The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-06-28
4 LETTER O. REFUSAL.
Vla
4 Good Reason Why . Girl
Should Decline an Ohar.


B A GOOD Reason Why Girl
\ Should Decline an Offsr. 8
AeaasssssssssssaassseseasssseessssssA
"May come imp ,-a
She stepped inside, but did not advance
Into the room. ~.
II know you're going to be horrid," she
said plaintively.
He laid down his brush and, turning at
last, surveyed her deliberately as she
stood, her slender shape outlined against
the curtains They were burlap curtains,
which she had painted dull brick red
('Pompeiian red" she called ~, and
which she had ornamented with GreelS
border In yellow 6oss and hung IN the
doorway herself In spite Of his sceaing
and ribald protests.
They were pretty bad, those curtains,
but whatever their limitations from an
aesthetic point Of view they certainly
made an effective background for the
white robed figure, and bis eye fingered
,approvingly on the picture moment BE-
fore he. said severely
what have you been doingT
"Why, the ideAg' she exclaimed indig-
nantly, flashing 4 protesting glance at
him from under her long lashes.
II notice that you generally take It for
granted I'm going to be horrtd when
you've been particularly horrid yourself"
he observed blandly.
She did not reply to this daring remark,
but, crossing the room to the mantel,
carefully selected an especially ugly bull
dog pipe from the collection II contained.
This she filed, with practieed fingers,
from q battered tobacco jar that stood
near, and then, crossing to the easel, Of
fered it to the man with most bewitch-
ing little air Of cosxing humility.
"My dear young woman" he cried,
waving the offering away sternly, lido !
look like a man who would accept a
bride? Do my features bear the imprint
Of vulnerable virtue. that you should thus
seek to gain my favorable judgment for
your nefarious golngs on by such pal
pabls"-
He said no more, for just then the
stem Of the pipe was dexterously insert
ed between his teeth, and, deftly striking
a match on the broad sole Of the shoe,
conveniently presented to her BY the
careless attitude of its owner, the girl ap-
piled II to the tobacco In the pipe bowl.
In spite of himself he closed hts teeth
on the stem and drew a long breath, and
As the FIRST cloud Of aromatic vapor rose
to his nostrils his features relaxed.
"WelI, who 10 it p he asked, rs the girl
seated herself on hassock and fixed her
eyes on him sppealingly.
"It's-it's-Hinsdale," she replied, dole
fully.
"Hinsdale. Why, I thought we dispos.
ed of Hinsdale three weeks ago, and since
thea---let me see-there was Smith and
Deyereux and-how many others|
"Oh, never mind the Others" she cried,
petulantly. Its Hinsdale now. We did
dispose of him-or at least thought we
had--and I'm sure that letter wrote"--
"Ah, did you write to him, too?" he
asked, putting a big cloud of smoke over
| his sunset and watching the effect Of Its
vivid hues shining through the clouds Of
| grayish vapor with an artists delighted
appreciation Of color.
"Oh, well-the letter you wrote. then"
she said. Though I'm sure you didn't do
| it all. You only helped me-"
"Oh, yes" he answered indolently.
"But Hinsdale.-he's broken out again?'
eyes, worse than ever" and she sighed
| dismally, "and l want you to help me
| write him another letter-one that will
/ fix IL 30 he'll understand there's no hope
no possibility-I mean-of my ever be-
! ing anything more to him. Here she
| Noundered and broke quite down.
| Cant do it today" he said, decidedly.
| "Pve got to get this picture done tornor-
| row-order, you know-and it'll be a
| scratch IL manage to do 1t. 1t means
| painting all night as it is"
| "Oh, John, you must" she cried, eager
| ly. T've just got to send 1t to him this
afternoon by messenger boy or he'll be
sure to come up tonight and make a
scene or something, besides
| mo, it's no Co." he said cruelty, taking
( up his brush. you'll have to get rid Of
him somehow and come tomorrow
| "But, oh, john" she burst out, tears
| coming to her eyes, al can't come to-
| morrow. Aunt Maria has issued her COM
| mands-the fat has gone forth--Pm for
| hidden to come here any more"
| 'The deuce you are" And he laid
down his brush and faced quite around
| in his establishment.
EYES," she replied. furtively drying
| tear on one of the ends Of her muslin
sash. Jean never could find her hand
kerchief, being always without pockets.)
"She says it's all well enough for me to
take painting lessons Of you, though ev-
erybody knows never could learn to
| paint. Aunt Maria is 10 ignorant about
such things. you know
| Eyes. l know" Blowing a ring of
| smoke ceilingward to hide little smile.
"Aud she doesn't mind my having a
studio II ri FIX one up at home, but she
doesn't think 1t looks well for me to have
one in this building and run in and ont Of
here all the time--anL SO I've got to
| move tomorrow"
| This time she forgot to dry the tear,
| and 1t ran forlornly down her cheek and
fell with splash on study ofthe head
Of John the Baptist that lay on the floor.
For moment there was silence. Then
John suddenly pushed back his easel and
| pulled writing table toward him.
| "Well, il you can't come tomorrow, L
| suppose I'll have to help you write your
| yelleT uc pun, uut thShS V@S "AA
unnatural sound in his voice, and Jean
looked up hastily through her tears.
Johns face was grimly set, however,
and told her nothing.
LET me sect was Hinsdale, think
| you said," he went on, still with that
grating sound in his voice.
"Yes," she said miserably, again hay
| ing recourse to the crumpled sash.
sand l think We told him in our last
that we'd be sister to him." he pro-
ceeded, nibbling the end of his pen.
Something of that sort" And she
flushed warmly clear up to the curly
waves of dark hair on her temples.
"Evidently the sister racket won't go
down with Hinsdale," be said reflective
ly. "You might offer to be his maiden
aunt you know
"There! knew you'd be horrid" she
exclaimed Indignantly.
| 'It's a delicate job" he went on re-
fectively. "Are You quite sure you mean
to refuse him this timer"
Il - - HI