The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-07-03

Ues,. Anu nt.rtr nO Era.nes. D....s
puu,,s.h uf tho ether fellows With him ~
keep the rust of tho girls busy, ST. that no
and tiny Bco could have their little talk
all alone? Ia fact, it was at the end of the
big bcwildcring reception mt which her
mother had introduced her at the begin
ming of the winter that he had first dared
to tell her his love-thcro when the last
few guests We're lingering in the hall and
she had crcpt back to one Of the farther
tables, n little, flushed, weary maid in a
quaint, snowy gown, II bud already hcgi0-
ming to tire of the fierce light beating ON
her dear, dazcd head. She never aftcrward
could remember just how it came about,
but it began when his sleeve caught on
some of the shining bits of silver among
the ferns before her. and-and-well, she
was crying softly on his shoulder in less
TIM moment, both of them so oblivious
of everything else that they didn't wake
till mamma stood before them with u
startled cry. Then they had TO tell mann
ma, even before they had really told each
other very much, but papa liked Pills
father, so it had come out all right i'll the
end
They had told everybody by this time,
and the society columns had printed the
date of their wedding, with list of the
bridesmaids, and she had ordered the be
loved gown, with its frightfully long train
and its stern air of severe matronly Gle
gancc And now there wouldn't be any
wedding after all, and the girls would give
back the pretty pearl hearts she had pre-
Scntcd to them as her attendants, and
mamma would I've SO ashamed of her that
she would probably DC sent abroad for n
year or two That wouldn't amount to
much, however, rs it would take her away
from Philip, and of course she must learn
as soon as possible to bear the parting.
Did it take long to mend heart, she
questioned, into the midst of the big, Wet
pillow? Why was it women ever were
made to caro- so much for men If men were
so cruel? OF course it was all Philip s
fault. He had never been in earnest with
her, she supposed, and took this way to
show it when he grew tired of her. Well,
she would show him that women can he
hard, too, and she was going to begin by
breaking every masculine heart mt that
tea that afternoon.
For" unused this desperate little girl
rs she arIqiycd herself with fevcrish skill
in the lovely new gown sent home that
very morning, Il used to be glad l nm
DTtltN DttSlllSC IlllIlI-ll'J WI IANiii5
liked it. Now am glad because | know 1t
will make me all the more capable of
hurting him just as he has hurt me"
Everybody marvelcd at Miss Lane S
vivacity, and Tom Wells fairly tingled
with joy at the look she gave him when
she dropped the tiny sweet cubes from her
tongs into his fragile cup. But when the
other guests We're gone to the dressing
Nd hn waiting IN
their flu1iily clad charges to the carriages
Beatrice sat alone and forgotten. Philip
was late and he strobe past the men into
the drawing room and soon had found the
table at which Beatrice was sitting. And
when she looked up to see him standing
before her, with his fine head bowed and
such cruel, white line about his lips, all
she could do was to hold out her hands.
Philip took them.
1t saw all my fault, she breathed.
No, it was all mine" he whispered.
Then he vert on, looking into her eyes
with his face strangely sad and determined:
1T has been II terrible lesson, my love,
and one we must Ecvcr try again. Per
| haps this may not have done much harm,
exccpt''-and his voice grew husky
there will always bc that little rift in the
Lutte l had hoped we should never have
| that to regret, but it came and wo must
Use it as II warning. Hasn t ii been terri
BILE enough, Beatrice, to keep us from 1t
| forcvcr:''
Their hostess found them, both so worn
| and yet so happy, that she understood
without u word.
Come with me, " was all she said, and
taking them each by the hand she led them
hack To dear little room, all palms and
blossoms ard soft, rosy lights. and there
she left them, saying as she stole away:
Beatrice hasn't been we'll or happy this
afternoon, and she is all worn out now.
Do you know, Mr. Ewing. that when l am
tired ard hc;IItsick there isn't anything In
| the world which rests me ard makes Inc
l'lad 50 lnuch as my husbands kiss"
| Julia Fairfax in Chicago News