Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-05
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SHORT STORY
OF THE DAY.
A SECRET.

J. A Flynn. in 81. PauI's.
When Doris married I arranged to allow
her a couple of hundred a year, on condi,
zion that she kept il a secret. l am blessed
With a number of other nieces to whom
have no desire to allow anything. They are
ali nice girls in their way, and I've no par
ticular fault TO ind with them; but they
aren't Doris. She was always my favorite,
from the time she began TO talk. No doubt
1t was artful of her mother to teach her to
say. Nice uncle,' before she could toddle;
but she did, and that settled the question
OF fayoritism.
Doris is a romantic young person, with a
weakness for writing poetry, ard all that
sort OF thing. and she had some scruples
about keeping a secret from her husband;
course, if Harry should ever be hard
] said. But if he has a fault"
Il hasn't" she assured me.
We'll, If he had. 1t would be a tendency
70 extravaganza. 1t IS much better that
he should underTate the resources of the
establishment" So at last she consented.
always had a good bit of influence over
her.
When they had been married about fifteen
months she called at my office one after
noon. She kissed me three times and termed
me dear old uncle" twice; so | knew that
she had come 10 propose something pre-
posterous.
We'll. madame" I inquired, crossing my
legs and folding my hands judicially, may
fion?"
Sne traced the pattern or the carpet
t~houghtfully with her parasol. 1T is get
ting rather worn" she said, and the pat
tern is too small: l should have a warmer
color next time If L were you; and-ohiI
came to propose something"
Yes. my dear" | said, calmly. Il could
have told you that"
sstically, that 1 don't believe anyone could
deceive you
Il begin TO suspect a very wild proposal"
I Informed her.
You are horrid." she retorted. but
really did want to pay you one sompli-
ment If you hadn't stopped me- She
traced the pattern again.
BY all means
Il was going TO say that you were quite
right about that allowance of mine. it is
mean that for iattery." She touched my
arm with her tiny gloyed hand and l patted
about keeping it secret"
II trust Harry hasn't been plunging?" I
asked, witt alarm. He is an unusually nice
fellow, and had seemed quite steady since
the marriage"
you imagine such a thing?"
Then how is my wisdom proved?"
7 am going TO explain: You-you won't
She leaned eagerly toward me, with her
head a little to one side. SIZE is nice to
:pI hop not"
VERY, well. 1 promise not to be cross or
satirical; but. of course, may object"
Harry is of painting, and how he gets up
early and does such lovely pictures before
he goes to the city?"
"Ye-es. Go on, my dear" They're rath-
er of the dabby order. to my mind.
Il call them beautiful; but they won't
only jealousy-and he can't sell them often,
.umph!, I thought she wanted me to
"I want you to get an agent to buy some
with my alIowance-whfch Harry knows
but she put her hand on my shoulder. 1T
and 1 should be just as well off. He
baby with the money. And II he didn't we
have everything We really need. He is so
good and kind TO me, anddf I'd do SO want " n,, to
her big eyes looking entreatingly. 1 wiped
my pen carefully and considered.
Master Harry is a sufficiently lucky man
without being a great artist" / said at
last. Il don't know that he deserves any
more good fortune"
My dear child, the allowance is to be
spent entirely at your own discretion"
watched sst yq her w e"eer fa min sdm MHnla your
mo. my. dear" I told her. II Shouldn't
mind. It is a very. gsSd Planm aea a a, very srg
fairly Rugged me, until 1 had to protest
that one Of my clerks might come In.
Doris plans were duly carried %outtthsy
masterpieces for ELS. The agent evidently
thought that We were a pair of l%unatics.
the amount. less the commission, at once,
and, as We found afterward, kept his word.
Doris was in high glee and actually offered
ance. Strange to say. Harry made no men, !
ton of the sale to her, though he seemed
very jubilant. So We felt sure that he was
week had passed. however, 1 began to feel
uneasy; Then he called at the Office II
uncle" he said. at is a secret from Doris,
you must understand"
Yes" said l. rubbing my hands and
I've sold some of my old daubs." he con-
tinued, with a hearty laugh, for a couple
of hundred. It's quite a windfall. So, l
EXACTLY" / agreed.
You know she wrote a book of poems be
fore we were married, called 'Roseleaves'-
YES. of course, ] know; but I wouldn't
encourage her to do any more If | were
baby and house-and husband"
Certainly. But they. Were published at
Mine? Well I'm afraid So" Ninety-ive
pounds odd | had to pay for excess of cost
over receipts.
her that they didn't go OF better. So I
thought perhaps We could arrange to buy
up the lot with my goo. 1t would please
1 nearly choked with laughter. but /
managed to control my ,countenance.
"a splendid idea. and does You great
credit" 1 told him.
We arranged it SO successfully that in a
few days a check for s202 lSs I'D went to
Doris from her publishers.
She came round before dinner next day |
TO tell me; but, TO my surprise, she sat
down on the rug at my feet as she used TO
DO when she was a child, and put her head