The National tribune., 1893-06-29

| trouble of ack acknowledging Mr.. Redmond's polite
| ness in the matter. Would you or papa have
| time to drop kim a note of thanks, or shall
| write to cousin Mildred?"
| oh" said Mrs. Middleton, perhaps you'd
| better write yourself, dear"
| She felt that this was mastery strske of
motherly sagacity. 1t would show her daugh-
| ter that her father and mother invested her
with the fullest confidence, and trusted to her
| good sense and maidenly modesty not to do
anything that would entangle her in any ro-
| mantle love affair.
| "And," she added, with little burst of
| motherly generosity, just as Irene was proceed
ing to her task. "since Dir. Redmond has proved
himself so polite and gentiemanly, there
| would be nothing out of the way in your say
| ing to him that we shall be glad to have him
| call If he chances to be in town.
| "Of course he won't take the trouble to do
so, or to write again, and that will end 1t, she
| thought to herself.
| But he did write again. And Evaline's eye
had a quizzcal look in it as she handed this
| second letter over to her sister.
1t is surely beginning to get interesting"
| said this romantic little dreamer to herself
| But thought the girls always looked agiiated
] when the names of young gentlemen about
whom they were thinking were mentioned.
And / thought they always kept the letters.
| even when they were only about business, and
| tied them up in blue ribbons and laid them
| away in their drawers and cherished them IN
| til they were yellow with age. That's the way
| mean to do with mine"
But the Imaginative Evaliue had reason to
| be very much disappointed and ashamed at the
cool, matter of-fact way in which her sister re-
| ceved this second missive within a month,
| giving her almost the identical message to con-
| vey to her mother that she had before.
| but / notice that she takes it up to her
room first TO read" commented the sly puss to
herself. Maybe there's another letter inside
for her. It's so thin, though, there coulda't be
| very much"
| Suddenly Irene turned in the hallway as
| though something had induced her to change
| her mind, and handed the letter back to Eva
line, saying:
| "No, am busy now; you may take it to
| mamma first, saying / said for her to open it
and read it, and then put it back in the envel-
| ope and return it to me. You please see that
she puts it in the envelope, won't yon, Evaline,
dear?"
| YES" said Evaline, wondering why Irene
| was SO particular about a trtie, and consider
ably nonplussed at this unexpected turn in
| affairs.
To tell the truth. her imagination had been
| coDjuring up scene in Irene's room, OF which
she was to be, 1 am sorry to say, an unknown
spectator, through the key-hole possibly, in
| which her sister was to tear opon the envelope
| with trembling fingers remove the Enclosure
intended only for her private perusal after
glancing over which with agitated look and
manner she would hastily thrust it into her
bosom, and then composing herself. bring down
stairs the deceptive letter which was 80 worded
as to be admissible of reading by any of the
| family.
But here was Irene delivering the whole
| thing over to her mother, without opening 1t
| and securing her own secret missive.
$50 he is going to Florida for the Winter7"
| casually mentioned Mrs. Middleton the first
time she met Irene after both had read the
| letter.
Yes, believe that was what he said," was
the indifferent answer.
might as well, suppose" commented Mr..
| Middleton, when he had heard the news in
the evening From what can hear he has
no business to sacrifice, and if his aunt wants
him for companion she is able to pay for his
| time"
by the way" he remarked to his wife next
| evening, when he came home THAT letter you
mentioned from Redmond suggested something,
| and / have written him to-day asking him to
take charge of those Florida lots of mine, and
| do the best he can with them. He can't, OF
| course construe that into any encouragement
| of whatever fancy he may have for Irene"
| No, should think not" said Mrs. Middle
ton. 1t won't give him auy excuse to write
to herr" she added, with rising accent and
| hesitating tone.
Certainly not, certainly not" said Mr. Mid
| matter between us. The idea would be piece
| of impertinence."
Irene manifested no outward interest when
| it was casually mentioned to her that her
father had put into the hands of John Red
mond the disposition of some real estate he
had purchased in Florida. Later, when she
and EvaIine were alone together, she said to
her sister:
"You are quite little business girl, aren't
you, dearp bringing all the mail from the
office and opening papa's letters for him at his
desk. / almost envy you your usefulness. 1t
seems as though / am good for nothing but to
be ornamental. Since you are so useful to
papa. would you be willing to extend your uss-
fulness little and help sister,"
! "Of course i would" answered Evaline.
"What do you want me to do?"
"Why," said Irene. Pm going to try to be
useful and economical. I'm going to make
one of those paper cushions Eve read much
about; stiff paper that will curl like shaving
is the best. Would you mind bringing me the
envelopes from papa's waste-basket? and be
sure and bring them all, because l shall want
| great many"
Evaine was only too glad to be honored
with this commission by her sister. Aud the
paper cushion must have progressed famously,
judging from the quantity of material fur
| nishcd by this willing assistant.
Winter sped on, and fashionable society in
| Iredeil was in its dizzfest whirl. Receptions,
parties and matinees demanded the attention
of the beautiful and accomplished Miss Middle
ton.
But while she shone as q belle in society and
attracted many desirable suitors, it was OBJ
served with some disappointment upon the
part of her parents that while she was agree
able to all she seemed to encourage no one in
particular, but rather to hold all her admirers
at distance.
AZ don't know what she means" said Mr..
Middleton in disappointed tone to his wife one
evening Every girl ought to think of mar
| riage and settling down in life as the mistress
| of her own home. She won't have these eligi-
BILE offers forever. Can it be that after all Irene
is not heart free, but she has her mind set on
| some"-
You men are SO impatient and rash," chided
| Mrs. Middleton. you don't understand the
! other sex at all. Leave the whole matter with
me.
"f confess / have been somewhat mystiied
| myself, and IL there were the slightest ground
for It, / should have thought Irene had become
| the victim of an infatnation for that handsome,
penniless young lawyer; she seems so fitful and
| absent minded sometimes and at other times so
| flushed and excited.
"But then, you know, there has never any
thing passed between them, except that in
cipient love- making which we successfully
nipped in the bud by cutting short our stay at
| Elm Grove"
81 hope so; don't know" said her father.