The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-10-23

murmured Mrs. Harmon
between her teeth, while u \disturbIng
came into her clear seeing
old eyes.
Under this ironfcal and even inquis-
itorial look Andrew lost countenance
u little; he could not deny that to mat
rimony he preferred flirting with Mrs.
Luton.
He was pulling himself together to
reply, or rather to defend himself,
when the street door bell was heard.
"a caller, eh? Is this your recep-
tion day, aunt, or do you, too, give
your friends ten at ) o'clock?"
"You are impertincnt, nephew. AT
my ago woman does not give %
o'clock nirtatious.' 1t is not even a.
caller am sure it is my little friend
Rosamond, the charming girl spoke
Of"
"I shall flee then"
"Do you not wish even to see her?"
"Never! Or, if you insist, l shall
go into this little ante.roon and look
ut her through the crack OF the door.
That is the only concession l shall
make" and the young man stepped
quickly into the next room as the op.
poslte door opened to admit the visi-
tor through the slit Andrew could
make out the graceful silh ouette of a
young girl.
"dow do you do, Mrs. Harmon?"
said the girl, rs she entered the room.
81 have brought back the little books
on the orphan asylum that You lent
mamma. May l stay moment with
you?"
She continued to keep her back to-
ward Andrew, aad he, now beginning
to get tired of the game, hnd about
concluded that she must be fright.
fully ugly.
"St down here, dear, beside me, "
and Mrs. Harmon easily contrived to
place the girl inst opposite the small
room and the young man, approach
ing his eve to the crack, was struck by
"NclI, Rosamond, what arc yo,. >.o,
ing no"Aaays? Are you gong out
much?'
NO, very little. l had card for
Mrs. Laton's tea this afternoon, but I
wrote her | w&s ill., You will not be-
tray me, will you?" aud she laughed n
merry laugh that set AnGrew's heart
| to vibrating.
"Do you not care FOR such affairs 2"
asked Mrs. Harmon.
"Snrely, Mrs Harmon, Won do not
/ think itwould be amusing TO spend an
hour or two watching Mrs. Laton's
! !iirtations, with no one to talk to bat
! the in~ipid women aul stupid men Of
her sct?"
'Nou are severe, M child"
'Scvere? We'll, with woman like
Mrs. LatOn, l do not think one can be
too much sU."
Iustinctivelv Mrs. Harmon raised
her eyes to the door that concealed
Andrew. and, under pretoxt OF ar
ranging the poctiere, she crossed the
room and, as she re.arrauged the dra-
perry, whispered to her nephew: ''It's
nearly tiye-you'll be late for your
tea"
But her warning was unheoded {;
Andrew did not bulge. As for the
girl by the fire, she was still full Of
her idea.
"Do You know Mrs. Laton. Mrs.
Harmou?" she asked.
Eyes, yes" the old lady hastened
to reply; and to turn the conversation,
she went on: "But You are wrong to
declare that all men are stupid. There
are some who are quite sensible"
Sensible? Well, i do not know
| them. do not mean that they are
al! stupid, but they think themselves
so superior that they are weari>ome
They aro vain. insuiferab!e bores,
with their b!aso airs and their IDEA
that they are irresistible because they
can tlirt with Mrs. Laton, who mas
bleached hair, and smears paint on
her face as ii it wero palette, and
whose brains arc good for nothing bus
to devise outrageous gowns.
Again Mrs. Harmon cast an uneasy
glance toward the little room, in which
Andrew was fast waxing angry. He
would have liked to stranglo this girl,
whose superb health and triumphant
beauty irritatcd him.
"And when will you &c. married,
my dcar| suggested Mrs. Harmon,
again throwing herself into the breach.
81 shall never marry"
"lnieed? Why not?"
ny Hot ltpShteu hoShmOhu,
shadow of melancholy coming over
the incc that Andrew admired in spite
OF himself. "Becausc / am IL little
TOOL who can do rs tho rest do. /
would wish to love my husband and
to have him love me. would wish
TO marry man whom / should single
out from among the rest for his good.
ness and intelligence ( would wish
to have confidence in him, and above
all to be proud OF him"
As the girl spoke, she had become
animated with Il gentle exaltation,
which was not without it's effect on the
young man behind tho door.
''Well, Rosamond." said Mrs. Har.