The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1894-05-28

49, AA&N 3N4ANH - ~ -
English. THE ladies are fond of lacea'
Their hearts sank within them
Rather. " they conceded
"And to carry ii on the bonnet is /
convenient manner of avoiding the du
ty."
They were undonei
"But we are wearing iti'' screechet
Annora Melissa painted
"Mesdames. ! admire your ingenuity,
but such an amount of new lace cannoi
be passed even on your bonnetR Two,
three, five meters. " he went on. meas
uring the unlucky lace with his eye,
"ichu, founce, etc So many francs OF
I confiscate it.
EN- voiture. s'il vous plaitp' was
heard
The sum demanded by the officer add.
ed to what they had paid i'm purchase
would have made the lace the dearesi
that aver was bought They tore of
their bonnets, pulled out innumerablt
pins, set free the fichus, fiounces, etc.
put them into the officers hands an6
q to their seats. Out of breath ant
out Of pocket they were most unhappy
Successful cheating ID one thing, but
unsuccessful cheating is another anG
causes sharp pangs Of conscience.
TOO badl'' cried Melissa as the trair
moved on I'VE were entitled to what
we wore.
1T was that German, " said Annora
"He understood English. He heard
what we said. He told the official. Oh,
Q man may grin and grin and be q vii.
laini'
They groaned over their misfortune
The first time the train stopped the vii.
lain entered their compartment, still
grinning. They glared at him. but he
still grinned. They took refuge in 81.
lence. He began to speak:
Ladies', I" he said in Londonese Eng,
lish, ST was very sorry to have to incur
your displeasure, but / felt that it was
my duty to report you at the douane
You had innocently told me all about
the lace ON your bonnets, and for the
credit Of country, for the sake Of
English honesty, / was constrained to
point out your bonnets to that official
Can you forgive me?'
mo" said Annora
But Melissa thought that, notwith-
standing his wicked cruelty, there was
something very pleasant in his smile.
81 entreat your forgiveness, ladies;
more, / humbly ask a faver."
"Sir?'' exclaimed Annora.
Miss Wylie, Miss Annora Wylie''-
the presuming wretch had seen their
names ON their luggage, even their
Christian names-'you will confer a
great favor on me if you will tell me
your address.
Annora redeemed; Melissa blushed.
Perhaps he was ashamed of the cruel
part he had played and was about to
offer an apology; perhaps their brave
and gentle endurance of misfortune had
touched him; perhaps their charms had
SO won upon him that he wished to see
more of them, with q view to-their
suggestions broke Off rapidly.
Annora looked at Melissa, and Melissa
looked at Annora. Then the elder sister
spoke. I'VE live at ll3 Angelina gar.
dens, Edwin square, South Kensington,
s. W."
The stranger made a note of the adj
dress. Melissa was ON the point of ask
ing his name when he said abruptly,
"You shall hear from me Then he
discoursed ON the country through which
they were passing, after which he buried
himself in a Figaro and talked no more.
At the next stoppage he said a brusque
Good morning, ladies, and left the
compartment, and they saw no more OF
him.
There was a considerable fiutter in the
breast of Melissa, who was of a roman.
tic turn of mind, and who could only
imagine one reason why this stranger
should want her address. She still be-
lieved that he was a German who spoke
English remarkably well, and she had
seen that he was not a gentleman; she
therefore made up her mind to refuse
the offer Of marriage which no doubt he
would shortly make.
Arrived in Angelina gardens, the
Misses Wylie were occupied i'm arrang-
ing the household, and a couple of busy
days were spent by them. On the third
day after their home coming they re.
ceived by the same post a parcel and 9
letter. Annora opened the carefully tied
and sealed parcel, while Melissa read
the letter. Having read il once to her
self, she next read it aloud to her sister;
MEsDAMEs-I felt myself under q very great
obligation TO you the other day at Blandain.
am q very thin man. hut | was swathed round
with hundreds Of yards of fine Brussels lace
and I thought that the best way Of drawing
the attention of the custom house officers from
myself was to draw it TO You. 1t was purely in
self defense that / directed the raid on youi
bonnets. Having been the cause Of the loss oil
your lace, ] wish to make you due compensa-
ton, and / beg leave to send you some finer
lace than that which you lost. / am obedient-
lyyours. YoUR STOUT FELLOW TRAVELLER.
Melissa took possession of a black
lace flounce and Annora of q dozen yards
Of white lace and o lace edged handker.
chief. and they quite forgaye the stout
German for his cruelty and for his stout
ness.-F. Bayard Harrison in Strand
Magazine.
saved Her Pearls For Other Swine.
A short time a00 n enlnrnd uarnan