The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1894-09-28

elegance of all his surroundings, due to
Mrs. Maynard taste and supervision
and the influence of Alice Renwick's
exquisite beauty had fairly carried him
away.
They were chatting in the parlor,
while Miss Renwick was entertaining
some young lady friends from town and
listening to the band on the parade.
Sloat was expatiating on her grace and
beauty and going over the album for
the twentieth time when the colonel,
with twinkling eye, remarked to Mrs.
Maynard:
II think you ought to show Major
By act of congress officers may be ad
dressed by the title of the highest rank
held by thel.i in the volunteer service
during the war The colonel always
punctiliously so addressed his friend
and subordinate, although in the army
his grade was simply that Of first lieu
tenant Sloat the 'directoire' picture,
my dear.
"Alice would never forgive me" said
madam, laughing though I consider
it the most beautiful we have of her"
'Oh, where is it?'' "Oh, do let us
see it, Mrs. Maynard" was the chorus
of EXPLANATIONS from the few ladies
present. "Oh, insist on seeing it, mad
am, i" was Sloat's characteristic contri-
button to the clamor.
81 want you to understand it, said
Mrs. Maynard, pleased, but still hest
tating. ''We are very daft about Alice
at home, you know, and it's quite
wonder she has not been utterly spoiled
by her aunts and uncles, but this pic
ture was specially An artist friend
of ours fairly made us have it taken in
the wedding dress worn by her grand.
mother. You know the Josephine Beau.
harnais 'directoire' style that was worn
in seventeen ninety something. Her
neck and shoulders are lovely and that
was why we consented. went, and
so did the artist, and we posed her,
and the photograph is simply of her
face and neck, too but when Alice
saw it she blushed furiously and for
babe my having them finished. After
ward, though, she yielded when her
Aunt Kate and 1 begged so hard and
promised that none should be given
away, and so just half a dozen were
finished. Indeed the dress is by no
means as decollote as many girls wear
theirs at dinner now in New York, but
poor Alice was scandalized when she
saw it last month, and she never would
let me put one in the album. -
"Oh, do go and get it, Mrs. May
nardp' pleaded the ladies. ooh, please
let me see it, Mrs. Maynardl" added
Sloat, and at last the mother pride pre-
vailed. Mrs. Maynard rustled up stairs
and presently returned, holding in her
hands delicate silver frame in filigree
work, q quaint, foreign affair, and in.
closed therein was cabinet photograph
en- vignette-the head, neck and shout
ders of q beautiful girl, and the dainty,
diminutive, what there-was. Oft waist
Of the old fashioned gown, sashed al
most Immediately under the exquisite
bust, revealed quite materially the
cause of Alice Renwick's bushes. But
more beautiful portrait was never
photographed. The women fairly gasped
with delight and envy. Sloat could not
restrain his impatience to get it in his
own hands, and finally he grasped it
and then eyed it i'll rapture. 1t was two
minutes before he spoke word, while
the colonel sat laughing at his worship
ing gaze. Mrs. Maynard somewhat
uneasily stretched forth her hand, and
the other ladies impatiently strove to
regain possession.
Come, Major Sloat, you've surely
had it long enough. We want it again. F"
"Neverp said Sloat, with melodra-
matte intensity. "Never! This is my
ideal of perfection of divinity in wom-
an. will bear it home with me, set it
above my fi,eside and adore it day and
night.
Nonsense, Major Sloat!' said Mrs.
Maynard, laughing, yet far from being
at her case. Come, / must take it back.
Alice may be i'll any minute now, and
if she knew I had betrayed her she
would never forgive me- Come, surren-
derp' And she strove to take it from
him.
But Sloat was in one of his utterly |
asinine moods. He would have been per-
fectly willing to give any sum he pos
sessed for so perfect q picture as this. |
He never dreamed that there were good |
and sufficient reasons why no man |
should have it. He so loved and honored |
his colonel that he was ready to lay |
down his life for any of his household. |
In laying claim to this picture he hon
estly believed that it was the highest |
proof he could give of his admiration
and devotion. A tame surrender now |
meant that his protestations were empty |
words. Therefore. argued Sloat. II
must stand firm "
MADAM, said he, I'D die first "
And with that he began backing to the
door.
Alarmed now. Mrs. Maynard sprang
after him, and the little major leaped |
upon a Chair, his face aglow, jolly, |
rubicund. beaming with bliss and tri-
umph. She looked up. almost wringing
her hands, and turned half appealingly |
to the colonel, who was laughing heart.
lily on the sofa, never dreaming Sloat
r.,1I -