Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-01-20

FF hand, upon his
face a look Of
perplexlty, not
unmingled with annoyance. inc
looking fellow. with an honest. manly
face. lit with soft blue eyes: and the
curves of the well-cut lips were nrm
and true Through the open window
came the scent OF newmown hay. and
the breath of roses and honey-suckle.
A round table in the center Of the
room was laid for two, and over at the
window his mother-a grave, stately
old lady with whom he lived alone
was regarding him with mild surprise.
What is ii. Roy2' she asked, gently.
Il know. when yon look like that,
that something aEnOys and troubles
you. What Is It. SOM
Enough. Mother. I don't believe
that I am lacking in courtesy or the
requirements of gentleman; but it is
little annoying to hare an unknown
female thrown upon your protection
in this way. Listen, please This
letter is from my friend Bonner, Of
Newburgh."
lie spread out the crumpied sheet
which he had been holding in his hand,
and read aloud:
~ ~ 4N4a4AAa AktAA- I Ii Al q " lAAAldEAs
and come to you TO help me out
The ease, IN brief IS this. Ms sister,
Miss Marguerite Bonner, is DESTROYS
OF attending the great worlds fair
My business is at present so pressing
that il is quite impossible for me to
accompany her. Once arrived in Chi
cago, She will be met bg friends-rela-
tivrs who are anxioi sly awaiting her
arrival Now, as | happen TO know
that you are Intending TO start for
Chisago next Tuesday, | ask Of you, as
q special favor. 10 look after rnv sister
to her Journey end. Will il he any
trouble to rOu. Roy? She is 4 timid
little thing. and shrinks from the
thought OF traTeling alone. If you
consent to be thus burdened drop me
a line. and Marguerite will oe on the
train as il passes your town, where
y0u can join her
"oblige me that's dear fellow;
for once forget that you are a con-
frned and crusty old bachelor
Yours as ever, FRANK"
Roy Dunbar folded the letter. and
returned it to his pocket
'-it is awfully provoking" he ex-
claimed, and the lady stranger to
me. too. Frank Bonner ought not
To-
Roy. ] am ashamed Of you
Mother, ! know / am a brute: but
! intended to make the trip with my
friend Ciavering; and now. to have to
look after a lady, and be on my good
behavior all the time. And the frst
vacation have been able to enjoy for
a whole year. An. well. | am an un-
lucky fellow, and NAV as well ACCEPT
mo Etga ff+rn r.sfeh ~ fSarua
His mother smiled She was think
ing in the depths of her heart that
it was high time for Roy to begin
thinking about wife. lie was nearly
thirty, and IN excellent circumstance.
There was no earthly reason why he
should not marry.
II cannot live forever. the old lady
said to herself, ''and I should like to
see Roy happy with good. true wo-
man for his wife.
Breakfast over. Roy Dunbar pro-
cceded to wire a reply to his friends
letter. accepting the trust reDosed in
him with as good grace as possible. At
least the telegram did not commit
itself but was as laconic as such
things usually are.
The days went by with remarkable
CELEBRITY. and the daY appointed for
the trip to Chicago came at last Roy
Dunbar boarded the train when it
paused for the usual infnitesimal
time at his own station. He entered
a drawing-room car. and had not
moved SIX PAGES down the aisle. when
a voice calling mis- name, made him
halt in surprise. A lady.
"Why, Mr.. Dunbar!' extending a
gloved hand, ''how glad ! am to meet
SIR. 7 r
you. The journey is 50 long and tire
some shall be delighted with your
company, am sure.
"Hlye You forgotten me?" for his
eyes wore a bewildered look. when
he could not altogether rcpress on
short notice. II am Miss Bonner,
Miss Marguerite Bonner"
Miss Marguerite Bcnner? His
charge-the young lady eonfded to
his care by q loving brother. He felt
as though some one had suddenly
drenched him with q shower bath
She, 1.-THE timid little thing. who
shrank from travelling alone-and all
the rest of it! woman of some fifty
eight or sixty years. if she was a day,
and looking every hour Of her age.
Notwithstanding the thick coating Of
pearl powder which accumulated rather
than concealed the network of
wrinkles which oyersDrcad her thin
face; and the little dabs OF too per-
ceptibIe rouge upon either check
Her hair was palpably dyed, and
frizzled within an inch of its life,
There was no mistake. either in the
dazzling white teeth, which bore too
plainly for possible mistake the handi-
work of the dentist And withal, she
was SO exceedingly girlish and
sprightly that she attracted the atten-
tion of the observer at once to the fact
that she was one of the real old maids
of whom one reads occasionally, but
vino, we are glad to see, are now be-
coming, as q race, as extinct as the
dodo.
Roy felt an uneasy sensation over
take him; but there was no help for
IL. The lady doubtless expected him
what could he de but succumb? So
he accepted the seat near her, and
essayed a conversation; but | must
confess that Roy Dunbar scarcely
knpw unOu what subject he was con-