The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-10-30

Ugly
sit down here. dear, beside me. and
MRS. Harmon easily contrivetl TO nlapa
the girl just opposite the small room:
and the young man, approaching his
eye to the crack, was struck bv the
pretty face he beheId 7 -
well, Rosamond. what are YOU doing
nowadays? Are you going out much p"
mo, very little. 1 had a card for Mrs
Laton's tea this afternoon. but I wrote
her was i'll. You will not betray me.
will your and she laughed a merry
laugh, that set Andrews heart to vi
brating.
DO you not care for such affairs ?''
asked Mrs. Harmon. 5I'. Io flioi1
Surely, Mrs. Harmon, you do not
think 1T would be amusing to spend an
hour or two watching Mrs. Laton's fir
tations. with no one to talk to but the
insipid woman and stupid men of her
set?"
"You are severe, my child"
Severe? Well, with a woman like
Mrs. Laton do not think one can be too
much So" 4fa Tgf -Ead
Instinctively Mrs. Harmon raised her
eyes to the door that concealed Andrew.
and, under pretext of arranging the
portiere, she crossed the room, and, as
she rearranged the drapery, whispered
to her nephew: cts nearly fite-you'll
be late for your tea"
But her warning was unheeded; An
drew did not bulge. AS for the girl by
the fire, she was still full of her idea.
do you know Mrs. Laton. Mrs.
Harmon?" she asked. r.s a.,Ia
eyes, yes" the old lady FASTENED to
reply; and to turn the conversation she
went on: but you are wrong to de-
clare that all men are stupid. There
are some who are quite sensible"
Sensible? Well, / don't know them.
/ do not mean that they are oil stupid,
but they think themselves so superior
that they are wearisome. They are
vain, insufferable bores, with their
blase airs and their idea that they are
Irresistible because they can fiirt with
Mrs. Laton, who has bleached hair,
smeers paint on her face as if it ere
palette, and whose brains are good
for nothing but to devise outrageous
gowns"
Again Mrs. Harmon cast an uneasy
glance toward the little room, in which
Andrew was fast waxing angry Tie
whose superb health and triumphant
beauty irritated him.
'And when will you get married, my
dear?" suggested Mrs. Harmon, again
throwing herself into the breach.
81 shall never marry"
Indeed? Why not?''
''Why not?" repeated Rosamond. a
shadow of melancholy coming over the
face that Andrew admired in spite OF
himself. Because l am a little fool
who cannot do az the rest do | would
wish to love my husband and to have
him love me. l would wish TO marry
a man whom I should single out from
among the rest for his goodness and in
telligence. l would wish to have con-
fidence in him, and above all be proud of
him." $3.50 r-Gni.ti
AS the girl spoke she had become ami
mated with a gentle exaltation, which
was not without its effect on the young
man behind the door.
"Well, Rosamond," said Mrs. Harmon,
'twhy do you not realize your d1eam?"
Because there are no young men
nowadays who care to look for a girl
who pleases them. Marriage for them
is a matter of business, nothing more
and the woman herself does not count
They harry when they have lost thei1
money, and the little heart they pos
sessed has been frittered away on some
Mrs. Laton or another. Ia1.1 qHp
Again Mrs. Harmon arose, and. pre-
tending she had an order to give, ex-
-cused herself and FASTENED 10 her
nephew. .yts.vfT e.nfilf 81 ~.
"Well, aunt, she has given us nice
dressing down, Ell? For charming
girl would back her against the
world tr
'eHurry, Andrew; it is late, and you
have almost missed your tea"
sMy teal" he repeated. "Bother my
tea! Is there nothing else in the world
but my tea? Now. you must find an
excuse to bring me into the room, and
I'll show that young shrew whether
all men are fools. Oh, she need have
no fear, shall not try to, marry her,
for i StllI nave all my Hftil' HoeiO
money. and heart still intact"
q Mrs. Harmon could not refrain a
smile at the Young mans vexation, and
five minutes later Andrew entered the
drawing-room. 48sug gdl
But. contrary to expectations. the
conversation did not become "a war OF
words; on the contrary. the girls fresh
gayety disar1med Andrews anger at
once. His preconception fed before her
dimpled smiles and her gentle voice,
and he soon fell under her charm. for
getting his anger in his admiration for
her graceful movements, the pcnetrat-
ing timber of her voice. the sparkle OF
her wit. silit 9goA 1sl isW94 g 80
The hour for the tea had long passed.
and Andrew was still there. He had
lost all desire to run after Mrs, Laft1opln
that faded doll whom Rosamond--1oSs as
he was forced to admit to himself-had
portrayed so truthfully.
1And iefsconced once more in the
depths of her arm chair, Mrs. Harmon
smiled a kindly smile. and silently re-
garded the ,youngipeople, whoafor their
part, looked at one ANOTHER with looks
that do not deceive, and in which lhliicchh the
old aunt read with Joy the hope 81 e e
= t~yn ~.