Middletown transcript., 1895-03-16

happy, SO she consented to introduce
Mary to her friend as Mrs Smith.
1.-THE name is enough to put a man
off," she said to herself, but had rea-
son to be pretty confident Of Mollie's
power of attraction, when she chose to
exert them, and did not doubt but
that she would succeed in her plot in
spite of the name.
The plot was that Mollie, as Miss
Smith, aided by her circumstances
and surroundings, was to do her very
best to wean Dick from his allegiance
to his cousin, and then to disclose her
identity and ''haughtily spurn him. "
As Mabel considered this last act in
the little drama she smiled little to
herself, for she thought she knew
Mollie, but in the days that fol-
lowed she was bound to confess that
she had no idea before how charming
the latter could be. The plot, though
working beautifully, was never men,
TONED. 1t appeared to be forgotten,
and they had a delightful time all to-
gether in the sunny weather-Out door
picnic life, where conventionality was
not, and stiffness faded away. Mollie
was the life and soul of the little party.
One night after they had dined on
the roof of the house-boat, the moon
light was so beautiful that Dick sug-
gested going out in spunts, SO they
hitched them together and drifted out
on the shadowy bosom of the river.
"We will put the orchestra in one. ="
said Mabel indicating Mollie, who had
brought her guitar, and Dick, who
had sweet tenor voice, "and We will
go in the other"
The two voices blended perfectly.
They sounded thrilling in the moon
light, and the charming silence be-
tween the songs we're perhaps more
seductive than all.
"It's going on capitally," thought
mundane Mabel leaning over to
dexterously unhitch the painter, SO
that the smaller punt gradually drifted
away looking soft blue on the face
of the stream in the uncertain light.
"It's little dull for me, she thought; !;
''even the curate was better than moth
ing"
Later that night when Dick had re-
turned from escorting the girls home,
Charlie and Lettie heard him singing,
"When the blue eyes, my dear one,
So softly shine on me-"
MARK my words; that will be a
case" said Lettie sagely.
But Dick amt Free" objected
Charley sleepiIy. "What will become
Of the-what's her name girl-hIs
cousin?"
"Oh, she dosen't signify; Dick
couldn't care for a girl he'd never seen.
Besides she must be mercenary thing
and he would be we'll rid of her. Dear
little Mollie! Pm sure she loves him
and would make him happy"
Lettie though she was making the
match, and was quite pleased with her
self. She fully believed that Dick had
proposed in the punt that night. AS
matter of fact he had not, but he had
lold MOllie about his cousin, and had
her sympathy for the unhappiness this
strange unloving engagement caused
him. He had felt surprised as he
spoke to find how really unhappy he
was, for the idea had never occurred to
him till lately.
The next day was sunny with high
wind and Dick came up to the cottage
early.
"a splendid day for saill" he said
as he bumped his head against the
cottage rafters, his unfailing proceed
ing on entering, 81 have got the din
gey ready, and dancing to be off,"
But Mabel declared she had tiresome
letters she must write. Neither of the
others seemed o sympathize with her
trial, and she settled down, with
sigh, to her lonely morning, while the
other two went off together.
1t was pleasant on the river. The
dingey raced before the wind, and
there were actual waves on the wide
stretch of water above the lock. Mollie
sat at the helm, for Dick had before
Chis given her lessonf in ,eering. The
wind famed her bright face aud blew
he little curles under her trim sailor
hat into an admired disorder. She
felt wildly happy.
She thought it was the sunshine and
the rapid motion; but Dick, who was
looking at her instead Of pay ing atten-
tion to the jibihg of the sail, accounted
for his exhiliaratioD in a different way.
He leaned forward and opened his
mouth to say something of wha. he
felt, when, suddenly, bang went the
sail an over went the dingey, and they
found themselves struggling in the
water.
''Doh't clutch me-" sputtered Dick,
which was not in the least what he
was g ,ing to say minute before.
'Hang on the boat"
Molly meekly obeyed, and a few
minutes later, the boat humping
against bend of the bank, Dick was
able, by a manful exertion, to land
himself and companion on the tow
path.
Mollie used to say afterward that
her appearance must have been so ut
terly abject and disgraceful that che
could never understand how Dick