The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1895-06-21
miscellaneous.
A NIGHT IN TOWN.

| II wish you would run in town to-
day and attend to IL little business for
me Dorothy. Eve d touch of the
govt myself" said my father, as we
sat at the breakfast table, idling over
our home grown Strawberries and
gloating over the rich country cream
| And then you might possibly in
duce Jack to come out with you to-
morrow, for over Sunday"
Father looked slyly at mother as he
made this last suggestion. for was
there ever Sunday during the whole
| long summer that Jack, my dear, old
Jack. did not spendwith us, at Apple
gate?
| Father gave me my instructions. |
was to go to the bank and have a
check cashed, $1,000 check, pay his
| fire insurance premiums, settle a bill
at one of the shops and bring home
the hundred or so | would have left.
Before boarding the train l tele-
| graphed Jack to meet me at three, so
when arrived in town l made straight
| for the bank and drew the money; in
| tending to hurry through my errands
so to have all finished when Jack and
| should meet. But, just as l stepped
from the cashiers window, Mr.. Allan
stopped me saying:
why, how do you do, Miss Clyde :?
How very intent on business we arer'
| looked up smiling and then felt
conscious that Harry Allan was look
ing at the package of bills in my
| hand.
"Oh, yes l replied, lust attending
to a few errands for father How are
you? We have been hoping to see
you at Applegate this summer"
"a pleasure vet in store for me
Jack Osborne has kindly offered 70
chaperon me some time, and if | can
get away from business you may be
sure that | will avail myself of your
hospitality"
| Chatting and laughing and inter
changing town and country gossip
Harry and | walked down the street.
| thought at every corner he would
leave me and hoped so devoutly, as
| was impatient to pay out the money
that was already becoming Il care and
IL burden, but. nc, he had never been so
attentive Finally the recollection of
mothers injunction came to me and |
told HIM had to do some shopping
He looked as if he were about to ac-
company me.
"Oh, no don't come with me.
IL
| wrong time or even IL misplaced smile
might pervert my Judgment. Come
up tonight, if you wish I'll be stay
| ing at the house"
Without giving him time to remon-
strate or even to say goodby, | turned
| into the nearest shop. When | had
finished my purchases it was time to
meet Jack, and the thought of him
drove all care for money away. The
| rest of the afternoon was spent in u
much more profitable manner than in
any way concerned business. Our
| gay little dinner was given up entirely
to mirth, the idea of dining alone be
ing so deliciously novel that father
81, 900 never entered my rattle Drained
head until we started for home, and
then it was a momentary anxiety, as
] felt in my inner pocket only to find
the crisp notes safely there.
Jack and / opened the house and
brought out rugs for the porch and
were talking the nothings that we al
ways talk, when | saw Harry Allen
approaching. Jack grumbled at the
threatening interruption to our tete-a.
tete, but both of US really liked Harry
and we felt it was only selfishness that
made us dislike to have him with us,
so we welcomed him, and after all we
mad Il very pleasant evening.
won't you sing for us, Miss Clyde?''
asked Harry later in the evening, and
so went in to the piano, leaving the
men to their cigars. But after one OF
two songs Jack followed me in. l re,
member singing Il Wish | Were
at all. | would not have been any
where in all the world except right
there, with Jack leaning over the
piano and joining in the music with
his deep, mellow voice. Harry was
forgotten, and when he came in to bid
me good night it was with n start that
| remembered he was one of the party
You surely won't stay here tonight
will you, Miss Clyde? Can't induce
you to go home with me? Mother
would be charmed to have you"
"Oh, no, thank you, Mr.. Allen; ]
am not bit afraid, and then, you
know, l have to get down town sc
early. | have not yet attended to
fathers business, and if | stayed al
YOUR house would disturb dear Mrs
Allan, who, l know, is used to her late
breakfast. By ten o'clock expect tt
have my errands done and be on my
way to the station"
dorothy, dear, don't stay here dc
90 to Mr.. Aliens or the Browns"
"Why, Jack, you are as foolish as
,, mamma. You need not talk about it
am determined now to stay and
prove to all you fussy bodies that al
American girl is quite safe in her owl
house, even if alone"
"Well, if you are determined, l sup
pose there is nothing l can say, es
pecially as Jacks advice does not go,
: laughed Harry, and, bidding me good
bye, ran down the steps. Jack stayed
a few minutes longer, and then said
Good night, foolish little girl. Ior
will be sorry tomorrow, when you SEE
me looking worn and haggard after {
sleepless night worrying about you
You ought to be made to obey, but
declare | can't undertake Il task a
which your parents have SO signally
faiedn
And dear, sweet Jack kissed INT
I goodnight and left.
= When he was really gone regretted
T the foolish pride that had made Ill,
stick to my threat of remaining alone
, in that great, dreary house, but re