The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1897-01-07

| from the nrSt. Inc pialp one entered
The little chap 10 Chill had been
wrong; the plain one was Esther
Il am so glad TO see you," said our
sailor, thinking bis Esther was to fol
low. The real Esther stood their in
| chagrin. Was this the ardent lover of
all those letters?
Are you?" she said, timidly.
''But"-he fumbled, Esther"
"Yes, DEAR" said she softly.
And then the situation began to
dawn upon him horribly, luridly; he
stammered; and remembered, even
if this We're so,-and he began to act,
But what man can deceive a woman
at such acting? She pushed him
| away.
you thor 5ht?'
YES" he confessed. Il thought" !"
"Oh, August she cried. You have
| made me such fool
why, Esther" he cried. trying to
retrieve himself.
You thought | was Eleanor she
| persisted.
"No, | didn't" he cried.
"Oh, L know" she said coldly.
How horrid of me, but you never
would let me hear" he reasonably I'D
mitting the truth.
"We thoupEtt :. a joke, didn't
know" sai2 Esther Driscoll, not think
ing hoT esuch a statement So1ld
sound.
You thought it joke" be repeated.
''Oh, [ thought YOU knew, that
you must know. Ar you remember
what you said"
Yes he did remember what he had
said-to make an impression that
might repeat itself in his praises to
the sister. And he said now:
why, Esther, don't be goose, !
meant it-every word. OF course
knew which was which"
If he said this with all sincerity, she
repulsed him; and the more she did
the more he began to think she was
worth while AS for her, she thought
it very fine and noble of him, while
she hated herself
And inst then the pretty one enter
ed-prettier than ever
"Ah, you two" she said. l made
the proper delay.
1t was, Eleanor, a mistake" said
the plain Miss DriscolI
O''A mistaken
He thought [ was you"
''Mep said the pretty Miss Driscoll
blushlng. Now, it couldn't be-
Il never did," said Angus, begging
her pardon. But you know there is
only one Esther"
Shes dear, good girl" said the
pretty one
"The dearest in the world" and bis
tib did not seem 50 much one that
moment. The plain Miss Driscoll be-
gan to weep.
"Please do 60" she entreated.
Il will CO. said Angus. But l
shall call again. | will prove to you
that | am speaking the truth. What
if | did think you Eleanor,I now know
you are Esther. Doyou suppose | can
forget those letters-that made me
happy in the long watches-in an un-
congenial mess You are Esther to
me; and Esther you shall remain"
He said all this a bit too much IL
strain of defamation; but he was in
earnest; he felt he must persuade her.
DO 60 please" she said.
You would better GO said the
pretty one.
Il will go now," he said. Il hate
myself-for hurting you"
Il am not hurt" she said proudly.
"Ah, [ am then" he said, going out
The pretty Miss Driscoll followed.
It's ridiculous she said at the door,
"She ought to have known we were
only flirting"
"Only firtingr' said Angus.
why, l was engaged then"
why, you are Eleanor. l had for
gotten. Esther wrote that Eleanor
was engaged.
| am very glad do tell her that [ have
thought only of her. And he paused
''She was the little girl whom l played
with so long ago-that bully little
girl. And she wrote that letter"
And then he laughed.
why, she was the Esther after all ,
He brushed by the pretty Miss Dris
coll, and entered the room again. She
stood there, dry eyed now,
Its ridiculous she said, ''and Tn
dreadfully impolite. Do stay-at leas
for a cup of tea"
L haven't time" he said brusquely
Haven't time?' she asked in sur
prise at his manner.
after the way you have treated me
Miss Driscoll.
You know I wasn't to blame for the
mistake"
'-Oh, bother the mistake" he cried
''Ihere wasn't any. 1t was Esther the
old tomboy, l was thinking about; i
was the Esther who wrote those let
ters, don't You see. And you threw
me over"
You talked that way because Flea
nor is engaged" she said.
L talked that way because EleanO
is not now engaged to me-" he said.
Its ridiculous" she said, family
Its horrible" he said.
"Oh, is it?"
Besides, I'm only here for the day
| inst had that time; and then Tn
going back to the China station
shall have no more letters" He re
lied on her ignorance of naval usage
You are going away" she asked
family.
"What difference does it make? Yo,
don't care"
If it were not for that mistake:
it WEREN'T don't care whether it wa
a mistake or not" she ended, "whethe
you are tibbing or not I'll make yo7