The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-03-16

day came round the original duet be
 came a trio, for, as Liza herself put it
 'Looheaser didn't know nobody, ant
 they couldn't let a gal of Ter age g'
 gaddin off alone. Sides, she'd prom
 ised mother, down in DeVonshire. tt
 look after Looheaser, and any'ow Or
 thur, he didn't mind. Deed, he 'ad sait
 as he didn't know but what it didn'
 make things livelier, and, Tor, the way
 that gal answers i'm back, you never
 ear the like. Why" in mingled admir-
 ation and horror, "she thinks nothink o
 contrydictin' i'm to is face, she don't
 and cheeks i'm, she do, till you'd think
 he'd get right down mad. And when
 ups and tells Ter t'other night as she
 didn't oughter go on so, he says, 'Let
 'er be- he says, and mind my own biz
 miss, as she's but gal asll steady
 down soon enuff. We'll" with a dub
 ious shake of the head, T don't say he
 aint right, only I'm 'arf afeared as our
 Looheaser's bit flighty"
 | Months went by, and, so far from
 showing any tendency to settle, as had been prognosticated, Looheaser became
 even more and more daring in her do-
 lngs, crowning all by the purchase of
 hat and feather that almost took away Liza's breath; while OFthur, wip- ing his mouth appreciatively with the back of his hand, observed that that
 was sonlethink like, and why couldn't Liza smarter 'erself up a bit more while she was about it?"
 Liza, indeedw with toss of the be- plumed head; "a fine guy she'd look in one. No, let her stick to 'er old black bonnet, sich as she Oooheaser) wouldn't bemean 'erself by wearing. It was good enuff for the likes O 'er."
 Perhaps 1t was hardly to be wondered at that. now and again. Liza would re- turn from one of these Sunday evening expeditions somewhat dispirited. It was not only Looheaser's dressiness, but her way of jeering at her elder sis ter before the Lout, that the former found rather hard to bear. Once or twice she even got so far in her own mind as to wish that Looheaser had stayed safely down in Devonshire in- stead of coming to see life and making an invariable third at these interviews which had been strictly tete-a-tete.
 Still there was balm in Gilead, or rather in the old stocking containing her hard-earned savings, which savings had by this time attained such a high level of prosperity that they were up to the first darn in the leg.
 For Liza's ambition had scared above the four chairs and the tea-trays, and now aimed at nothing less than round table with a shiny top, which was to support a flower pot and saucer set in the centre of white crochet mat
 'Looheaser, she crowshays lovely, and I'll get Ter to make me one with fringe all round"
 Apropos of whom it was remarkable that, in spite of the hat and feather, she had not yet succeeded in picking up a young man of her own-or, if she had, kept him very dark. Liza, having put the question to her plain one day, was somewhat surprised at the outburst of giggles with which it was received.
 Maybe I ave and maybe 'aven't," was the only answer vouchsafed on pressing the inquiry. Tor, Liza, what a goose you ber'
 Orthur's behavior was queer, too, about this time and occasioned his long suffering sweetheart many search ings of the heart.
 "He be as touchy as box O lucifers, and no pIeasin' on i'm nohow. Looheas- CT, she justs larfs in is face; but then she's that darin' as I never see the like"
 Altogether, poor Liza was beginning to be much perturbed or, as she would have expressed it. put about" Vague filled her mind. and she felt all the world as though somethink was goin' to 'appen"-a presentiment that was shortly justified by the break ing Of looking glass; and the most ignorant person living knows that, is about the worst misfortune that could befall one. Consequently it was with delighted astonishment too great for words that she. not long after, heard Orthur growl out something to the ef- feet that he'd ''jist lad is wages, rig alf crown a week, and she'd better notice so as they could be married Eas- ter Monday"
 Liza blushed light purple, while her ears seemed to stand out on each side of her head as much as to ask, Can we believe our own testimony at this l proof of the honorableness 0f the Louis intentions?"
 Flor, Orthur, why, you never mean | t!" she exclaimed bashfully as soon as she recovered speech. "Whatever's | made yer take like that all of a sud lent?"
 q wanter get it over," was the surly | 'eply that made the recipient conscious )f vague sensation as though her in- 1ermost feelings had corns and some ,ne had trodden on them.
 However it wore off, and having giv- m the required notice, she set about the pleasing task of getting her things" 'eady. In the exuberance of her emo- ions 1t must be admitted that break lges occurred with monotonous regu- arity; jugs relinquished their spouts llmost at sight, and teacups turned ed republicans in the matter of han Hes. In fact, Liza's proposed path to he altar might be said to have been trewn with broken crockery,
 Excitement eliminated on that Sum lay when she was to be "asked in hurch" for the first time. To be sure he was unable to be present, having Ter dinner to see to, but Looheaser, whose duties were of a lighter nature, vas deputized on the occasion, and call d in on her way back.
 "How did it sound, Looheaser?"