The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1895-05-17

Cheer up, old girl" says her BROTH
tr, kindly, 'who knows but that she
may prove a Venus"
"a Venus"
I'm petticoats, of course" severely.
IAN original would be too embarra ssing
even to the most advanced chaper5n."
Look here, Fred, if you are going to
be frivolous, I'd just as soon you went
away and left me to my fate" says
Julia, angrily She sinks back in her
chair and frowns, but presently her in
dignation dies away beneath her grow
ing fear she will be awful. I know
It, says she, beginning to cry, 81 wish
! had E2G the common sense to refuse
20 have herr
MY dear child, what nonsense! She
can't be so overwhelmingly bad after
ILL.,"
Yes, she is, I'm sure of 1t. A great
larG -limbed, impossible, young person!
Gayc literally no hope; and she will
have no clothes eitherw
Julia. considerw says her brother.
falling back in his chair, and drawing
an an imacassar modestly over his face.
Have | not assured you that no origi-
nails are permitted to take their walks
abroad in this great London town?
There are always the police, my love,
and the county council, and General
Booth, and various other unimaginative
people, who put an end to our little
harmless pleasantries."
ut Is all very fine for you," says
Julia, mopping her eyes. "You haven't
to produce her before your guests, and
call her your cousin. What am l to do
at my receptions-my dinners? Where
can I put her?"
There is always the convenient, IL
slightly dirty coal-cellar," says Sir
Frederic, hopefully.
At this Mrs. Dalton-Herne loses all
patience; she rises, and marches to
the door.
Come back! Come backw cries her
brother, running after her. I'm awful
ly sorry. l shan't say another word.
III do anything I cam"
"Oh, do you mean that? says Julia,
turning and laying her hands upon his
arm. Fred darling, you will come to-
morrow, you will help me?"
"Of course l shall help you, Judy"
hoil IL pltyHe, DIS he TlDSS the
bell at his sisters charming house, feels
distinctly out of humor this afternoon.
There had been so many things wait
ing for him-so many enjoyable hours
that must now be wasted. All because
Julia had implored him to throw them
away on country cousin A cousin,
no doubt, with wide mouth, and scar
let hair.
He gives quite a cross little nod to
the man who opens the door and who Is
quite an old lend of his, having come
from his own place in the country, and
goes up stairs in a frame of mind
that argues badly for the cousins hour
with him at luncheon
Half way up the stairs, however, he
comes to a standstill, attracted
by sound that comes evident
ly from a door upon his left.
1t is a favorite room of Julia's
"a room half boudoir, half studio
nearly to the word noise-and sudden
ly 1t occurs to him that 1t might be
produced by some one running round
and round the room. AS he pauses, a
ringing laugh breaks out-a silvery,
soft, very young laugh, and after that
the playful barking of dog.
what on earth is going on here?"
says Steyne, to himself, and with
desire to get as quick an answer as
possible to his question, he opens the
door abruptly and looks In.
What is going on is at once made
plain to him; though, perhaps, he had
not been quite prepared for it,
What a scene! Here is his sisters
pretty room all upset, the chairs pushed
this way the tables that The screens
had been moved into corners, and there
there. at the very end of the room,
mounted on the top of the writing
table stands-the culprit.
Such charming culprit-a little girl
of about sixteen, he tells himself
though later on he learns that she is
two years older than that-dressed in
a white cambric gown, turned down
at the neck, with a deep lace collar
that falls in Vandyke fashion over her
shoulders. She has evidently sprung
from an ottoman beneath her, onto the
table, to escape her foe. But the foe,
furious little fox terrier, has learned
the worth of the ottoman, too. and has
now his hind paws on 1t. His front
paws are on the table. and his sharp
little teeth are tightly imbedded In the
exquisite lace petticoat that appears be-
meath the cambric gown.
"Oh, my pettlcoatl Come and save
my petticoat," cries the culprit, beckon-
ing frantically to Steyne to come and
help her. She is holding up the cam
~ u.
the lace flounces of the petticoat giving
beneath the terriers excited tugs, who
is now too far gone in his game to
know discretion. He can see, too. the
dainty little feet that show beneath the
petticoat.
"Get down. you BRUTE" says Sir Fred
eric. giving the dog a smart slap tnat
brings him to the floor and his senses
In a hurry.
"Oh, don't hurt him-don't," cries the