The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-09
THE LOST DEAL.


sentimental and very much alive to the
ridiculous. She was also extremely pretty
in the Irish way, which Is perhaps tho
prett:est way in the world. Her father.
the rector, was Irish, and he and all his
family were genial, CHEEKY foiK, WHO
laughed and grew fat.
One September day the beaming rector
called to Miranda from the study win
dow:
Chick, would you like to come TO Lon
don with me for a week."
Yes, papa" said she in little ianguid
voice and with dreamy gaze beyond
him into infnity-
The happy old parson, who did not Of
ten give himself holiday, enjoyed il
thoroughly, and so did Miranda.
One morning the rector had to go into
the city on business and left Miranda all
alone She thought she would explore
the three drawing rooms in search of Curl.
osities, OF which her aunt was great col
lector.
She came to the smallest room at the
end and even as she crossed the thresh-
old her eyes fell on the photograph of a
very handsome young man stuck in the
last leaf of photograph screen. In that
moment Miranda thought she foretasted
the raptures OF realized ideal She called
him Ferdinand.
Almost shyly she slipped the fateful
carte out of the little screen without even
glance at its companions there There
after Miranda spent much time in con-
temptation of that sun pictured face.
Miranda passed the winter in trembling
expectation, half hoping half dreading
that her aunt would in some of her letters
allude to the missing treasure and at the
same time tear the veil from its mystery.
In May Miranda (and her ideaD went
to London, where the pretty country girl
was good deal admired and enjoyed her
self very much One day at breakfast her
aunt read "a letter that seemed to give her
considerable pleasure
My dear" said she. "Charlie's COM
Ing
WHO is Charliee" asked Miranda, who
had never heard of him before.
My dear" replied her aunt, Era. her sol
EMMY, Charlie is the son of my first and
only IOve-the man should proba bly, have
married if he hadn't preferred some one
else
'And is he hlive now?"
mo, my dear-both dead long ago. He
got himself killed by a tiger ont in India.
and it killed her, too--nct the tiger, bus
the loss of her husband. Indeed. then,
she was far foDder of him than ] ever was.
Some we'll off uncle looked after their boy
and got him into the L. o. He's been in
Canada these three years, and low he
writes me word he's coming home and
will be in London next week, 50 sit ys
down, Miranda, child, and send him a
card for my dance next Thursday"
Thursday came the guests came-mors
than could ever get up stairs. Charlie ar
rived early and did get up stairs. His
hostess, glorious in green velvet and ''ia-
monds, bounced en- him, took both hia
hands and kissed him before the assem-
bied multitude.
Presently Miranda made her appear
ance, and being effusively introduced TO
each other they went OF to the bathroom
together Miranda's heart beat Il Hstls
faster when they met For one moment
she had seemed to recognize the beautiful
dark eyes Of Ferdinand; but ah, no, mol
That round, foolish face inclined to be
chubby; that nose inclined 80 be snubliy;
that wide mouth forever widenod by q
schoolboy grin!
disappointed and unhappy and had a pain
full dream OF adistorted Ferdinand phaGo-
graphed on spoon. Charlie came to lunch
con next dag Miranda WAS tired and q
little cross. She found him horribly m
interesting. She WINS only half conscious
that Churlie WAS babbling and Dragging
of his eIpioits on the icc in Canada She
only half heard what ne said whom hs
a.ked her aunt il she had ever got the
photos he sent her year before.
Nine Of orr skating cluh, and the
what do you call it?-you know
''Ob, yes, - said her aunt, Il got them
and put thcIn all into n photograph screen.
1t used TO stand on a table in the hind room
up stairs. j dare say it's somewhere up
there. Let Us go and look for it.. -
Photograph SCREEN" Tho weeds woke
up Miranda like pistol shot At last. at
last! And what was going to happenf
Was her sin To find her out? No, she would
never confess, but she felt very guilty and
shook in her shoes. However she man.
aged to walk mp stairs in them behind her
aunt, with Charlie aV her heels.
In the third room her aunt pulled tire
drawer Of a cabinet. Here II Is, said
She, folded up rs Hat as lancake.'' And
she gave it TO Charlie, who UNTOLD ID it
Yes" cried he, with his wide laugh.
4 here we all are! But, l say, where's ths
the-combinntion--c what d you
call it? Nine of us blended into one, you
know-the new dodge. Nhat's become
of il? Awfully handsome fellow We made
too. Bit 81 Brown, bit Of Jones, bit OF
me. BY Joyel What's the Glatter? Arc
you i'll? Ho1e, sit down Where's the eau
de coioene:"
Miranda sat down. She did feel little
faint for an instant while she realized the
truth. ana Ferdinand melted into space,
but then the suppressed fun in her lower
nature" jumped up like a Jack-in-the-h ox
On the phantom heels of the vanishing
Ferdinand, and she went of into peals on
pe2!s of inextinguishable laughter. They
were rather frightened. Her aunt slapped
her hands. Charlie emptied the bottle of
eau de cologne over her, and I'm afraid
she slapped him.
My poor child" said her aunt, 'shs's
hyste-ical,"
I'm nothing of the sort, :" gasped Nj
randa. trying TO stop laughing, going OF
again ana speaking in spasms. oh, oh,
Oh, it's too, too, too funny. Oh, oh, OH,
that could have fallen in ioye-with nine
men-at once, No 10, 70. with nine
bits Of men! Shall ever, ever, ever stop
Miranda went home in July merriee
md wiser girl. In October she married
her faithful curate, whose only rival had
been Ferdinand. London Society.