Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-01-28
w IINlAl.
BY Barry Pain.
Continued

said Carter us he opened the drawing
room door.
Carter and Mrs. Blayd had both been
taken into my sisters service-Carter
OF course, as butler and Mrs, Blayd, as
maid TO Wilmay, and houSekeeper, oc-
caSionally acting as secretary and sew
eral other things, to my sister. She
had no fixed position, and my sister
said that she was a treasure.
l waited few minutes in the draw
ing-room. 1t was the usual fashion
able mixture of things ancient and
modern, and, just as much too full and
too feminine as every other drawing
room in the district. Then Bertha en-
tered looking mysterious and pleased
which she was, and much Younger Than
thirty-tive which she was not She
shook me warmly by the hand, kissed
me, and exclaimed: Edward, we've
got a surprise for you"
'Yes?' l said. Then, of course, you
needn't trouble to apologize"
Why I've hardly kept you waiting
a second. The fact is that it didn'l
come until the last moment-oh I've
nearly let the secret OUT
Let it quite out. You won't be
happy until you've done it. Besides |
hate surprises. They're all alike
something goes pop and hurts you, and
hen everybody else laughs. think
they're shockingly vulgar myself"
but this surprise isn't at all like
that It's beautiful"
Wilmay?"
"Wilmay's very we'll indeed and
quite charmed with your present, and
you won't see her just yet-that's part
Of the secret"
You've hidden her behind a curtain
or screen somewhere. And she'll
jump out and scream, and the CHASTITY
part Of it is that you'll both of you
think it funny. When is it going to
happen?"
Carter announced that dinner was
served.
It's not going to happen at all, and
Wllmay's much too old TO care about
such stupid childish games. Take me
into the dining room and you shall be-
hold her"
In the dining room Wilmay was
standing at one end of the table. She
was a transformed Wilmay. Hitherto
she had worn her hair down; now her
hair was up and done in the latest and
correct fashion. Hitherto, on the oc-
casions when she had dined downstairs
with Bertha and myself, she had worn
something which | called a kids com.
promise" but | believe is known a, a
demi-toilette.
Now she was in regular dinner
dress. white, low and long. Round her
neck was the string of pearls that |
had given her She looked very sly
and rather pleased; she smiled and
blushad. l made low obeisance, kiss
ed her hand, and begged to be allowed
the honor of congratulating Miss
Amory on her birthday.
Wilmay was protesting, and thank
ing me for the pearls as we sat down
10 dinner. Wilmay, as my sister had
arranged, took the place of the hostess,
and Bertha and myself sat on either
side of her.
well. said Bertha, and what
might my lord the guardian happen to
be thinking of u.s."
At the first shock i mean, at the
first enhancement can think only
OF myself. Wilmay, tell me the truth
How old are you?"
I'm sixteen, please, Edward No
that's not right-I'm in my seventeenth
year
And I'm really in my thirty-ninth.
and I'm considered to be young for nv
age-have always felt young until now.
Now feel that I am one hundred and
four | see the babe for which |
brought chocolates"
But Edward" interrupted Wilmay.
Il was not a babe l was ten years
old"
"A very young ten. and wore on the
occasion when first met you-a some
what unconventional costume"
Wilmay laughed and blushed. It
was as though some one had given her
the power of blushing for a birthday
present-She had never been in the
least self-conscious before.
And now" | said. what a change
rs here!'
Not really changed +" Wilmay plead
ed. My hairs done differently, and
I've got new dress. but I'm still just
the same--the same but in disguise"
But she was not just the same-and
she was never just the some again.
The twilight of childhood was passing,
and the dawn was coming-the dawn,
and the day-and the night.
The dinner was amusing enough.
BERTHA was always more or less
bright woman. Wilmay laughed, more
quietly-it seemed to me-than usual.
and talked less. Some of the things
she SAID were serious to the verge OF
sntlmentality. and OF course we
laughed at her for them mercilessly.
She had been reading stories and see
ing plays-and she said that ii seemed