Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1893-03-02
A KITCHEN ROMANCE.
How Phil Made Doha Say ayes"
to an Important Question.

was making dress out Of piece OF |
calico which Mrs. Rundol had given |
her Dclia had found Sir Charles |
Grandson In the course OF her clearing |
up, and 1t amazed the two older girls
to hear her excited intonations and
marvellous pronunciation. us Il would
have amazed Mr.. Richardson himself.
Della was a nicc-lOoking girl, and she
was intelligent; her choice OF books
being, as we have seen, taultless The
other girls were older and stouter, but
they had not outgrown their taste for
romance, and they listened bravely 10
what they could understand.
A dark shadow appeared At the win
dow. Della stopped reading long
enough to say; Its only Phil Crowley;
never mind him." and then continued.
MIR. Crowley saw that he was discov-
cred, and entering the kitchen, took a
chair with u nod OF recognition to his
three hostesses, while Della went on.
And that will do for tonight" she
said, at last, putting tho book down
with the consciousness that her audi
tors would like to hear more, but stop
ping because - we'll. because she
pleased Della was an autocrat
You might have expected the visitor
TO begin u conversation, but no, Phil
Crowley looked ut Della in an admlring
way, but never opened his mouth. Mag
gio soon went or to bed; but Della per-
suaded Bridget to stay, Just to be
kind o. respectable" she said mot that
Phil an me amt oil right alone"
SO Bridget sat at her work, growing
sleeper and slecpier, and there WINS u
pause for awhile. Finally Phil spoke
in an earnest whisper, leaning forward
aud looking hard at Delia;
81 come up tonight, Della, 'cnuse---
well, cause | couldn't help II; an l
might ns we'll tell We all about It, Sure
can't sleep o. nights for thinkin' OF yc,
an think more of ye than all the
world, au'-an'-d'ye think 20 can ever
care u bit for me. Dclia2"
Della looked quickly round Mt Bridget,
who was doing over her work, aud
then said; Jaw, Phil, man, what's got
into YEP don't want to marry anyone,
an I'm sure It's not you that I'd take.
II ] was to choose. Sure ye must "a
been out o. your head when ye said
that Don't try romnnticisin', for yo
don't understand IT, You're one Well,
good night to yer
Phil WIS already at the door Good
night Dllia," said he. III wish 70 n
pleasnnter night an better sleep
than I'll have, bad luck to mel" Then
he turned and went away. Della sat
down again md thought awhile, then
she rose. "Come on, Bridget, it's bod
time" said she; and the two went up
stairs together
The next evening Della and Phil
were 10 have gone 10 u dance given by
the Westminster Boat club. As nigh,
came on, Della wondered whether her
cscort would make his appearance. In
tho six o'clock mail she received the
following letter:
"MIss MoGosICLR; can't taito you to IN,
= Dali tonlte, as l have Humthin elso on Hand
l IA you Wos not very glad 10 500 me last night
r mayby you don't care 4. CROWLEY"
3 Della studied over this good while
4. II took her long time to master thu
1 spelling, for, though her own was &C
4 centric, II was very different from
I Pills The meaning, too, puzzled hcr
One thing was certain; II was not 20
lite. Miss McGoniGlc. indeedl Some
thing else on handl Well, Mr.. Phi
! should see that she could get on with
> out him.
She knew n girl IN the next house
who was going TO tho ball. and som,
, hours after receiving Phil's letter sh,
!, called on this friend and they went to
: gcthcr. They were little late, "
! that the ball was already begun; and
, oh. shumcful-thcrc was Phil dancing
: round In the hlppiest way with it'll,
girl with red hair. He did not talk,
any notice OF Della when sho came In
TO the hall, and she pretended not L
look Mt him. Della was n favorite, aut
plenty Of young men danced with her
but Ihil wns not one OF them. As u
y !, the little girl with red hair, he dnncec
with her great many timeA Every
. ono sang her praises, except Della
.. who WINS unable to see anything ut
= tractive about her.
After the dancing had gone on FOL
several hours, Phil stepped up anC
asked for n dance. lie was gooC
dancer, but Della said she had head
ache. and then danced with the mex
man who asked her. She was vexeC
thut Phil ha not asltcd her before anC
y she wanted To punish him. But Phi
= would not be punished. lie danced
and laughed In very lively way, es
pecially with his little red haired
friend, Miss Sullivan, OF Dublin, win
was certainly the belle OF tho evening
Della went home early with the CIR
who had come with her. She was ex
! buusted and cross, and u man chase,
i them part OF the way. She went Il
bed excited and tired, and one ma,
= imagine. without being certain. tina
= Miss Sullivan, Of Dublin, played con
/ siderable part In her dreama
Three days went by In which Deli
3, saw no more OF Phil. On the morning.
= OF the fourth she awolte with head
y ache; but rose early and went u
church, us she did every day, COMM
a home 10 do her morning tasks Ate
u breakfast, when Mrs. Randol was Civ
v ing her orders TO Bridget Della hap
pened to be downstairs backing MI
"A Rnndols boots. She came into tn
- kitchen Just as Mrs. Randol was speak
y ing
n 80 think we must have a man /
fix the furnace. II Is too much for yo
d and Maggie. DO you know Of Anyon
r. whom we could have, Bridget2 {
o Della, don't you know OF anyone2"
= Della reflected. There's a person
know" sho said, who's an homes
/. straightforward sort - man. Hes
. little STUPID, bnt think he'd do II vel