The Hope pioneer., 1898-12-01
THE FOLDING DOORS
BY J. A. FLYNN.

THE color-tone of Mrs. Haviland's
music-roon is somber green
whilst the drawing-room is decorated
in merry pink. When her guests are
too serious or too frivolous, she
changes their mood by passing then
through the folding doors.
Upon the afternoon in question sht
received Inc in the MUSHROOM; so my
usual gayety deserted me, and conver
sation seemed to flag.
II have often wondered" She said
suddenly, after l had sighed three
times. why you quarreled with Thea
Lester. Forgive ME for alluding to {
painful subject"
"Oh-er-certainly," I responded
awkwardly. didn't want to discuss
the subject, and should probably have
found way to change it if had beer
fortified by pink environment.
"The fact is, my dear Mrs. Haviland, ]
didn't quarrel with her." My hostess
shook her pretty head.
"Iou don't mean to tell me that it
was Thea's fault? I simply can't i'm
agine her quarreling with any body"
of course she wouldn't. That's Just
i'll" Thea is outwardly placid. "Still
Life my irreverent young sister used
to call her. Nevertheless, there are
charming depths within.
'''Then, if you didn't quarrel with her,
and she didn't quarrel with you, how
ever did you quarrel with one an
other?" L shook my head and looked
into the conservatory.
eve didn't exactly quarrel" I said.
eve thought it better to part; at least,
that is what we said"
"Ah, we'll! am letting my curiosity
run away with me. We will talk of
something else. Come, say something
amusing?"
L tried to think of something clever
to say. but everything that came into
my head seemed trivial or inapprc-
pirate, SO I sighed for the fourth time.
1T was thoughtless of me 10 raise
sad memories" said Mrs. Haviland,
gently. "Iou must forgive me, Mr..
Richmond. You see am so interested
in you both" I bowed.
'Both in their respective ways ap-
rreciate your kindness, l am sure"
She is an excellent little woman, whose
only weakness is mania for marry
ing off her friends
ut was in this house." she continued,
almost tearfully, Sin this very room, if
l am not mistaken. that you and
Thea"
"Yes; it was" She left us alone for
two hours, the good little soul!
"4ou both gave me your confidence
-then!' She is one of those nice lit
tie women whom everybody con1ides in,
you know.
believe me, I should confde in you
now, If there were anything to confide;
but there isn't" didn't want to talk
to anyone about it, either.
She shook her head slowly. "When
you talk about-it-as if it were n
mere nothing, know that you are not
in earnest, Mr.. Richmond" she said. re-
proachfully.
twirled my mustache uneasily. She
was evidently determined to know all
about it, and somehow she always gets
her own way.
1.-The simple TRUTH" said, "ny dear
Mrs. Haviland, is that Thea and found
out that we were absolutely different
in tastes and opinions"
"Of course! that is the proper thing"
"She is as serious as-this music
room of yours
"Most people consider it a charming g
room"
Certainly. Thea is the most charm
Nf xxnrnnr-1xifh Wv,
smiled and held up her hands deprecat-
ingly. "My respect and admiration
have not lessened in the slightest"
II am glad of that" she cried, clasp
ing her hands. But it makes me re-
gret all the more that you-oh! why
should you?"
Because l, on the other hand, am as
light as-your pretty pink ROOM"
"As attractive in another way" she
observed. with complimentary smile.
swell, the long and short of it is that
Thea was always green and l was al
ways pink; and neither could change
the other"
"Wny need you try?" laughed lit
tic.
"rhea is quite a missionary, you
know. OF course. she was bent on re-
forming me-"
AN impossible task! But you might
have persuaded her that no structural
alteration was necessary"
"She intimated her disapproval of
smoking and billiards the day after our
engagement"
Surely she didn't insist on her OBJ
lection. That would be unreasonable"
"Well, no. She conceded smoking,
and little billiards: but she wanted
me to go to church about three times
o week. to give up betting-it's only a
triile now and then, just for fun, ! as
sure you"
~ know. Like Fred" She nodded.
Mrs. HayiIand bets II pair of gloves oc-
casionalIy hsrseIfj and pays when she
i0sesI n-