The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-10-22
A LEAP YEAR STORY.
"You ask my real opinion of your story, Dexter, honor bright?"
 "Honest lniun; yes"

iou uSh iSai oA youi story, Dexter, honor bright?"
 Honest lnjun; yes"
 "Then, in a nutshell, eXcellent-ex- cept for your heroine. She's atrocious. A wooden doll on stilts-dry as the leaf that fell last year. Have you no sweet heart, man? Cannot you evolve any thing at all from inner consciousncss?"
 Would you have her like old Sal iust's Fulvia, one who can crack joke, sing and dance beyond what is ex- pected of a good woman""
 No, Dexter. would have a flesh and blood article you would be proud to own as sister or sweetheart yourself. Have you no personal experience into which you might dip your pen?"
 That's what's the matter. Love has never taken me in"
 "Dex,er, pity you! But it's not too late. You are not over 40, are you?"
 Forty, indeed! 1 am barely turned 80. What are you thinking of? Forty, indeed,"
 rosebud Of a girl l see with your people so much7 was thinking of her. Dip your pen iu:o her"
 "Why, that is Daisy; my sister-'n- laws sister Daisy, fresh from convent. never thought of Daisy"
 But after his friend left Dexter straightway began thinking it not half bad a scheme to substitute something young and girlish for his lady on stilts.
 Daisy was an unknown quantity to him, as with his mind upon other af- fairs he had never yet looked her square in the face. He had seen her tying flowers around the neck of a pet lamb and feeding some chickens and he could have seen her with ten-year-old Freddie wading in creek; only he turned his head and would not look. He had con cluded her to be utterly childish and ir- responsible.
 However, with self-interest as the governing motive, he proceeded to put on a fresh necktie; took a careful scrutiny of his middle-aged face and brushed the hair over the bald spot on his head, before presenting himself in his sister-in-law's drawing-room.
 Enthroned in wicker chair knotted with blue ribbons, sat the freshest, womanliest, busiest little person he had ever seen.
 Daisy, in blue dress and rufiled apron with pockets, hemming white rufiie.
 When Dexter walked straight toward her and seated himself by her side Ehe gave such surprised start that the spools went spinning over the floor. She blushed a rosy red blush of evi- dent pleasure. Dexter didn't know they could really blush in these days like that.
 "Oh, have you come at last?" she a!- most whispered.
 "Comr? Why, I've been in the house a week." he replied.
 "Ah, but you've never seen me before. mean to notice me-and was so afraid you never would"
 Dexter almost blushed himself at this. He said: "I mean to see great deal of you now, if you'll let me-"
 "Oh, I'm perfectly delighted" said Daisy, holding out the prettiest white hand in the world. Dexter shook it. thimble and all. "Now we are to be great friends, aren't we? You know couldn't make the first advances, could I?"
 "The very best" said Dexter, smiling. "and I want you to begin by telling me your ideas of this wicked world and the inhabitants thereof"
 Daisy laughed and lifted her eyes to his; blue they were, and bright. Then she changed color, slowly, and grace fully pinked up to the temples, and an swered:
 "The world! What do I know of the world? The sisters teach us that men are deceivers ever, and that there is a terrible thing called love, which we must not dare to think of. But what do know? We are no more than little in- nocent babies in the convent. Father Laurent and Brother Ned are all the men have seen until with radiant smile-"now. I know you Mir. Dexter, and you are no deceiver, are you''
 Dexters conscience gave a twinge, but he also was delighted to be so noticed. and his eyes laughed shyly as he drew her on.
 "How could you know me so quickly" he asked.
 My sister Hetty has told me all about you. That you are clever and fine and chivalr;c, and she says you can teach me all want to know"
 "And what may that be?"
 Daisy blushed again. She looked into