The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-11-12
SUM- CECIL COUNTY. Md FRIDAY, NOVEMBER IL, 1897.

that Stella's detention and her own
advanced position at that moment were
joint results of a ruse cunningly de-
vised and cleverly executed.
The ruse accomplished it's purpose
Before they rejoined Bell the adjutant
had obtained permission to call upon
Miss Stella that evening.
They parted at Captain Zenith's gate
the ladies going within and the adju-
tant walking to his hotel.
Had their breasts been crystal and
their hearts in view and easily read ii
would still have been difficult to de-
termine whether Miss Stella or the ad-
jutant experienced the greatest gratifi-
cation in the progress they were re-
spectively making in developing the
acquaintance.
At the tea table of the Zenith's the
adjutant was a subject of conversation
During his call on the previous even
ing the eldest of the sisters, whose
name was Mollie, had been very SEN
sibly piqued by the fact that Miss Stel-
la monopolized a very large share OF
his attention. In fact, Mollie was old
enough to be sometimes jealous of her
younger sisters. In this case she was
jealous of Miss Stella. Continuing
the conversation the latter young lady
said:
81 rather expect him to call this
evening
We'll, if he does come, as he may
for last evening l invited him to do
so" said Miss Zenith, You will stay
out of the parlcr, Miss"
Indeed? As tme goes on we will
see about that! A1y present conviction
is that l will De q member of the party
assembled in that stately front apart
ment this evening. If you find the
sight of me there at all unpleasing to
you you may avoid the pain of it by
retiring to the kitchen with our undo
mesticated enemy from Ballycrag. If
you yearn for solitude you might with
draw to the quiet precincts of the bake
room and there as TRANQUILITY as pos
sible mediate upon the swift and sure
approach of old maidhood!"
Miss Impertinence! l will request
Ma to send you to your own room if
you do not instantly apologize to her
for your insolence to mel"
And dear, sensible Ma will not re-
gard your officious request"
''Of late you have grown altogether
too forward. Every time we have
company you stick yourself up to en-
tertain them"
And succeed much better than my
ancient sister; eclipse her and win the
attention she covets! 'Tis ever So;
youth always wins when it has to
compete only with age. Was it not so,
Mollie dear, during the past generation
when you were girl?'
Ma, don't you hear that chit? Why
don't you send her to the nursery?
I'm sure that people must think that
we are very common indeed! 1t is
shockingly unrefined to habitually per-
nit the children of the household to
rush into the drawing room every time
any one calls, and precOciously per-
sist in such efforts to entertain them
as disgust the guests and disgrace the
family"
Jealous? Really jealous of oo's
little sister?"
IF Lieutenant Jaquese calls on Us
this evening l shall see that you do not
go into the parlor while he is there |
have tolerated your disgr2ceful and
humiliating precocity quite too long.
Now l will check it,"
Let me tell you something sooth-
ing. Lieutenant Jaquese will not call
on US this evening. He will call en-
me and l desire that we be undisturbed
by the presence of obtrus sive antigua
ted parties. Therefore at a proper
season, when yor perceive that your
continued presence will become an un-
oil no nI11n in t1sIrS rNln
the pleasure of your departure. You
need not hesitate to retire at your
earliest inclination"
Call on you! Pooh! Gentlemen do
not go about calling on children! Doi4 t
make yourself SO ridiculous by your
vanity. Ma, shan't Stell stay out of
the parlor when we have company"
But, Ma, dear, l have no objection
to doing by them as l wish them to do
by me. When they have company eX-
clrsively their own l am willing to
give them the benefit of their compa-
ny's exclusive attention. l do not and
shall not try to absorb even one little
ray of their social sunshine; | realize
that l am not the only cucumber in
the garden! But so l want them to
do by me. The adjutant asked me if
he might call upon me this evening.
Of course told him that he might
Compelled now to interpose as arbi-
ter Mrs Zenith kept as near a middle
course as she could.
You are entirely too young to enter
tain company. Mollie is right; I
should have restrained you from pre-
senting yourself so frequently when
there are callers. However, have no
wish to place the adjutant in an awk-
ward position or to humiliate you in
the sight of any gentleman you may
receive him this evening. You should
have referred him to me and you she uld
yourself have consulted me before con-
senting to receive his call Should
he desire to repeat it, you will excuse
yourself"
Il don't think see myself excusing
myself! If he expresses a wish to re-
peat his call l shall tell him that he
will be welcomed"
"'If he tries to call on you again I
shall tell him that ILa does not ap-
prove"
This time Miss Zenith had the last
word.