Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1897-02-13
WAS SHE FALSE?

r B.
She's as beautiful as Hebe!" said
Mr.. Mortimer.
indeed" said his nephew's wife,
rather family.
Eyes deep blue, like midsummer
sky--hair lustrous as faxen gold--teeth
like twin rows of pearls" pursued the
gentleman.
'She must be very pretty" said
Mrs. Mortimer, junior.
Pretty" echoed the old bachelor.
"Pretty's no word for it."
And young?"
well, not SO very" admitted Mr..
Mortimer. She's five and thirty, but
she has the complexion of eighteen"
That's easily accounted for" said
Harry, the nephew. What with
Cream of Roses Baths of Pearls, and
'Ralms of Venus people can have
whatever complexion they please now
Slays, provided they've got the money
c pay for it,"
"Nonsenser' snapped Mr.. Mortimer.
sitting up very straight, and looking
around with a general air of defiance.
"As If my Aurelia. weuld condescend to
such pretty artifices as that! She's
purity, frankness, single-minded art
lessness ITSELF"
oh said Harry. 'Is she?"
Certainly she is said the senior.
DO you think | could love a woman
who was made up as an actress?"
People do said Harry, obviously.
But not'people of lny standard" re-
torted his uncle, loftily
And Mrs. Harry thought remorseful-
lysof the little china powder pot, with
its down puff, with which she used to
"ceoi down. her complexion on hot
days.
But really thought poor little Mrs.
Harry, one don't want to look as if
one were vanished all over, or dipped
IN jar of boiling oil, like the forty
thieves in the Arabian Nights"
Harry said she, when Uncle Nor
timer had taken his leave, do you
really think its wrong to use dash of
powder in the hot weather?'
Nonsense" said Harry, with an up
ward elevation of his handsome Gre
clan nose. Il daresay that desperate
old maid that Uncle Mortimer is going
TO marry is painted like Jezebel."
%, Harry"
Sims says SO. And Sims knows her
Miss .Aurelia Hopkins, that's her
name. And she's wagered diamond
bracelet with one of her friends that
she will be married before Christmas
i wonder what sort of wife that'll be
for Uncle Morty!"
But, Harry, why don't you tell
him?" cried the little wife.
Because, my dear, he's too far gone
to believe word of it,"
"Oh, dear!" sighed Mrs. Mortimer
"And of course he'll withdraw your lit.
tie allowance now"
"Of course" admitted her husband
~sth grimace.
s'1t's too bad" sighed Mrs. Mortimer
"]ust' when you've lost your clerk
ship, and little Effie needs sea-air, ant
Aunt Christina has written to ask i
we can lend her money enough to sen(
| little lame Charlie to that famous Lon
don surgeon. Things always go con
trary. don't they, Harry?''
| Don't fret, my pet" said Harry
Mortimer, caressingly stroking the
golden head that bent so low. "Itl
all be right, if Uncle Morty should ge
married. I'll find something to do, i
it's nothing better than saving Woo
or hauling in COAL"
But as he went out gaily whistling
to keep up brave exterior, he dit
wish, most earnestly, in his secre
heart, that Miss Aurelia Hopkins ha,
not seen fit to cast her siren spells owe
the heart of the rich bachelor uncle
whose heir-apparent he had alway
been.
| If | believed, honestly and truly
that she would make him happy,
thought Harry, Il wouldn't grudge hi
money to her. But | don't believe any
thing of the Sort
Little Eff1e had the toothache mex
day. Mrs. Mortimer clasped her hand
in despair.
"Oh, Harry" she said to her hus
band I'm afraid she'll have to hav
that tooth out!"
"very WELL" said Harry. Take he
to the dentists"
i ooh, Harry, ! daren't!" faltered tn
little woman, who could not endure
see fly killed or a mouse drowned.
Then l will" said Harry, laugh
ing.
The dentist, a dapper little maj
smelling of scented soap, and orris
root tooth-powder, was engaged just {
} the moment of their entrance, bu
would be at liberty presently.
Little Effie sat down, quaking an
trembling, in an easy chair.
"Oh, papa" faltered she, Il wis
there wasn't any such thing as teeth
Mr. Mortimer, taking up newspapt
!, at that moment, chanced to knock
little pasteboard box off the mantel
pasteboard box neatly cinctured wit
ring of india rubber.
"Hullo!'' said Mr. Mortimer What
. this? hope I haven't done any harr
Miss Aurelia Hopkins!" he repeate
reading pencil inscription on the Ii
8 Yes said the little dentist hurr,
| ing to the rescue-"Miss Hopkins ne
e set. Ought to have been sent yeste
Q day"
New set?" vaguely repeated Harr
"Set of what?"
: "Of teeth, to be sure, uppers al
lowers said the dentist. "Ah, "
may look surprised, but l make tee
for some of our very best society. Al
if you yourself should ever require
Yes, yes. I'm coming, sir"
And the man of molars hurried ba
to his inner sanctum.
When little Effie's malignant too
was safely drawn, and Harry Mortim
had paid reluctantly, he paused mi
ute on the threshold.
L -.