The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-05-11
"A CLEVER REVENGE.

ssA OAAvAN AlVUkes
IT have always liked young Carroll"
Mrs. Van Tweed was saying as / entered
her cosy parlor. She was in animated con-
versation with Tom Lawson. ~ -
"You must not interrupt, you know. You
can't stay If you do" said Tom. when I had
barely shaken hands with her.
ut depends upon who tells the story
said I; "if 1t is you" ,sg'l.a: 81
''But it isn't" = jh9poa-
"It is Carrolrs story" said Mfs.7 Van
Tweed.
81 think have heard of him.. said.
thoughtfully. Didn't he take all the hon
| ors and things at Cornell"
II like the beautifully indefinite way you
say that" said Tom. soto voice.
"Oh, you must know him. He made
| .Undine' sophomore year, Bench and Board
| junior year, and Sphinx Head senior year.
| Then he led the sophomore cotillion, ran
| the senior ball and was captain of the
| varsity crew." said Mrs. Van Tweed. with
pride.
do stop delaying the procession" said
ION, LOOKING dI Inc Icp1OoCuAuAAy' WoAI
| to hear about the girl"
| boys have anticipated so much that you
deserve to be disappointed. 1t was only
a conversation which whispered at our
| last dance, between young Carroll and Miss
Cathawood."
"Oh Mrs. Van Tweed! Mrs. Van Tweed!"
| I cried in despair. "You ought at least to
entite your story "A Ball Room Converse
ton. or Is Eavesdropping Justifable?" I
ought to explain here that Mrs. Van Tweed
| is my cousin and superlatively good ma
| tured.
There was nothing the matter with the
| first beginning" said Tom. but, then, old
| man, of course. it is not in the nature Of
things for you to furnish inspiration"
EYES," said I, "the first beginning, as you
! call it, was quite in the approved modern
STYLE began nowhere with every promise Of
| ending there. But 1 prefer even that to the
| realistic style you have just assumed. Could
you not make it more hazy and idealic?"
''You might tell the story yourself" sug-
gested Tom.
Peace, be STILL" said Mrs. Van Tweed
who had been listening to the squabble like
| an indulgent mother. "Once upon time
there was a man who went to a dance ex-
pecting to have a stupid time
ooh! I say, Mrs. Van Tweed he could
not have told you that" said Tom.
who is interrupting now" said sternly.
"But she was giving the Dance" protested
| Tom.
Gentlemen, do understand you to doubt
| my veracity?" said Mrs. Van Tweed, and
then: There, instead he met the lady
| of his dreams and found her ravishingly
fair. They danced together twice. and then
ensconced themselves in cosy nook at one
end Of the ball ROOM"
Mrs. Van Tweed's house abounds in cosy
| hooks" murmured Tom reminiscently
Your style is rapidly degenerating," said
l, frowning gravely at Mrs. Van Tweed.
"Oh, bother the style!'' said Tom, coming
out of his trance. Lets have the story"
We'll, you must know that Nell Catha-
wood went to a Cornell prom the year her
brother graduated. She was only 16 at the
| time. and since then she has always been
loyal to Cornell. So quite wanted her to
| meet young Carroll. I felt sure they would
| like each other"
| Tom and exchanged wink
well, as you know, at one end of the
ball room, to the right of the stage, are two
bay windows curtained off from the rest of
| the room. But somehow or other when you
are in one nook you never realize how near
the other is. This used to annoy me great
deal young girl" she laughed softly to
herself. "Now 1 was in one window nook
waiting for my husband, who had gone to
| get me an ice, when young Carroll and Miss
| Cathawood swooped down on the other
which, as if chance aided me in my base
| conduct was nearest the orchestra, so that
| they were obliged to speak in an unusually
| loud voice. -.
were saying. 1 knew that Miss Cathawood
| had been year at some Eastern college
before she came out, and was wondering
| in dreamy way whether college girls all
| dressed as we'll as Miss Cathawood. He
knew this-about her having been to COL
lege, mean. not about her dress, which
| he probably considered simple white mus
| lin," she said, looking at Tom in a meaning
way, "and he talked the more unrestrain-
| eddy, feeling sure, I suppose, of at least par
| tial sympathy and understanding, as she
| had in part shared his experiences.
"He had. been telling her college stories
and talking very we'll, even better than
usual 1t scarcely seemed necessary to go
| away, their conversation was so impersonal,
| and expected my husband to come up any
! minute and thus call attention to my close
| proximity. After Miss Cathawood began
! to talk, my surprise overcame every other
| emotion. The curtain of their nook was
| partly drawn, and could see them both
| quite plainly. Suddenly she raised her limpid
| blue eyes,
"'Do you know anything about Cornell?'
| she said.
"I have been talking of nothing else all
evening"" was evidently on the tip of his
tongue to say. But he pulled himself to-
gether That is my college. 1 thought you
knew.
She did not seem a bit embarrassed
"sOh, how nice!' she cried. Then you
| can tell me where it is
"The most amazed expression came over
his face. 1 could fully sympathize with
| him.
"sOf course 1 have heard of Cornell lots
of times she went on in a condescending
| way. But l never knew exactly where it
| was Somewhere in Massachusetts, isn't it.?
Poor Carroll continued to stare at her.
She seemed really to expect an answer
though, so he said shortly, New York
state
Miss Cathawood's voice broke the pain
| full silence, which she did not seem to realize
| had been painful
"'Why, ought to have known that she