Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1895-09-12

NV TO their rect WIFI
w calculations of in
kerest and rushed to the window of the
1ltting-room,
Take care Monica dear" said one,
Bhroudlng herself in the lace curtain;
don't let them see u.s."
mo, no, Bertha. We must not give
them reason to say that their neigh
bors are inquisltive. But I think that
we are safe II we stand like this"
The open window looked out upon a
sloping lawn, well trimmed and pleas
ant, with fuzzy rosebushes and star
shaped bed of sweet william. IT was
Bounded by low wooden fence, which
screened 1t off from a broad, modern,
new metaled road, At the other side
of this road were three large detached
deep-bodied villas with peaky caves
hnd small wooden balconies, each
standing in It's own little square Of grass
and Of flowers All three were equally
new, but numbers one and two were
curtained and sedatc, with n human,
sociable look to them; while number
three, with yawning door and unkempt
garden, had apparently only just re-
ceived its furniture and made itself
ready for its occupants, A four-wheeler
had driven up to the gate, and It was
ht this that the old ladies, peeplng out
blrd-like from behind their curtains, d.
rected an eager and questioning gaze.
The cabman had descended, and the
passengers within were handing out
the articles which they desired him to
n thn 10
faced and blinking, with his crooked
arms outstretched, while a male hand,
protruding from the window, kept pill
Ing up upon him series of articles
the sight of which filed the curious old
ladies with bewilderment.
my goodness mew cried Monica, the
smaller, the drier and the more wiz
ened of the pair. what do you call
that, Bertha? 1t looks to me like four
batter puddings."
"Those are what young men box each
other with" said Bertha with con-
scious air Of superior worldly knowl-
edge.
And those?"
Two great bottle-Ehaped pieces Of yell
low shining wood had been heaped up
on the cabman.
"Qh, don't know what those are"
confessed Bertha. Indian clubs had
never before obtruded themselves up
on her peaceful and very feminine ex-
istence.
! These mysterious articles were fol-
lowed however, by others which were
more within their range Of comprehen-
slon-by pair of dumb-bells, a purple
cricket-bag, a set Of golf clubs, and a
tennis racket. Finally, when the cab
man, all top-heavy and bristlingi had
staggered up off the garden path there
emerged in a very leisurely way from
the cab big, powerfully built young
man, with a bull pup under one arm
and pink sporting paper in his hand.
The paper he crammed into the pocket
OF his light yellow dust-coat and ex-
tended his hand as If to assist some one
else from the vehicle. TO the surprise
of the two old ladies, however, the only
thing which his open palm received was
@ violent slap, and tall lady bounded
Nnassisted out Of the cab. With a re-
gal wave she motioned the young man
hand upon her hip she stood in a care
less, lounging attitude by the gate,
kicking her toe against the wall and
listlessly awaiting the return of the
driver.
AS she turned slowly round, and the
sunshine struck upon her face, the two
watchers were amazed to see that this
very active and energetic lady was far
from being in her first youth, so far
that she had certainly come Of age
again since she first passed that land
mark in life's journey. Her finely CHS
Nled, clean-cut face, with something
Eed Indian about the firm mouth and
strongly marked cheek bones, showed
even at that distance traces of the fric-
ition Of the passing years. And yet
she was very handsome. Her features
were as firm in repose as those Of a
Greek bust, and her great dark eyes
were arched over by two brows so
black, so thick, and so delicatelW
curved that the eye turned away from
fhe harsher details of the face to mar
ivel at their grace and strength. Her
inquire, too, was straight as a dart, a
little portly, perhaps, but curving into
magnificent outlines, which were half
accentuated by the strange costume
which she wore. Her hair, black but
beautifully shot with grey, was brushed
plainly back from her high forehead,
and was gathered under a small round
felt hat, like that of a man, with one
sprig Of feather in the band as con-
cession to her sex. A double-breasted
Jacket Of some dark frie2e-like material
fitted closely to her figure, while her
straight blue skirt. untrlmmed and UNI
gathered, was cut so short that the
lower curve of her finely turned legs
was plainly visible beneath It, terminal
ing in a pair of broad, fiat, low-heeled
and square-tocd shoes. Such was the
lady who lounged at the gate of num-
Der three, under the curious eyes OF her
1.-Two opposite neighbors.