spoiled long ago"
"Polly did break one Of the sticks,
Mamie admitted; "but she took it Il
Blanks, and'they mended it so neatly
that it was only by the m st careful
examination shat you could detect
the aaw."
Then here cried Eda, snatchine
up the pretty toy and unfurling it
'AeFe you havelarconvincing proof o.
-four mistake. Look for yourself and
acknowledge that you have done
laurie the greatest injustice"
,Rut aven as she snoka har colo,