The evening times., 1895-08-14
FICTION AND FACT.
The victim of a Plot.

| u
The Victim of q Plot.
Dear me. mamma, I wish you were not
such a little Puritan. What in the world
is the good Of having lover. II he isn't
10 love with one? And what is the good Of
his being in love with one, II he doesn't
show IT?
Now I'll warrant when papa was court
Ing you, you'd have thought 1t very strange
II he didu't kiss you good night, and I'm
sure, II you had drop Of girlish blood In
your veins. you didn't prefer the company
Of the whole family In the parior, to that
OF your two selves in boat on the river
or nook in the shrubbery"
II never forgot my maidenly reserve"
said Mrs. Oldschoole, frigidly, land your
father was decorous gentleman n always.
He never expected me TO leave the family
| gathering TO go to the door with him,
and when lie came to spend Sunday, and
went to church with us, / can assure
YOU there was no-spooning-on the back
seat OF the carriage on the way home
He sat with papa on the front seat, and the
ladies' Of the family sat together behind"
''Poornamla! Then you don know what
you've missed" returned Ethel, with. how
ever, a slight deepening OF color at this last
hit. You haven't as much to look back
upon as thought you had-as shall have
when age creeps on. Just let ME read you
few extracts from this letter of Arthur's
and you II get q glimpse of what makes life
worth living. He writes ideal love letters"
"Ethel-ahem!-do you think it would be
quite nice? III take it all for granted, my
dear, ;" said the older woman, hastily. as she
shifted upeasily in her chair. Arthur might
not like you to-"
b "Oh. he won't mind; see here, now. MY
precious little sweetheart-' that's the
way it begins, and isn't that enough to warm
the cookies OF a girls heart, right at the
start"
A scandalized "Ohi" was the only an.
swer.
Then 1t goes on-but don't interrupt,
mamma; you ought to be pleased I'm
sure it lent every daughter who would take
her mother into her confidence in this way.
The letter goes on: 4 am thinking yet of
your goodness In not putting me off with q
formal leavetaking last night. 1t seemed
for moment as If an angel had appeared TO
fne, when you suddenly stood before me,
in your white drese, In the shadow OF the
big maple"
"Ethelindai''
and you were an angel, dearest,
to think OF it. 1 have not had SO happy a
moment since the day we pretended to have
missed the coaching party and drove to
the picnic by ourselves
Mrs. Oldschoole was tanning and rock
ing herself at a high rate OF speed, but
she said nothing.
~ am sure the reader went on, we
could extract much more enjoyment from
my infrequent visits but for"
"Infrequent visits! two or three times a
week.
'InfreQuent visits, bit for your mothers
absurd prejudices, which"
'Ethelinda Oldschoole! Am / to sit here
and listen, not only to the story of your own
duplcity, bat also to such gross insults to
myself? III that young man ever comes"
lone moment; where was /? Oh, yes;
absurd prejudices, which led her to act
the petty tyrant in SO many ways my,
myi he is outspoken. should have gone over
thismore carefully before reading italoud)."
This in pretended aside But there are
only few more lines, mamma, !" she went |
on hurriediy, as hysterical symptoms be- |
However, dearest, We can bless our |
stars the day is rot far diftant when we
shall be together forever and aye. Until |
then, my own, believe me, Yours only,
CHARLES OLDSCHOOLE."
Ethel ended with q little scream.
why, mamma, ii must be-it is a letter |
from papa to you. Ny goodness! How in |
the world did it ever get among my papers? |
Yes, here is the date, June 4, 1862
'I thought it seemed strange. 1 knew |
Arthur would never speak go of you and, |
of course, We never even imagined such
thing as pretending to miss the coach! And |
as for meeting him CO. |
''Poor mammal It's no wonder you're |
all upset, having old times brought back |
so forcibly Grandmamma must have been |
awfuIly severe since you had to resort to
such little-devices Here are youy salts, |
dear) But can just sympathize with you.
1 know some girls whose mothers treat
them SO. I'm so thankful you're not one
Of them. Let me fan you; there, there! the
dear little mother!
'.And do you know what Arthur says? |
He says he knows you'll make just the
incest mother -in-law in the world!'-
Truth.