Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-09-23
A CHATTERBOX.

flush crept slowly up from her white neck
and hid among the little curls beneath tho
fowery hat brim. He was young and
good looking and they shook hands as old
friends do. He seated himself beside her.
For a moment neither said anything
Then she bestowed little smile upon him
and made the highly original remark, $50
long since I've seen you'
eyes, it's good while. Why, it's spring
again. Fancy, eight whole months. We've
missed two seasons"
"Yes, but then never do seem to keep
up with my summer friends, she answer
ed.
"Summer friends? am to consider my
self in that interesting category, l sup
poser"
"Why, Of course. But have you heard
from any Of the Moricheites sinces What is
the news?"
"Well, Arabella Dilby is married"
He half turned his head to see the effect
of this piece of intelligence, but if he had
expected sensation he was disappointed
The girl beside him smiled and said:
"Is that all?''
"Aren't you surprised"
SWELL, hardly, to be truthful. You
know, Arabella was always q lover of
mankind. was always prepared for such
an announcement. But then no one can
blame her for being flirt. All the girls
at Moriches were rather good to the men,
and Arabella was the leader. Why, there
was Ned Davis and Hugh Darlington,
and, why, even you were rather gone on
her, thought, two years ago. Somehow
you dropped off very quickly. She was
pretty little thing, but, of course, not the
sort Of girl you would find congenial But
then you are dreadful flirt, too, and firts
can see through one another, suppose.
Why, we were very good friends ourselves.
Do you remember how we used to slip
away between the dances and go down to
the mooring when the whole bay was wash
ed in moonlight and the little waves
splashed softly against the beach9"
~ never flirted''- virtuously.
"Good gracious! Indeed you did tiirt
with me-very desperately, too, for a
week. Now, admit. Why, was afraid to
send you card when I got back to town
for fear you would fling yourself on your
knees and ask me to fly with you before
got my autumn wardrobe"
"How embarrassing that would have
been, to be sure. +"
"It would, indeed, because Tom Bron-
SOM
ooh, bother Tom Bronsonv'
81 do bother Tom Bronson, but you
needn't be so cross. You know Tom Bron-
son was quite in love with Arabella two
summers ago, and when they got in town
the very first thing he did was to propose
A very mean trick Of Tom Bronson. He
does that every October. Two years ago
it was Arabella, last year 1t was-but new
er mind Arabella was awfully angry
about it. She likes to firt, does Arabella. :"
"Why do you insist that Arabella firts?"
How absurd to ask me such ques-
ton I know Arabella, and unless she has
changed she will lead her husband pretty
dance. Shall'I ever forget the night Of the
Yacht club ball? Arabella gave up her
room to some one and came to share my
quarters. She looked very pretty that
night, and all the boys were in a state Of
ecstatic happiness or gloomy despair, &C.
ccording to how they had come off In the
scramble over her dance order. At that
time think we all fancied she was really
going to settle down and marry Fred
Cross. He played tennis we'll and sailed a
boat like an angel and"-
whats that about sailing an angelo
"And as he was simply rolling in wealth
Arabella actually admitted that she liked
him, said the young woman, calmly ig-
noring the frivolous interruption
every good of Arabella, I'm sure. -
eyes, wasn't itS Well, anyhow, on that
particular night she summed up for me all
the men she had ever known. Said I was
younger and all that and gave me advice
by the yard. And who do you think she
said she liked best among all the adorers
she had ever had9"
He was discreetly silent.
"Why, Reggie Fayles. You are sur.
prised, Of course. Well, so was I. She de-
clared she would marry Reggie, but she
could not possibly bring herself to live in
fiat on 50, 900 year. As for all the 9th
ers, she didn't give a snap of her finger
Poor Reggie couldn't even stay more than
his two weeks vacation, and he wrote aw.
fully dull letters, but that perverse crea-
ture used to kiss those letters and weeE
over Reggie's poverty and her own extrav.
agant tastes, and all the time she was try.
ing her best to catch Tom Cross. The fun.
NEST part Of 1t was that he got tired of her,
and as luck would have 1t he and Reggie
got acquainted, and maybe they exchanged
condolences anyway he never asked Ara
bella to marry him. She was piqued, but
I suppose, true to her principles, she has
married some fat old moneybags and has
forgotten him. Who was 1t, the witch of
Endor or Ophelia who said, when shall
we three meet AGAIN. How stupid of you
not to know. wonder when shall see
Ill ~ .sol~z