The record-union., 1893-09-30
THE JUDGES BOUQUET.

"Yes, she's in the library talking to
Miss Jones. She came with the Joneses.
You'll find her in the corner, just by
Cox's Criminal Cases."
"All right, so long as she's not reading
them. Pll struggle up there if I can."
And in time he did so. but not so soon as
to interrupt her very interesting conver-
sation with her one and only friend.
my dear Eva," said Maud Smith, u
had to decide; it's tragic, but I've done
it,
"What, refused him! is that note his
death warrant?''
mo, it's mine; I've said yes" Miss
| Smith was holding little cocked-hat
note betW cen her finger and thumb.
"But why are you writing to him? isn't
| he going TO be here's" asked Miss Jones.
mo; that is the awkward part of it; he
| can't come; he had TO go down to-day and
examine a witness, he says, III Borset-
shire; it's woman, too; don't think he
| quite ought to-"
"Oh, we'll, of course he can't throw
away chances of making money; but
thought they usually had doctors to. do
| it."
''It's not that, I mean; he only writes
down what she says, and she's very old
nhabitant, who knows about path round
somewhere. / meant he ought to have
given it up and come here"
| ''But the money!
"Oh, of course, dear Reggie q shall
have to call him Reggie now, Gear Reg
gle has very little money. | wonder If |
ought 10 have said we'd better walt be-
| fore being engaged 2"
Must you decide at once?"
"Of course; that's why brought these
ridiculous little notes." And Miss Smith
| held up another little white paper mis-
| sive folded into diamond. He wrote
! in a desperate state; men work them
selves up so. He said if did not send
| him line tonight by Mr.. Welsby, who
shares his chambers, he should shoot
| himself; he's coming up by the mail on
purpose"
ION purpose to shoot himself?''
"On purpose to know the worst-or the
! best. Whichever way you look at it.
Poor Reggier'
"But you said you had accepted him."
81 have made up my mind to, which is
the same thing. l never alter except
when Pm choosing trock. | meant to
say No. and then 1 thought I'd ask your
advice; but when L got his flowers they
were so lovely, and such sweet thought,
! they quite won me-"
"Oh, Maud! how exquisite; I've been
! looking at them," said Miss Jones, lean
| ing down toward her friends bouquet.
How heavenly they smell! What or
chids and all those dropping sprays like
waterfall; it's not a bouquet, it's a
dream; but you hadn't got it in the car
riage."
NO, hadn't; that was the sweet part
of it = the surprise, you know. The
woman in the cloak-room had 1t in her
hand, and l said How lovelyn and she
said Miss Smith?' and l said " es,' of
course, and there it was; not even his
card to show who it came from. Dear
Reggie, he knew I should know"
"What it must have cost" said Miss
| Jones, her eyes filling with tears at the
| touchingness of the incident. "Of course
you must consent to save him from ruin.
| He won't give such bouquets when
you're married-not to YOU"
"Reggie will" said Maud Smith. "Reg-
gie's not like that. But he will have to
get something to do before we marry
some appointment or something"
You will have to make love to the
Lord Chancellor-he's the best man."
said Miss Jones; "father says so."
81 WILL" said Miss Smith, setting her
| teeth. "Pll do anything. If he's nice
Pn XII Mr.. Welsby, 1 want to be in
troduced to the Lord Chancellor"
"Hush, for goodness sake" exclaimed
young Welsby in a hoarse whisper; "he
| is Just behind me-"
"Then come on" and she took him by
the arm.
"But don't know him; really don't.
I hope he did not hear you. Please don't
| talk so loud" implored young Welsby.
Nonsense said Miss Smith, but she
| let herself be dragged away toward the
hall, and she danced twice running with
Reggie's ''stable-companion," who had
never been SO much honored before.
"He swore he'd give Reggie the note to-
night, and says he's going away early, so
he'll be there when Reggie gets back. 1
said it was an answer TO an invitation. |
had to open one of them; l very nearly
sent the wrong one."
"Did he bring the flowers? ?" asked Miss
Jones. They were back in the same
corner.
mo, he knew nothing about them. l
thought he might; but Reggie would not
talk much about our affairs. Mr.. Welsby
would hardly believe Reggie had sent
them. though Pm sure he knows he's in
| love with me-"
"And the Lord Chancellor 2" SAID Miss
| Jones.
"Oh, my dear Eva" said Miss Smith,
81 put my foot in it again; Mr.. Welsby
will never forgive me. There was an old
man nursing bottle of champagne by
|
champagne, please; and then l saw what
| Pd done, and | said, oh! Pm so sorry. I
took you for a waiter'-and it was
Judge."
"Maudv'
swell, it was not my fault; they always
| look so pectable-waiters, l mean, not
Judges. But he don't mind; he only said,
Pm proud to be taken for so useful per-
sonage.' Rather neat, wasn't it-for a
| Judge?"
"Well, and then?"
Sand then-Mr. Welsby had simply
run away in despair and was nowhere to
be seen; so the Judge got rid of the woman
he was with and brought me up here.
That's how l knew who he was"
Ibid his partner like being got rid OFF"
''She looked very cross; she always
does. That Miss Blacke-Smith. you
! know-the one who acted in the De Vii
lars tableaux in that fearful dress"
"Ahr' said Miss Jones, II remember" )"
dreadful girl!" said Maud Smith.
'.She ought not to be here. You remem-
Der that story about her at the"
Hush" said Miss Jones. there's an
old gentleman coming this way; he's been
looking at you through his glasses for
five minutes. though whether it's you or
YOUR flowers he admires most pm not
quite sure"
ITS my Judge" whispered Miss
Smith, my own old Judge; he's very
much struck with my bouquet kept
making remarks about it, and limiting
Ive very good mind TO tell him all
about myself, and find out if he can give
Reggie an appointment"
''Do!' said Miss Jones, bending down
as partner came to claim her, land il
nothing else will do, dear, cry.p
A nice rosy old gentleman came and
took the seat she had vacated; she looked
back as she struggled through the crowd
and her lips framed the word CRY" again