The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1895-11-29
or H.CONAN DOYLE

front OF her skirt.
MY dear Clara" he cried, "you have
torn your skirtr'
His daughter laughed and smoothed
out her frock. To his horror he saw
the red plush of the chair where the
dress ought to have been. ut is all
torn" he cried. What have you
done?"
MY dear papa" said she. what do
you know about the mysteries of ladies'
dress? This is a divided skirt"
Then he saw that 1t was indeed so
arranged, and that his daughter was
clad in sort OF loose, extremely long
knickerbockers.
1T will be so convenient for my sea-
boots" she explained.
Her father shook his head sadly.
Your dear mother would not have
liked IL, Clara" said he.
For a moment the conspiracy was on
the point Of collapslng. There was
something in the gentleness of his re-
buke, and in his appeal TO her mother,
which brought the tears to her eyes,
and in another instant she would have
been kneeling beside him with every
thing confessed, when the door flew
| open and her sister Ida came bounding
| into the room. She wore a short. grey
skirt, like that OF Mrs. Westmacott, and
she held 1t up in each hand and danced
about among the furniture.
IT feel quite the Gaiety GIRL" she
| cried. How delicious IT must be TO be
| upon the stage You can't think how
nice this dress is. papa. One feels so
free In it. And isn't Clara charmingY'
go 20 your room this instant and
take it off, Numbered the doctor. II
call it highly improper. and no daugh-
ter Of mine shall wear it,"
Papa! Improper! Why, 1t is the
exact model OF Mrs. Westmacott's."
II say 1t is improper. And yours also,
Clara! Your conduct is really outra-
geous. You drive me out of the house.
am going 10 my club in town. 1 have
| no comfort or peace Of mind in my own
house. 1 will stand 1t no longer. l may
be late Tonight shall go to the Brit
ish Medical meeting. But when / re-
turn 1 shall hope to find that you have
shaken yourself clear of the
pernicious influences which have re-
Gently made such an alteration in your
conduct" He seized his hat, slammed
the dlning-room door, and few min
utes later they heard the crash Of the
big front gate.
Victory, Clara. victory" cried Ida
still pirouetting around the furniture
did you hear what he said? Pernicious
influences! Don't you understand
Clara? Why do you sit there so pale
and glum? Why don't you get up anc
dancer
"Oh, shall be so glad when 1t 1:
over. Ida. 1 do hate to give him pain
Surely he has learned now that II is very
unpleasant to spends ones life with re
formers"
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
do anything too dreadful ! feed tina
we have gone too far already"
"Oh. we can DO it very nicely. Yol
see we are both engaged and that make
Il very easy. Harold will do what yo-
ask him, especially as you have toll,
him the reason why, and my Charlie
will do il without even wanting 10 know
the reason. Now you know what Mrs
Westmacott thinks about the reserve O
young ladies'. Mere prudery, affecta
ton. and relic Of the dark ages of tn
! ! Zenana. Those were her words, Wer
they not?"
what them
well. now we must put Il in prae
tice. We are reducing all her othe
: views to practice. and we must nc
, shirlS this one"
/. But what would you do? oh, don
look so wicked Ida! You look like son,
evil little fairy, with your golden hai
: and dancing, mischevous eyes. / kno'
that you are going to propose some
thing dreadful"
: I'VE must give little supper tC
night"
= 1--WE? A SUPPER
!, why not? Young gentlemen civ
q suppers. Why not young ladiesY'
But whom shall we invite?'
o why, Harold and Charles, of course
And the Admiral and Mrs. Hay De!
a ver?"
: "Oh, no. That would be very OF,
8 fashioned. We must keep up with 4
9 times. Clara"
II But what can we give them for SUI
4 per?"
70 "Oh. something with nice, fast, re
licking, late-at-night flavor to it. <.
is me see! Champagne, of course-ar
N oysters. Oysters will do. In the move
~ all the naughty people take champagi
To- any oysters. Besides, they won't net
X any cooking. How is your pocket-mo
Dr. ey, Clara?"
IT have three pounds"
!, And have one. Four pounds. ha
no idea how much champagne cost
Have your"
10 Not the slightest"
Ia How many oysters does man eat
~ II can't imagine"
10 "Ill write and ask Charles. No,
won't I'll ask Jane. Ring for III
Il Clara. She has been cook, and
sure TO know"
Jane, on being cross-questioned. I
- fused to commit herself beyond I
~ statement that 1t depended upon I
SO gentleman, and also upon the oyster
or The united experience of the ktche
)" however, testified that three dozen W
nd fair provision.
10 "Then we shall have eight dozen ;
k together" said Ida. jotting down
III her requirements upon sheet OF ,
or per. And two pints OF champagr
he And some brown bread and vinegar a.
nd pepper. That's all, think. 1t Is n
az so very difficult to give a supper AFT