The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-08-25
An UNCONSCIOUS ALLY.
Ais Fair In War and In Love,
Especially In Love.


have always had a remarkably
large number Of friends Of my own
rex. Lest this should lead people to
give me an undue amount Of credit FOR
amiability and sweetness OF disposition
I NAV as we'll state at once that have
I marriageable brother. y
Being possessed also Of a fair
amount Of brains, ! was never FOR \
moment deceived as to the nature of
the affection lavished upon me by
most Of my female friends. But when
nv dearest chum, the girl really
thought loved me for myself alone.
told me she was engaged to be mar
ried to my brother Fred my grief and
anger knew no bounds.
I had gone v to stay all night
with Maud and had laid awake till =
q. m. exchanging condolences, n all
the time the sneak never said a word
about Fred. At last dropped off to
sleep and was just In the midst OF 4
glorious dream, IN which | was lead
ing the cotillon with a magnificent
man with soulful eyes and a bank &C.
count in seven figures, when Maud
suddenly threw her arms about my
neck, entirely shutting or my wind
and soaring me almost into ervou
pr,ostration, and with a burst Of tears
confessed that she had been keeping
. secret from me for two whole days
and that we were to be really, truly
sisters, not just sisters In affection. as
heretofore, etc.
I managed to wriggle out from under
Maud's arm. and then l sat up In bed
and said things. don't remember
exactly what they were, but they must
have been pretty bad, for Fred didn't
speak to me for a week (of course
Maud had to tell him), and Maud her.
self went around looking like a suffer.
Ing martyr whenever we CHANGED to be
under the same roof.
was convinced that | was the most
miserable girl In the world after that,
and the worst Of It was that every
body, including Maud herself. thought
that l was only mad because she was
engaged first. an imputation which
need not say was entirely unjust.
I'm sure I could not see what Maud
had done that was 30 wonderful any.
way. Fred ID anything but brilliant.
and I never considered him v Q good
looking, while as long as mamm lives
he hasn't a penny to his name except
his salary, which IL by no means
princels
But Maud! You'd have thought
she'd landed a Vanderbilt or q poet
,sdreate the way she acted.
+ pretended not to notice her airs
and cursed my grief In proud silence,
but ! had no doubt that | was the
most wronged and unhappy creature
that ever lived until subsequent events
taught me that affairs are arrang-
ed by an all wise Providence In whom
we may safely trust, no matter how
dark our way may seem ut tho time,
shall never doubt the wisdom OF
Providence again.
To begin with. | found ! was likely
to get q lot of amusement out Of this
engagement. Fred was madly jealous
OF Maud all the time, though any ono
could zee with half nm eye that she
was simply mad about him and In
deadly fear OF losing him herself,
He would come home ut least three
times z week, pale, haggard and wild
eyed, q man hereft OF hope, The rest
OF the time he was madIy joyful and
talked about Maud ~ II she was sew
eral degrees higher than the seraphlnl,
II was enough To make n NJ. BERNARD
dog laugh Just 70 soc him,
also found further consolation In
the fact that his state Of mind inter
Tered seriously with Fred's appetite,
that g0t all the extra pudding and
thtRGa that had always fallen 10 his
share Vr@A was always 4 greedy
THAR, and then Pareesal d0Res came
tyonl ahF0Ad.,
FerQevsI WAS 4 mllli0aAiVe's son,
With & fAae too beautiful tor words
ard \ tAatA fQr thseR,
,S5esapenFse Ill this made him desira
~...4u "a most ether nlsn, hut | must
1aW NNy tke girls 0f Av0heryille
e4eWeQ 9se >pt kinds 0f f00ls 0f them
oenhoet WA& him WAS enough 10 div
eon.snsn& II w0nAn's rights advocate
1helg een.lsfAy nay .Aa. | WAS s,aay,
~ eele ~ Nv, Lanes with mara
1ln0lnn Ahe1'he aFsl tlme | met him
~ ~ seemed 10 puss!e The