The Republican journal., 1899-06-08
PAnELA'S BLACK GOWN.

millner's shop and settled on a magenta
rose he h,,zzed a furious comnlaint as
A0 "i9oo'eio" 'no "oo0p'ion' Oh" N"i''
Ruggles dropped the hat on the counter
with cry.
..nno+ 49, os,, +,,;,.r, sho ,,+.,od
Di"' 'iio pe'AS .n'ns 'Ao 'no''o'0"'
Next mint L q had 1t on.
"My flowers are SO natural ~ said the
little milliner
p.,
"nu uosnen' oi'ou III i>use'os'
staring out OF the window, "et that don
look like Panty Meyrick goin' by in deep
monrnn, ,,
,,
~. lis sure as you liVe' saio ,ne NIUE
mliilhe,, s"Hins ailei slenuei, s,llls4
uie oi"peu III eolio,e elep7 ny,
am . healu oi no ueath III Tue laihily.
Mrs' huggieS took up her imp straw
MAJ Win ''s uepreSseu reo iea'hef. some
thlng more interesting IMAM inspecting
Ne" oohhets Grained her attention. She
hurried TO 'he door,
Looked IKE wider mournln SAID
MISS feet, or might De Ter parent
"ell' MISS Meynck nam tdead none,
observed MIS-. huggies see hef
1hey say she oout ilVed on squashes last
winter or was 1t beans? Howsomever'
sue never eheeped WORD bout ram ~.
1t must be year now senee Pam ~ vent
10 pe sortef mald 10 the ncn wider
SteChles. zen mean woman, they say.
Wen II just hurry along an meooe IL
ketch up with her. Thar mystery
some erS;
Mrs. kuggles tied her bonnet-stnngs
dnuer her second chlh ana hurrea OUT.
IL reel elegaht-lhat lfock' she
thought. Never see Pam ly IN anything
out cailker, made to mum, and mshts
ginefaiIy;
MIS- huggles pace awakened WONDER
IN oehoideIs Her lace assumed ripe
crahoerfy Unit, ana she gasped Tor preath.
famela heard the hurrylng footsteps,
ana strange emil came over her. linen
she oIaced herself TOT an effort reso-
lute look MADE ner blue eyes glitter as
when sunshine fashes on steel. The
crepe ruche around her white necl SEEM
Gu 10 stIahSle ner'
heel oecon,h tnat mournin 10 her
yailer mar thought Mrs huggles,, as
she painted a11er ner on the sunny ROAD.
ny, ram ~ with Well 1elgned sur
pnse- tam ever you? Lor hardly
hno"ed you ID that plack lrock, seems
IKE you grown taller
On, now do you 90, Mrs. Ruggles?'
answered famela, coiuly, at me same
time glanclng around like hunted animal
Tor way TO escape.
wen, m so as TO be settln' up an
takin' nourishment, with an airy at
tempt at badinaage. 'Be you hum for
visit or for good?''
For good-or for bad, said Pamela,
her rosy lips curling IN faint smile.
Don't pear as EFF shed had great
sorrow, thought Mrs Rnggles, cycling
the young girl curlously. 'Dretful sorry
ter see tibet you We been afflicted with
recent bereavement III
''0h, please excuse me-" said Pamela.
81 have just recollected an engagement.
/ must hurry. Good-by" Then she
glided away and left Mrs. Ruggles mo-
uonless and gaspng.
''Wel, | ain anterlope or reindeer
to go lopin' after her, but | m goin' ter
get at the bottom of this mystery" nod
ding with emphasis, SO that her three
chins quivered.
A tail, we'll built young man in a grey
suit sauntered out OF green lane into the
street Just as Pamela passed.
by Jove'' he exclaimed, staring at
tile sIehueI inquire III the mourning gown.
Nv ho can that be? Looks as ii she had
just stepped from Paris boulevard.
poise Of the head There is no installing
the style 81 that gown, dead black though
1t be- Paris IS written all over it. No
Peasecod girl that. An aristocrat, LII
take my oath. Why Pamela-Miss Mey-
rlek-ls It possible.
She had opened the littlt wooden gate.
she stood IN the narrow ga len path. with
the tall ranks of gladioli holding up their
lame colored flowers like torches about
her. A rosy tide swept over her face as
she sa" him.
wv ny, you look as II you bad seen
ghost, she sad, with nervous laugh
He held out his hand. LET me make
sure you are not vision.
A sudden sparkle kindled in her blue
eyes. Ihe whole face and figure were IN
stlnct with that subtle harmony, that mys-
teal something, that men call ''charm."
She lit up the sombre black dress as stars
hight the night. She placed her hand in
his cordially. II did not think that you
remembered me, Mr.. Clement she said
He had really forgotten all about her,
but now he felt that he could never think
of anyone else. He accepted her invita-
ton to come in and talk over Peasecod
affairs as one under The spell of some en-