The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-07-21

theirs at dinner now in New FORK, 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
nardl' pleaded the ladies. "Oh, please
let me see it, Mrs. Maynardr' 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 i'll filigree
work, q quaint, foreign affair." and in
closed therein was cabinet photograph
en- vignette-the head, neck and shoul-
ders OF beautiful girl, and the dainty,
diminutive, what-there-was. ofit waist
of the old fashioned gown, sashed al
most Immediately under the exquisite
bust, revealed quite materially tho
cause Of Alice Renwick's bushes. But
q 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 a 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. Wewant it again. "
"NevcrI" 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 tireside and adore it day and
night"
Nonsense, Major SloatW said Mrs.
Maynard, laughing, yet far from being
at her ease "Come, must take it back
Alice may be in any minute now, and
if she knew l had betrayed her she
would never forgive me- Come, surren-
derW And she strove to take it from
him.
But Sloat was in one of his utterly
asinine moods. HNwould have been per.
fectly willing to give any sum he pos.
sessed for so perfect picture as this.
He never dreamed that there We're good
and sufficient reasons why no man
should have it. lie SO loved and honoreC
his colonel thai 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 highcs
proof he could give of his admiration
and devotion. A tame surrender nov
meant that his protestations were empty
words. Therefore" " argued Sloat, g.
must stand firm"
"Madam," " said he, "Pd die first.
And with that he began backing to TIL
door.
Alarmed now, Mrs. Maynard spran!
after him, and the little major leapec
upon chair, his face aglow, jolly
rubicund, beaming with bliss and tri
umph. She looked up, almost wringinl
her hands, and turned half appealingl
to the colonel, who was laughing heart
lily on the sofa, Ieycr dreaming SloG
could be il earnest.
Here, I'll give you back the frame
l don't want that, said Sloat and be
gan fumbling at the back of the photo
graph This was too much for the ladies
, They, too, rushed to the rescue, Ono G
; them spranS and shut the door; the othe
seized and violently shook the back c
his chair, and Sloat loaped TO the flool
still clinging to his prize and laughin
az though he had never had so much Ell
, tertainment il his life. The long Vcn(
, tian windows opened upon the piaZZa
, and toward the nearest one he retreatet
/ holding aloft the precious gage an
r waving off the attacking party with III
: other hand. He was within yard Of til
blinds when they were suddenly throw
open, a tall, slender form stepped Quicl
ly in, one hand seized the uplifted wris