Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-06-10
L had just struck Z, and the rest
less Impotence which indicates that

settled on the three members Of the
Wilkins family assembled before the
drawing room fire. Mrs. Wilkins looked
continually from the work on her lap
to the clock on the mantelpiece with
an expression which would have been
more amiable II 1t had been less con-
trOlled. Miss wilkins affected to be
reading book, but the constant tap.
ping OF her foot on the carpet showed
that her thoughts were not following
her eyes. Miss Geltie wilkins had less
constraint. She moved restlessly from
the clock to the window, and back
again from the window to the clock,
with discomfort in her face and grumb-
ling In her voice. At last she broke
out:
IF were engaged. I'd teach him to
be punctual. Dicks always late"
Her sister did not answer. She was
medltating the best manner Of exc
cutting Judgment on the offender, and
had just decided on course Of ex-
IRENE severity when ring Mt the bell
relieved the general tension. There he
|
Of my mind" and she darted out Of the
room. Mrs. wilkins and her elder
daughter carefully settled their fea
lures into an expression of cold dis.
pleasure, and waited the arrival Of
their visitor. They could hear the
sound Of voices below ut the street
door; but there was no noise as Of the
door closing, or Of anyone entering the
house. They had almost forgotten
their displeasure In their curiosity,
when Gertie's step was heard bounding
up the stairs again.
"A telegram, expect" said Miss
Wilkins, wit hill-concealed disappoint-
ment.
LEGALLY, that would be most annoy
Ing nOw," her mother remarked.
The next moment Gertie rushed into
the room bearing, not a telegram, but
large and expensive bouquet Of yell
low chrysanthemums. "A boy brought
these for the lady Of the house," she
announced; land he can't say whom
they're FROM
What do you mean?" exclaimed both
ladies in a breath, their interest d.
vided between Gertie and the remark
ably handsome bouquet which she car
ried.
Just what l say. The boy said he
was ordered to leave the flowers at No.
10, for the lady Of the house, and he
doesn't know who sent them. Aren't
they nice!"
What curious thing" said Miss
wilkins.
what beautiful fowersw said her
mother. "They must have cost at least
10 shillings. Who can have sent
them?'
why. can't you guess?" Gertie in
quired. ITS rs plain as A BIC. Who
could have sent them but Dick? It's a
peace Offering for being late, of
course
The idea Instantly found favor.
"Of course it's Dick" said Miss Will
kins.
"Of course 1t U.s." said Mrs. wilkins.
"What very kind thought! But he
should not have spent so much money.
No doubt he had to go out Of his way
to get them, and that made him late.
He could not get such flowers every
where. But why send them anony-
mously? Why not bring them with
himY'
"Oh, suppose he thought it would
be fun to make us guess" said Miss
wilkins. "YOu see, he sent the flowers
on first, so that our curiosity about the
giver would be at Its height when he
arrived"
AS II to confirm the theory, there was
at that moment ring at the bell, and
Gertie, from the window, announced
that the long-expected guest was at the
door.
1T would show our appreciation Of
the gift" said Mrs. Wilkins, 1T we put
the flowers on the dining table. You
arrange them, Gwenne, dear. will you ?
I will receive Richard. And, Gertie,
please tell the cook that she may serve
up dinner"
Immediately afterwards Richard
Johnston entered Mrs. wilkins draw
Ing room with much misgiving in his
heart and a profusion Of apologies on
his lips. He knew that he was nearly
twenty minutes late, and that unpunc-
tuality was one Of the most serious Of
offenses In the eyes Of his betrothed.
What was his surprise to find the
mother Of his betrothed all smiles and
graciousness. His excuses were "quite
unnecessary" there had been no in
convenience; Tin fact, they had hardly
noticed that he was late, at ALL" He
was at once conducted into the draw
ing room, where his reception by Miss
Wilkins and Gertie was Of the same
bewildering and unmerited cordiality.
He had no time for private confer
ence with Miss wilkins, but she sat
next to him at dinner. Whenever he
tried to apologize for being late she
smiled at him with particularly kind
~ eye, and assured him that "they
quite understood"
Poor Johnston could not readily ad-
Just himself to a reception so different
from that for which he had braced him
self. Why did they all smile at him so
knowingly? True, he had had his mus
tache curled before leaving the city;
but that could hardly have made so
favorable an impression.
As the soup was being removed Miss
wilkins pressed his hand under the
table. and whispered tenderly:
Thank you, dear, so much. 1t was
nice Of you. Mother was very pleased"
Johnston, increasingly uneasy, whis-
pered back. In innocent inquiry:
"What aboutY"
"Oh, you silly boy! Did you suppose