The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-07

remained in his chair, and was sufficiently
observant of the young woman to make
1t impossible for her to pluck a single
flower without his detecting her in the
act
She showed no sign of wishing to pluck
the flowers, and he was rather sorry for
that; he would have dearly liked to detect
. her, and then forgive her. for he was in
so soft a mood he would have been ready
to forgive even so fagrantly pretty girl
even for plucking one of his tulips
She continued working diligently until
her drawing paper had become crimson
with flowers. Suddenly turning her head,
however, she saw the man who was stand
ing at the windoy, and her face became
the color of the tulips. He saw her look
about as If seeking for SOM way of es-
cape. and he gave a laugh.
"Egad, the. lad mast taste, to say the
least of it." he muttered. and he's right;
I she is a bad actress She doesn't seem to
| think that l would have sense enough to
say, Why the mischief don't you run
away, my good girl if you are so fut-
tered? But by the Lord Harry, she's a
pretty young baggage and I'll humour
her."
He unfastened the window and opened
| it, She gave low courtesy-a very good
| imitation of the courtesy Of a fiuttered
maid, he thought; but he was wrong in
assuming that II was an imitation 1t was
| the real thing,
Madam" said he politely, "you do me
much honor In visiting my poor garden
ooh, sir, you are vastly polite" she said
| in anything but a self-possessed voice, and
! after another courtesy she looked about
anxlously once more as if DESTROYS of es-
Gaping. She was improving in her acting,
| he thought.
NAY, dear madam" he cried "even a
| bear would not be insensible to the charm
Il -.
! looked up from my studies. Should / seem
| a curmudgeon if l were to confess to you
my inability to recall the occasion of our
| previous meeting?""
"Ah, sir. that is why I am overcome"
she said, looking modestly on the ground.
He felt certain that he had never seen such
! long eyelashes. She had often been told by
the girls in the convent that she looked to
the greatest advantage when glancing
down.
Overcome MADAME"
yes, sir; the fact is that we have never
met before. l do not belong to this part
of the country, but, hearing about your
tulips-your wonderful tulips-and also
that you Were not in the habit of coming
| downstairs until late in the morning, 1
! thought that perhaps 1 might venture to
to-oh, sir, pray pardon a foolish girl,
am tulip enthusiast"
"a tulip enthusiast? Prithee say no
more, my dear madam A tulip enthu-
siast! Pray honor my poor house by en-
terlng it, madam, and we shall exchange
views, on the only topic worth discussion
in these degenerate days. Nay, madam,
| insist. What, am not / old enough, if not
good enough, to be your father?"
You are kind enough. at any rate, sir;
/ fear that you are not old enough"
Once more she modestly allowed her
eyes to turn from his face to the ground,
as she stepped past his bowling figure into
| the room
Nay madam, you are, dare swear,
sad fatterer of an old man. Well perhaps
| 1 am not so old after all; age is nothing
more than a matter of opinion Is not
that your view?"
ooh, certainly, sir. Age is nothing more
than a matter of opinion, yes! of opinion
and years-nothing more
"Ah, at last 7 have found a sensible wo-
man-though you are not old enough to be
| called a woman, my dear"
THAT is also matter OF opinion, sir
May. madam, that skin-as soft as the
finest fabric of Cashmere ] am sure-that
| mantling blush-those eyes, with lashes
! whose jealousy of the eyes they hide be-
| comes a virtue-these, leaving out all
mention of that figure, which suggests
nothing so nearly as lily flower swayed
by a zephyr, tell of the spring time of
life. You win seat yourself, my child,
while we talk of our tulips"
Il am greatly afraid, sir, that must"
Afraid. madam? Why should you be
afraid in my house--the house of one old
| enough to be your-well, shall we say
brother this time. Lest I faith, feel
myself old enough to be your brother
your elder brother, of course"
y think I should like to have a brother
| AN elder brother-such as you, sir. IT'S
the sweetest Of all relationships"
II would fain agree with you, madam.
Only a short time ago L believed with all
my heart that the dearest of all relation
ships was that of a nephew-but now you
have convinced me that l was wrong"
Nay, sir, nay; 1 had quite forgot the
nephew when l spoke of the brother. Oh.
sir, there is no relation so sweet as
| nephew ] should be very good to my
nephew If it pleased heaven to give me
one. 1 should cherish him, and surely 1t