The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1898-05-17

One is never alone when accompanied
bv such obtrusive thoughts as now
claimed the attention of the Dutiful
Daughter. Besides, some one had come
stealthily into the room as she sat there
and. unknown to her, was at this mo-
memt crouching behind her high backed
chair awaiting a favorable opportunity
in which to execute a bold and daring
deed one calculated to put to flight Il
whole army of Obtrusive thOughts-pro-
vided the intended victim had nerves.
But as it happened, the Dutiful
Daughter was unfortunately not bur-
dened with these expensive luxurles !:
and so, when she became aware of an
enormous spider descending gracefully
directly in front of her nose, she did
not appear in the least alarmed nor give
vent to the conventional scream. No;
with remarkably quick perception, she
saw at once that it was merely a stuffed
toy spider, such as she knew could be
found at any japanese store for the
small sum of five cents; and she knew
also that the inevitable small boy was
trying hard to play a joke on her. 1t is
only one of the pleasant little ways that
inevitable small boys have.
He seemed rather embarrassed when
he emerged from his hiding-place. 1t
is disappointing to witness the failure
of ones pet scheme. Presently he re-
covered sufficiently to announce that
dinner was ready, which was really
what he had come to say. 1t would
have been better to have said it before.
Directness of purpose and strict appli-
cation to business are excellent attri-
butes.
The Dutlful Daughter reused herself
with an effort. She was not at all hungry
but realized the necessity of appearing
quite as if nothing had happened. 1t
would not do for the fond parents to
suspect any unpleasantness. But the
fond parents did suspect; they always
do. 1t is wonderful what far-seeing eyes
love and sympathy have.
They noticed that she did not pass
her plate twice for scallopped oysters
and that even her favorite queen olives
were refused. Instead, she nibbled alb
sent-mindedly at her lettuce and was
frequently caught gazing moodily at
nothing. The inevitable small boy
made various attempts to be entertain
ing by making facetious remarks con-
corning the Attentive Youth, but was
quickly silenced by the fond parents.
After dinner the Dutiful Daughter
tried to play little. 1t usually proved
an efficient remedy for all such depressed
mental conditions; today it did not.
She at first sought comfort in the beau
tiful and suggestive "Cavalleria Rusti-
cana" and was half through it when
she unfortunately remembered the At
tentive Youths fondness for this par
ticular piece, and it at once became too
Then she turned to Men
delssohn's Consolation" but that was
so very sad, while her favorite "Hun-
garian Danses" were decidedly too gay
This was discouraging and she concluded
she might better be anywhere than at
the piano. Accordingly she took book
and went to the garden.
Anyone familiar with the literary
tastes of the Dutiful Daughter would
have appreciated the fact that she was
not herself. Usually her selection
would have been the romantic Lucille
so entirely suited to dutiful daughters
Of her age and poetic tendencies, or the
mysterious "Rubaiyat of Omar khav-
yam" over which she should delight TO
perplex her unoffending brain with
great philosophic problems and ques-
tionable conclusions; or she might have
chosen one of F. Marion Crawford's
Romish tales with their
clever delineations of the forceful Italian
character.
But none of these seemed to appeal to
her now. What she had taken with
her was volume of 'Studies in Physi-
II - II L 4