Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1895-02-28

busy with some crochet work. Tom
drew chair to the fire.
Are rou going out tonight,
Dolly?'
She lifted her eyes from her
needle. Not tonight
Not. Are you sorry?'
No.
4 suppose you're getting rather
tired of it. I'm not tired of it,
though; ! like it. But anntie and
| are going to have a quiet evening
tonight, and | shall like that just
as WE'LL
There was a pause. !
Are you sure you will like it just
as well?'
Il beg your pardon?' said Dolly.
He moved on his chair. well,
he said, Il want you to come out
with me tonight, if you will
She looked at him in amazement.
'Out with you: Why, where to?'
The theatre he responded.
Pleasure shone in her face. She
gasped with delight. oh, you are
kind. But do you think anntie
will allow me:'
1'll ask her, said naughty Tom.
1t was really very wrong of him,
for Dolly's parents would have been
scandalized at the idea of their
daughter being seen in a theatre.
However, they were not there to see
it. 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 imposed on them
(and the sequel proved it a sound
one) was to wrap up we'll, which
they did.
How Dolly enjoyed the perfor-
nance it is unnecessary to relate in
detail. She did enjoy it immense
ly; and she frequently turned to
Tom and thanked. him so earnestly
for his kindness in having brought
her that Tom began to feel the
ecstasy that follows virtuous con-
duct. Her enjoyment robbed her,
for the first time, Of her shyness.
Her face glowed with an unusual
animation. There was a color in
her cheeks that had not been there
before. When a shy maiden does
wake up to animation she is ten
times more dangerously attractive
than her vivacious sisters, who
sparkle all day long. Tom thought
his Cousins face more seductively
sweet than he had imagined it could
be. He warmed toward her. He
no longer wanted to draw her out.
to fiirt with her. He was in love
now, all the way.
They made no haste out of the
theatre, with the result that, when
they reached the street, there was
not an available hanson.
WED better walk on a bit,' said
Tom. we shall come to one pres
emily.
There had been a heavy fall OF
snow during the performance, and
the pavement of the Strand was all
slushy and sloppy.
'It's rather unpleasant under
foot, Dolly said Tom. You'd
better take my arm
She did as she was bid, and i'm.
mediately experienced a curious
sense of being owned. 1t seemed
to her that she belonged to her cou.
sin. While, as for Tom, the soft
touch of those small, gloved fingers
on his coat sleeves gave him more
pleasure than all his previous flIrta.
tions rolled into one.
'Oh,' she cried, 'how pretty"
1t was pretty. The whole square
fountains, statues, and all, where.
ever the snow could End a lodging
lay draped in white. The por.
tions that were free from snow
looked doubly black by contrast. II
was study in white with just q
little black to help it out. Over
head fleecy clouds scudded rapidly,
and full, bright moon stared down
at the glittering panorama. The
square was as light as day.
sOh, how beautiful, / didn't
think London could look so lovely!'
Tom looked at the speaker, and
thought her loyelier than the scene
| she admired.
'Yes,' he said, with his eyes on
her face, 'it is beautiful, very beau.