The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-01-26

himself reduced by it to a correspond
ing state. On the other hand. if Dolly
could not speak she could look. She
had extremely eloquent eyes; eyes
that spoke far more than her lips
Tom oon began to watch those eyes,
and to love them. He no longer at
tempted to make his cousin talk; her
eyes rendered conversation unneces-
sary.
One afternoon in the first week of
January he sauntered into his mothers
sitting-room, and there discovered
Dolly, sitting, like the historic Miss
Her fingers were busy with some
crochet work. Tom drew a chair to
the fire.
Are you yoing out tonight, Dolly?"
She lifted her eyes from her needle.
mot tonight"
Not. Are you sorry?"
81 suppose you're getting rather
tired of it. You've been out pretty
nearly every night lately, haven't
you?"
Yes. I'm not tired of it, though; l
like it But auntie and l are going to
have a quiet evening tonight, and
l shall like that just as we'll"
There was a pause.
Are you sure you will like it just as
welI?"
Il beg your pardon?" said Dolly.
He moved on his chair. We'll" ne
said. II want you to come out with
me tonight, if you will"
She looked 1t him in amazement.
"Out with you? Why, where to-"
1.-The theater," he responded.
Pleasure shone in her face. She
gasped with delight 'Oh, you are
kind! But do you think auntie will
allow me?"
"Ill ask her." said naughty Tom. 1t
was really very wrong of him, for
Dolly's parents would have been scan
dalized at the idea of their daughter
being seen in a theater. However,
they were not there to see. 1t never
occurred to Dolly that it could be
wrong for her to go after Tom had
proposed it. and so, as Toms parents
raised no objections, they started in
due course. The only condition i'm
posed on them land the sequel proved
it a sound oae), was to wrap up well,
which they did.
How Dolly enjoyed the performance
it is unnecessary to relate in de tail.
She did enjoy it immensely and she
frequently turned to Tom and thanked
him so earnestly for having brought
her that Tom began to feel the ecstasy
hat follows virtuous conduct. Her en-
joyment robbed her, for the first time,
of her shyness. Her face glowed with
an unusual animation. There was a
color in her cheeks and a sparkle in
her eyes that had not beer there be-
fore. When a shy maiden does wake
up to animation she is ten times more
dangerously attractive than her viva
cious sisters who sparkle all day long.
Tom thought his cousins face more
seductively sweet than he had i'm
agined it could be. He warmed toward
her. He no longer wanted to draw her
out, to flirt with her. He was in love
now, all the way.
They made no haste out of the
theater, with the result that when
they reached the street there was not
an available hanson.
Wed better walk on a Bit" said
| Tom. 1--WE shall come to one pres
emily"
There had been 4 heavy fall of snow
during the performance, and the pave
A. C&-o-l -o. all c1,ehy ~ a
sloppy.
Its rather unpleasant under foot,
| Dolly" said Tom. You'd better take
my m
She did as she was bid, and imme-
diately experienced a curious sense of
being owned. 1t seemed to her that
| she belonged to he cousin. While, as
for Tom, the soft touch of those small
gloved fingers on his Goa sleeve gave
him more pleasure than all his pre-
yious amorous adventures rolled into
one.
When they came to Trafalgar square
Dolly gave a little scream of delight.
''Oh," she cried, how pretty"
1t was pretty. The whole square
fountains, statues and all, wherever
the snow could find a lodging-lay
draped in white. The portions that
were free from snow looked doubly
black by contrast. 1t was a study in
white, with just a little black to help
it out. Overhead fleecy clouds scudded
rapidly, and a full, bright moor stared
down at the glimmering panorama.
The square was as light as day.
"oh, how beautiful! l didn't think
London could look so lovely"
Tom looked at the speaker and
thought her lovelier than the scene
she admired.
"Yes." he said, with his eyes on her
face, 1T is beautiful; very beautiful,
indeed"
oh" said Dolly, 'let US walk home.
We don't want to take a cab on a love-
ly nioht like this. wouldn't miss the
walk for the world. 1t isn't far, real
ly, is it?"
About a mile" said Tom.
only a mile. On, that is nothing.
Let US walk. Shall we?'
Decidedly, if You wish it. You'd
better take my arm again" for in her
r~apturous admiration she had slipped
her hand loose; 1.-The streets are slip
perry"
They walked on for three or four
minutes. Suddenly Dolly's foot slipped.
~,