Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1894-01-11

seized mis- nat, siammea the TIMING room
door, and few minutes later they heart
the crash of the big front gate
Victory. Clara. victoryT" cried Ida
still pirouetting around the furniture
Did you hear wha, he said! Perniciou:
influences! Don't you understand, Clara
Why do you sit there so pale and glum
Why don't you get up and dance"
''Oh, shall be- so glad when it is over
Ida. | do hate to give him pain. Surely
he has learned now that it is very un
pleasant to spend ones life with reform
ers."
He has almost learned it. Clara
Just one more little lesson. We mus
not risk all at this last moment"
What would you do, Ida? Oh, don't
do anything too dreadful. feel that we
have gone too far already"
"Oh, we can do it very nicely. You
see we are both engaged, and that makes
it very easy. Harold will do what you
ask him, especially as you have told him
the reason why, and my Charles will dc
it without even wanting to know the
reason. Now you know what Mrs.
Westmacott thinks about the reserve OF
young ladies. Mere prudery, affecta-
| ton and relic of the dark ages of the
zenana. Those were her words, were
they not?"
What. them"
well. now we must put it in practice
We are reducing all her other views to
practice, and we must not shirk this
| one"
But what would you do? Oh, don't
/ look so wicked, Idal You look like
some evil little fairy, with your golden
hair and mischievous eyes. l know that
you are going to propose something
dreadfulT'
I'VE must give little supper tonight. "
I'VE? A supper
why rpt? Young gentlemen give
suppers. Why not young ladies?"
But whom shall we invite?"
why, Harold and Charles, of course" Z"
"And the admiral and Mrs. Hay Den
ver?'
..Oh, no. That would be very old
fashioned. We must keep up with the
times, Clara"
But what can we give them for sup
PERI
''Oh, something with nice. fast, roll
licking, late at night kind of flavor to it.
Let me see! Champagne, of course and
oysters. Oysters will do. In the novels
all the naughty people take champagne
and oysters. Besides, they won't need
any cooking. How is your pocket mon
ey, Clara?
Il have three pounds"
Il have one. Four pounds. Ihave no
idea how much champagne costs. Have
your"
Not the slightest"
"How many oysters does man eat"
Il can't imagine"
"rll write and ask Charles. No, |
won't. I'll ask Jane. Ring for her,
Clara She has been cook and is sure
to know"
Jane on being CT Oss questioned, refused
to commit herself beyond the statement
that it depended upon the gentleman
and also upon the oysters. The united
experience of the kitchen, however, tes-
titled that three dozen was a fair pro-
vision.
"Then we shall have eight dozen alto
requirements upon a sheet OF paper.
"And two pints of champagne. And
some brown bread and vinegar and pep
per- That's all, think 1t is not so very
difficult to give supper after all, is it,
Clara?"
Il don't like it. Ida. 1t seems to me to
be so very indelicate."
But it is IL -eded to clinch the matter.
No, no, there is no drawing back now
Clara, or we shall ruin everything. Papa
is sure to come back with the 9:45. He
will reach the door at 10. We must have
everything ready for him. Now, just sit
down at once and ask Harold 10 come
at 9 o'clock, and | shall do the same to
Charles"
The two invitations were dispatched,
received and accepted. Harold was
already confidant, and he understood
that this was some further development
of the plot. As to Charles, he was so
accustomed to feminine eccentricity in
the person of his aunt that the only
thing which could surprise him would
be a rigid observance of etiquette. AT
0 o'clock they entered the dining room of
No. 2. to find the master of the house
absent, a red shaded lamp, snowy cloth
pleasant little feast and the two whom
they would have chosen as their com
panions. A merrier party never met
and the house rang with their laughter
and their chatter.
1T is 3 minutes to TO-" cried Clara
suddenly, glancing at the clock.
Good gracious! So it isl Now for
our little tableaur' Ida pushed the
champagne bottles obtrusively forward
in the direction of thed and scattered
oyster shells over the cloth.
Have you your pipe, Charles?"
my pipe! Yes"
"Then please smoke it. Now, don't
argue about it, but do it. for you will
ruin the effect otherwise"
The large man drew out a red case
and extracted a great yellow meer
schaum, out of which a moment later he
was putting thick wreaths of smoke.
Harold had lit cigar, and both the girls
had cigarettes.
TO BE CONTINUED.
LAND OF QUEER THINGS.
The Islands Seem Designed For the Worlds
Pleasure Resort.
If / sbouId atta,nnt tn snIn M, on Ha.