The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-03-18
A KITCHEN ROMANCE.
How PIN Made Della Say yes
to an Important Question.

Della was sitting ia her roclring-chair
In q corner of the kitchen, reading
aloud TO the other two girls Maggie
was mending "a stocking. and Bridget
was making dress out Of pieee/of
calico which Mrs. Randol had given
her Della had found Sir Charles
Grandson In the course of her clearing
M. and it amazed the two older girls
10 hear her excited intonations and
marvellous pronunciation, as II would
have amazed Mr.. Richardson himself.
Della was a nice-loolxing girl, and she
was intelligent; her choice Of books
being, as we have seen, faultless. The
other girls were older and stouter, but
they had not outgr0wn their taste for
romance, and they listened bravely TO
what they could understand.
A dark shadow appeared at the win
dow Della stopped reading long
enough osay: Its only Phil Crowley;
never mind him. and then continued.
Mr.. Crowley saw that he was discov-
cred, and entering the kitchen, took
chair with a nod of recognition 10 his
three hostesses, while Della went on.
And that win do for tonight she
said, at last putting the book down
with the consciousness that her audi
tors would like to hear more, but stop
ping because well, because she
pleased Delia was an autocrat
You might have expected the visitor
to begin conversation, but no, Phil
Crowley looked at Della in an admiring
way, but never opened his mouth. Mag
gle soon went OFF to bed; but Della per-
suaded Bridget to stay, Just to be
kind o. respectable she said; not that
Phil an me amt all right alone. /"
So Bridget sat at her work, growing
sleeper and sleepier, and there was
pause for awhile. Finally Phil spoke
in an earnest whisper, leaning forward
and looking hard at Della:
II come up tonight, Della. cause
well, cause | couldn't help II; an
might as well tell We all about IT Sure
can't sleep q nights for thinkin' Of We,
an think more 81 We than MI the
world, an am Eye think We can ever
care a bit for me. Delia2'
Della looked quickly round at Bridget,
who was doing over her work, and
then said: ,Aw, Phil. man, what's got
into ye? ! don't want to marry anyone,
an I'm sure it's not you that I'd take,
II I was to choose. Sure We must a
been out O. your head when We said
that Don't try romanticizin', for We
don't understand 1t. You're OFF, Well,
good night to yer
Phil was already at the door Good
night, Della, 2 said he. ~ wish We
pluasantur night an Il better sleep
than I'll have, bad luck to mel'' Then
he turned and went away. Della sat
down again and thought awhile, then
sns rose. Come on, bridget, it's bed
time, said she; and the two went up
stairs together.
Tho next evening Della and Phil
were to have gone to dance given by
the Westminster Boat club As night
came ON, Della wondered whether her
escort would make his appearance. In
the six o'clock mail she received the
following letter:
MISS McGoEIGLE: can't take you 10 the
Ball tonite, as have sumthin else on Hand.
AZ you Wos not very glad TO SEQ me last night,
mayby you don't care. r, CROWLEY
Della studied over this a good while.
1t took her a long time to master the
spelling, for, though her own was &C.
centric, It was very different from
Pills The meaning, too, puzzled her.
One thing was certain; It was not po-
lite. Miss McGoniHle, indeedi Some
thing else on handi Well, Mr.. Phil
should see that she could get ON with
out him
She knew girl in the next house,
who was going to the ball, and some
hours after receiving Phils letter she
called on this friend and they went to-
gether. They were a little late, so
that the ball was already begun; and =
oh, Shameful was Phil dancing
round in the happiest way with a little
girl with red hair. He did not take
any notice Of Della when she came In
TO the hall, and she pretended not to
look at him. Della was favorite, and
plenty Of young men danced with her;
but Phil was not one Of them. AS "a
the little girl with red hair, he danced
with her great many times. Every
one sang her praises, except Della,
who was unable to see anything at
tractiye about her.
After the dancing had gone on fol
several hours, Phil stepped up and
asked for dance. He was a good
dancer, but Della said she had q head
ache, and then danced with the mex
man who asked her. She was vexec
that Phil had not asked her before an6
she wanted to punish him. But Phi
would not be punished. He danced
and laughed in a very lively way, IS
pecially with his little red. hairee
friend, Miss sullivan, of Dublin, wh1
was certainly the belle of the evening
Della went home early with the cir
who had come with her She was OK
hausted and cross, and man chasee
them part Of the way. She went X
bed excited and tired, and one may
imagine, without being certain, thaj
Miss Sullivan, Of Dublin, PLAYED a con
siderable part in her dreams.
Three days went by IN which Deli;
cav no more Of Phil on the morning
Of the fourth she awoke with head
ache; but rose early ana WENT K
church. as she did every day, coming
home TO do her morning tasks Aftel
breakfast, when Mrs Randol was Civ
ing her orders to Bridget, Della hap
peped TO be downstairs Backing Mr.
Randols bo6ts. She came into tn.
kitchen just as Mrs; Randol was speak
ing.
So think we must have a man I,
tx the furnace. 1t IS too much for yol
andSMaggie, Do you know Of anyon,
whom we could have, Bridget? o