The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1896-12-18
/. through the crack of the door. Tt.

opened TO dQm1C TIE "lSloI, tHioo5
the slit Andrew could make out tic
graceful silhouette of young girl.
"How do you do, Mrs. HARMONY" sa.;
the girl, as she entered the room. s.
have brought back the little books or
the orphan asylum that you lent
mamma. May I stay a moment with
you?"
She continued to keep her back to-
ward Andrew, and he, now beginning
to get tired of the game, had about con-
Guided that she must be frightfully
ugly.
''Sit down here, dear, beside me-" and
Mrs. Harmon easily edntrived to place
the girl just opposite the small room;
and the young man, approaching his
eve to the crack, was struck by the
kpfetty face he beheld.
"Well, Rosamond, what are you doing
nowadays? Are you going out much %
| "No, very little. / had card for Mrs.
Laton's tea this afternoon, but wrote
her I was ill. You will not betray me,
will you?" and she laughed a merry
| laugh, that set Andrews heart to vi
brating.
do you not care for such affairs ?''
asked Mrs. Harmon.
Surely, Mrs. Harmon, you do not
think it 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''
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 five--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.
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.
l do not mean that they are all stupid,
but they think themselves so superior
that they are wearisome. They are
vain, insufferable bores, with their
b1aSo o;rc opr 4bo;,. ID, thai 4Lox $50
irresistible because they can firt with
Mrs. Laton, who has bleached hair,
smears 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
lance toward the little room, in which
Andrew was fast waxing angry. lie
would have liked to strangle this girl,
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.
II shall never marry
Indeed? Why not?"
'Why not?" repeated Rosamond.
shadow of melancholy coming over the
face that Andrew admired in spite of
himself. Because / am a. little fool
who cannot do az the rest do would
wish to love my husband and to lave
him love me. would wish TO marry
a man whom should single out from
among the rest for his goodness and in
telligence. l would wish to have con-
1idence in him, and above all be proud of
him.
AS the girl spoke she had become AM
mated with a gentle exaltation, which
was not without it's effect on the young
man behind the door.
well, Rosamond," said Mrs. Harmon.
why do you not realize your dres.m?"
because there are no young men
nowadays who care to look fer a, girl
who pleases them. Marriage for then,
IS matter of business, nothing moro
and the woman herself does not count.
They marry when they have lost their
money, and the little heart, they DOS
sessed has been frittered away on some
Mrs. LatOn or another"
Again Mrs. HARMON arose, and. pre-
tending she had an order to give. ex-
cused herself and FASTENED 10 her
nephew.
well, aunt, she has given us a nice
dressing down, Ell? For charming
girl | would back her against the
world.''
hurry, Andrew; it is late, and you
have almost missed your tea"
my teal" he repeated. "Bother INV
tea! Is there nothing else in the world
but my tea? Now, you must find ar
excuse to bring me into the room. and
III show that young shrew whether
all men are fools. Oh, she need have
no fear, shall not try to marry her
for still have all my hair. a little
money, and a heart still intact"
Mrs. Harmon could not, refrain #,
slhlle at the young mans vexation. and
i've minutes later Andrew entered the
drawing.room. W
But, contrary to expectations, th.
conversation did not become a war g
words; ON the, contrary, the girls fres,
gayety dssarmed Andrews anger
once. his preconception fled before r.es
olmpled smiles and her gentle voice.
ana ne soon fell under her charm. for
geeung his anger in his admiration fo
ner graceful movements, the pcre.trat
ing timber of her voice, the sparkle Of
her wit.
! ne nour for the tea had long passed,
and Andrew was still +ho-o
,ose al desire to run after Mrs. Lator
.nat faded doll whom RosamondAe
ne was forced to admit to himself-hac