The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-10-13

10 is jest as smart as a house a'ire; he
earns enough takin' folks out In the
Midget IN the summer 10 keep US all
winter. lyddys goin' to school this fall
II she is most twenty. She can remember
when there want no hotels here but
st the 'SansOver and the 'Rockport,
AID when the 'Pdduck was built. When
| was small | used TO look in at the
hops at the Poduek every night. I've
seen lots of good timss-tl.r ugh the
wnders. No, l shan't take the money
)how," as Constance gently urged At
upon her. But I'll tell you what | do
want" The girl hesltated and searched
Containers faca anSiously with the keen
black eyes that were a contradiction to
Inc heayiness OF her face II though.
Of It Jest az soon as | saw the letters
en- that watch and knew twas yours
You've been here two or three summers
haint you? l know what your name IS
and I've watched YOU 1 watch all the
girls that are Jest about as old as me
and don't do nothin' bat have good times.
You're goin' to have = lunch party to-
n orrow, amt you|
O. Instance nodded assent, with trace
OF surprise in her face.
"a pink lunch, with everything all
trimmed up with Wild roses
Constance nodded again, the surprise
deepening in hey face.
IT'S for that girl with the yellow hair,
Jest about as old as you and me that's
stOppin' over to the East End'-orful
rich folks from New York. Welr"-ss
Constance assented again-'what I want
is for you 10 let me come to the party!
Give me a regular invite that has wrote
on II how you want the pleasure OF my
company. l want to be like folks, for
once. ! want 20 be inside o. the wiDder
when the good time Is goin' on"
Constance felt tho color rushing TO her
face. What should she say? II was alb
surd that she should find IL difficult to
refuse this girls almost impairment re-
quest. And yet-her face was 10 visit
ful, it looked pale with eagerness in the
light Of the lamps. IL the party had
been for any one but DOrOthea Tarieton
she almost thought she would have let
her come Dorothea was used to New
port and thought the Harbor ways were
queer at the best. IL would be talked
about and laughed at everywhere. Her
mother gave her the largest liberty In
her little social affairs, but she would
not be likely 10 approve OF that
'1--l-its just for our own set I'm
afraid there wouldn't be room" she STAN
mered.
The eager light vanished from the
girls face as a candle is blown out by
the wind. She turned away without
word, but a weakly defiant murmur
came back to Constance through the
dusk:
Il guess I'm as good as you be-"
a sob was mingled with II. and Con-
stance tried in vain TO repeat her urgent
offer of the money. something chokcd
. Ia Ia, Hinder a1.4-
trio light on the sidewalk she saw the
sturdy little hlure shifting the heavy
baby from one arm to another, and
marching off the desutory and relu'-
tant Thode with Q ruthlers grasp Upon
his collar She thought she would tell
the story of the girls ridiculous request
10 the gay little group uiion the plaza
IL would amuse them: but she didn't:
there was a queer little pang In the Ie-
gion OF her heart that restrained her.
The pink luncheon failed of being e
complete success the next day, because
Constanco's brother Jack, and a half
dozen other boys of the same set had
gone off lecp-sea fishing in reckless dis
dain Of girl society. Corny Tarieton had
engaged the Midget Captain 10 Dilsey,
and invited them all. But the AFFAIR was
most elegant and exclusive, and there
NdS tlftl NOhlu " rrlliJ III )CA
Doroihea Tarieton. who was picture
in her pink silk gown, and wide. plumed
hat.
Constance had told Dollie Erskine OF
the girls request and Dollie had cried
enthusiastically: "Oh, why didn't YOU
have her? She would have been such an
effective NOVELTY. But Dolie took easy.
artistic views OF society; the question
was what would Dorothea Tarleton have
thought. As the luncheon guests were
dispensing they discovered that the sky
had suddenly darkened; IL was not the
fog that had been lurking for q week
of "Shaloo." as the old fishermen called
Bay Chaleur, but sudden squall, a
mighty. rushing wind, that tore up the
earth and trees. and churned the black
expanse of water into white foam. There
was a weird light over everything faml-
liar Paradise Street looked like an I'M
known land and the Hedgehog Islands
stood out Ike square granite monu-
ments against a yellow. brassy horizon.
There was a strange, sullen roar that
grew constantly louGr.
"Oh, those boysl cried Constance. in
dismay: and the other girls echoed the
exclamation their faces pale with fright.
1t was an anxious afternoon; the har-
Dor was full Of vessels. small ana great.
whose navigators had seen the danger
In time TO reach a place OF safety; but
night fell and their was no trace Of tho
little Midget" A steam launch was
sent out. and innumerable small boats
went In search OF the missing party,