The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-06-28

rul influence HAD changed his shy, DEL
icate Ida into this resolute wien? He
was no Petruchio, to undertake the
flaming of the shrew," and he BIT his
lips.
/ Alexander, by all means!" cried Ida,
waving her little straw hat around her
head exultingly. Alexander and the
ADMIRAL"
New friends" bitterly thought the
major. as he turned away and noise
lessly retraced his steps. Madison
was right; she never could have cared
for me. Well, I'm glad have found 1t
out before 1t was too late. Alexander
-Alexander-if I knew who the viii
lain was l would punch his head for
him."
And Major Kingsbury Just succeeded
In catching the last down-train for
New York by running himself into a
violent perspiration.
The first person he STUMBLED over as
he entered the hotel corridor was Mich
olas Madison.
"Hello!" calculated Madison.
Thought you had gone love-making
up the river?"
"Give US your hand, old friend!"
said Kingsbury, impressively. You
were NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. what we
spoke of this afternoon. l have been
fool. But don't think I shall repeat
the experiment"
And he passed a wretched and Sleep
less night, alternately raging at Ida
Casserly's treachery, and wondering
who Alexander" and the Admiral"
could possibly be.
The next morning brought little,
scented note in Ida's dainty handwrit-
ing.
''How have I offended you?" it ran.
"You came last night, but you went
away without seeing me. What has
gone wrong? Surely you will not deny
me the opportunity of pleading my
own cause. I shall be at home this
evening again. /
IDA"
"She's right" said the major. "Of
course, she never will be anything to
me again, but 1 ought certainly to al
low her the chance Of explanation"
Major Kingsbury took the evening
train once more. Ida was waiting for
him on the veranda this time.
Ralph"
Her pretty, pleading eyes-her out
hand! Ralph Kingsbury
would have been either more or less
than a man to have resisted them.
What has offended you, Ralph"
she asked, piteously.
Tell me-" he said, still striving to
speak sternly. who is Alexander"
Alexander"
"Yes, and the Admiral!"
Ida looked at him as If she believed
him to be crazy.
ida, I accidentally heard you talk
ing to your sisters ons the lawn last
night. You distinctly stated that you
preferred the aforementioned gentle
men-and that the major was-was-"
Ida burst into merry peal of ire
pressible laughter.
stop, Ralph, stop!" she cried. II
it all; remember it now!
Yes-I did say SOL"
you did,"
"And l mean It, too, Ralph" she
added, with eyes that sparkled roguish-
ly. But you misunderstood the mat
ter altogether. We are going to have
q new border Of tulips-the Due Ma
jor' Is an ugly brown, old-fashtoned
bulb and Alexander and The Admi-
raj are beautiful double yellow varle-
ties! Look at Vicks catalogue for
yourself, If you don't believe it."
Major Kingsbury's face cleared up as
radiant as a spring morning.
What a goose have been, Ida!" he
cried, rapturously.
"Of course you have, you dear old
darling!" said Miss Casserly.
And when they parted, the pearl
cross hung round Ida's neck, and the
day for the wedding was set! Mr..
Madison was scandalized when he
heard that his friend was determined
to persist in his infatuation.
But there's NO accounting fer these
quoth he.
Miss Casserly changed her mind
about the tulips, however, and for Ma
jor Kingsbury's sake, the ugly brown
tulip still keeps its place in the bulb
bed, although Alexander" and "Ad-
miral Kingsbergen" are planted in the
places of honor!