The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1893-02-16
A KITCHEN ROMANCE.
How Phil Made Della Say "Yeg
to an Important Question.

Della was sitting in her rocking-chaii
In q corner Of the kitchen, reading
aloud to the other two girls. Maggie
was mending "a stocking, and Bridget
was making a dress out of piece OF
calico which Mrs. Randol had given
her. Della had found Sir Charles
Grandson in the course of her clearing
up, and it amazed the two older girls
TO hear her excited intonations and
marvellous pronunciation, as it would
have amazed Mr.. Richardson himself.
Della was nice-looking 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 outgrown 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 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 q nod of recognition to his
three hostesses, while Della went on.
'And that will 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 we'll, because she
pleased Della 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; mot that
Phil an me amt all right alone"
So Bridget sat at her work, growing
sleepier and sleepier, and there was a
pause for awhile. Finally Phil spoke
in an earnest whisper, leaning forward
and looking hard at Della:
II come up tonight, Della. Cause
we'll, cause I couldn't help it; an
might as we'll tell We all about it. Sure
can't sleep O. nights for thinkin' Of We,
an think more of ye than. all the
world, an'-an'-d'ye think ye can ever
care bit for me, Delia?'
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,
if l was to choose. Sure We must "a
been out O. your head when We said
that. Don't try romanticizin', for We
good night to ye!"
Phil was already at the door. Good
night, Della" said he. 81 wish We a
pleasanter night an a better sleep
than I'll have, bad luck to mel" Then
he turned and went away. Della sat
down again and thought awhile, then
she rose. Come on, Bridget, it's bed
time" said she; and the two went up
stairs together.
The next evening Della and Phil
were to have gone to a 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 Meg oNIGLE: can't take you TO the
Ball tonite, as 1 have sumthin else on Hand.
As you Wos not very glad to see me last night,
mayby you don't care. P. CROWLEY"
Della studied over this good while.
1t took her a long time to master the
spelling, for, though her own was &C.
centric, 1t was very different from
Phil's. The meaning, too puzzled her.
One thing was certain; it was not po-
lite Miss McGonigle, indeed! Some
thing else on handl 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 Phil's 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--there was Phil dancing
round In the happiest way with 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 to
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
tractive about her.
After the dancing had gone on for
several hours, Phil stepped up and
asked for dance. He was a good
dancer, but Della said she had a head.
ache, and then danced with the next
man who asked her She was vexed
that Phil had not asked her before and
she wanted to punish him. But Phil
would not. be punished. He danced
and laughed in very lively way, es-
pecially with his little red haired
friend, Miss Sullivan, of Dublin, who
was certainly the belle OF the evening.
Della went home early with the girl
who had come with her She was ex-
hausted and cross, and man chased
them part of the way. She went to
bed excited and tired and one may
imagine, without being certain, that
Miss Sullivan, of Dublin, played a con-
siderable part in her dreams.
Three days went by in which Della
saw no more of Phil. On the morning
of the fourth she awoke with a head
acba. but rose earlv ap1 u,ont ~