Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-03-20
NORA'S BLUNDER.

NOlGA y DAUNDLh.
If Miss Matty Rice had yawned once
since breakfast, she had yawned a score
of times, and even pretty Eveleen was
growing drowsy over her embroidery by
the window. For it was a hopelessly
rainy day in mid October, with the sky
yelled in dark gray mist, the tinted leaves
floating down into matted layers of dim
color around the columns of the piazza,
and the tall dahlias nearly Frustrated by
the steady downpour. No walks, no gath
erings of ferns, MOSES, berries in the still,
delicious woods, no dreamy rambles to the
mountain tops, and, worst and saddest Of
all, nothing to read.
"And l won't be deluded into working
worsteds," said Matty, ''nor yet into
crewels and Kensington stitch. Eveleen,
what is that delightful book that papa
was reading aloud out Of last night?"
"Do you mean the 'Recreations of q
Country Parson?'" said Eveleen, colnpar-
ing two shades of rose colored wool.
"If that's the name of it, yes"
HE took it to the city with him." said
Eveleen. 81 saw it sticking out of his
coat pocket when he was running for the
train"
"How provokingr' sighed Matty, clasp
ing her dimpled hands above her head,
"when it's the book of all books that l
should like to read Oh u day like this!"
"Mr. Winton has a copy Of it," said
Eyeleen, threading a worsted needle with
the very darkest shade of garnet.
"But what good will that do me?" said
Matty disconsolately.
Borrow it," suggested Eveleen. "Ev-
erybody borrows everything in a place
like this, and I'm sure Mr.. Winton would
be glad to oblige you."
But liow?' urged Matty. "The hotel
is at least half a mile away"
."Send Nora"
"Nora, indeed! 1 don't suppose Nora
ever did an errand in her life, " said Matty.
Then it's high time she commenced"
l%aughingly suggested Evelcen. write a
note"
I'D rather send a verbal message"
said Matty, "and / wouldn't send at all if
I wasn't dying to read the end of that es-
say that papa began last night"
Nora, deep in the energetic occupations
Of backing the kitchen stove, was sum-
moned up stairs.
"Nora," said Matty impressively, II
want you to go to the hotel. You know
where that is?"
"Sure an l do, miss" said Nora, with
mouth wide open and eyes Of intense at
tention.
"And ask for Mr.. Winton and tell him
that Miss Matty Rice sends her compli-
ments and would like to borrow the Rec
reations of a Country Parson.' You're
sure you understands"
"Yis'm, an why wouldn't II" promptly
retorted Nora, rather nettled by this inn
piled aspersion on her powers of compre
hension.
"And come back as quick as you can"
"Sure an it's ME that will, " said Nora.
And presently the two sisters caught a
glimpse Of her beneath the folds of a rusty
waterproof cloak, with a mammoth UNI
brella held over her head, disappearing be-
hind the huge leaves Of the rhododendron
hedge.
II hope she won't be long, said Matty.
"Why should she?'' said serene Eveleen.
And she went on composedly with the
pomegranate blossoms she was embroider-
ing, while Matty sat down to the piano
and tried to pick out the notes of some
dreamy refrain which had haunted her
ever since she heard it at the opera last
winter with Patti smiling on tho stage
and the full orchestra laundering on the
strains.
And Nora, plunging down the ravine
like anything but a wood nymph, FLASHED
her way to the going of a quarter of a
mile out of her road on account Of a spot
ted snake and stopped for a good chat
with a fellow Hibernian who was on his
way to the postotfice.
"There," said Nora as she turned away
from Teddy O'Hara, AN sure I've forgot
ten the name as clane as If I niver had
heard it"
Whose name was it, alanaP" consol-
ingly demanded Colonel Ross coachman,
whose soft nothings had put the message
completely out of Nora's head.
''There was somethin in it about the
'Rectory Of a Country Parson, " said
Nora, twisting herself into the letter S
with the violent attempt at recollection to
which she forced herself.
"There ain no rectory h%ereabouts,"
said Teddy. "Sure it amt built yet! But
the parson, he's up on the hotel steps. l
seen him there as l came beyaDt. A tall
young gentleman with a high vest-for
all the wurreld like Rockwell-an specta-
Giles as gintle as ye PLACE. Is it a message
we've got for him, Nora, mavourneen?"
"I'm to borrow himl' said Nora, fixing
her dull, CLASSY stare ON Teddy O'Hara's
astonished face.
ITO borrow himp'' repeated Teddy.
Teddy uttered a whistle.
cts the quarrest loan as liver I heard
Of" said he. IAN If it's a fair question,
who Is 1t wants himP"
Miss Matty Rice's compliments, y re-
peated Nora, with ~parrotlike promptitude,
IAN shc wants to borrow the parson."
Teddy exploded into a laugh.
"Sure, an If 1t wal leap year." said he,
II should think it meant something. I
niver heard such a message in all me born
days before. But I must make haste or
the mail will be off,"
Away trudged Teddy, while Nora kept
IN to the hotel, all unconscious Of the
curious transformation that had befallen
her luckless message.
lis the parson hereP" demanded she,
shaking her umbrella and stamping the
mud of her feet on the steps Of the noun
tain hotel, which was still we'll filled with
guests who had fingered to see the SPLEEN
doris Of the October forest among tho
woods. ,
The hotel clerk, who had just come out
to glance at the barometer, stared at her,