The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26

and the commanding style of her beauty.
She is my Dieffenbach, ~ he said. II call her
after the celebrated surgeon, as she IS the
cleverest surgeon in the whole neighbor-
in the village with the help of the doc
tori The third portrait was not less
charming than the other two. Rich
masses of brown hair shaded counte-
nance whose features were more delicate
in their expression than either OF her SIS
ters. "This is my Oxen, named after the
great naturalist; her real name Is Ern-
estine, but as no professor knows more of
zoology, ornithology, ichthyology, and a
lot more, I call her Oxen. You should
see her room, it is a museum and men
agerie com bined, including very COM
plete collection of snakes, lizards, horned
toads, tarantulas and other disagreeables. :"
my dear SIR" l exclaimed, "how is it
that your amiable daughters have become
addicted to such unfeminine and extraor-
dinary pursuits?"
"The cause is soon told, my dear Mr.
Frank" replied Frager. ''They had the
misfortune to lose their mother when they
me to attend TO their education, so
turned them over to tutor, who has
brought them up like boys"
He had hardly returned into the break
fast-room when there was a loud barking
of dogs and Louise dashed into the court
yard on her snow-white palfrey. Ny heart
felt thrill of pleasure as | saw this slen-
fitting habit. She sprang lightly from the
saddle and hurriedly entered the house.
The door flew open, Louise darted in, and
without taking the slightest notice OF me
threw her arms round her fathers neck
MAD girl!' cried Frager, ''do you not
ee there is guest in the room, worthy
friend of miner"
height, the wayward beauty, glowing with
recent exercise, measured me with a half
scornful smile playing about her beautiful
mouth and replied:
"If l do not mistake, I have already
made the gentleman's acquaintance"
Il had the honor" said l bowling, "to
serve you as target"
said the counselor, with some dis
pleasure, ''you really are incorrigible.''
$50 he has blabbed already" said the
damsel, scornfully. ''Only think, papa,
the young man was frightened, and
thought l would kill him. Turning to
me suddenly, she said If you are not too
fatigued and are fond of pistol-shooting,
come with me to my gallery" She led
the way and followed. / had not ham
died the weapon for FIVE years; she ham
died 1t with dexterity that made me
look very clumsy. l had no chance with
her. was fortunate II l hit the target at
all-it was as big as a plate-while
she put the bullet in the bullseve
at almost every shot. Tiring of that,
she began firing at birds and at
fruit on trees. At last, producing an ace
of hearts, she hade me hold it out at arms
length, remarking that she would shoot
the ace out. Remonstrance was useless.
Standing over me with her cooked pistol
she declared she would send bullet
through my hair if l did not do as l was
told
This was worse than scalping, so tried
to turn it off with joke, but it was all in
vain. thought l should have tainted as
mechanically stopped and picked up the
card which l had thrown away in nv
trembling fingers, endeavoring to console
myself with the thought that bullet in
the hand was better than one in the head.
Louise 1ired, cut out the ace, turned on her
heel and walked away, leaving me discour-
teously to myself.
II hope" said the counselor apologiz-
ingy, after | had told him nv adventure.
that my Emily will efface the bad i'm.
pressions her sisters pranks have made
upon you. Ii Louise with her rage for
shooting risks inhicting wounds, Emily,