La Junta tribune., 1899-02-25
A SECRET.


low her couple OF hundred a year on con
dition that she kept IL u secret l am
blessed with number OF other nieccs to
whom have no desire to allow anything
| They 'rc all nice girls in their way. and
I've no particular fault 10 find with them,
but they aren't Doris She was always
my favori'e, from the time she began to
talk No doubt 1t was nrtful of her mother
to teach her to say, Mice uncle" before
she could todd!e. but she did, and that
settled the question of fnvoritism
Doris IL romantic young person, with
| nwoakncss for writing poetry and all that
sort of thing. and she had some scruplcs
abou. keeping IL secret from her husband,
but insisted.
"Of course, II Harry should ever be hard
up, you'll have to tell him and GO shares"
said But II he hns u fnult"-
He hasn't" she assured me.
well, II he had, 1t would be u tendency
to extravaganza. 1t is much better that
he should underrate the resources of the
establishment So at last she consented.
always had a good bit of influence
over her.
When they had been married about 10
months, she called Mt my Office one after
noon She kissed me three times and
VeTIutu tiA t"ieer 81
knew that she had come to propose some
thing prepostcrous.
"Well, madam" / inquired, crossing
my legs and folding my hands judcially,
.'may ask the real purport Of this dem
onstration:"
She traced the pattern of the carpet
thoughtfully with her parnsoi at is get
ting rather worm she said, and the pat
tern is too small. l should have warmer
color next time, II were you, and oh.
came to propose something.
Yes, my dear, said calmly. II could
have told you that
You are so clever she said cnthusi-
astically. that l don't believe any one
could deceive you"
II begin to suspect very wild pro-
| posal," informed her.
"You are horrid" she retorted, but
"Wells"
Il really did want to pay you one COM
pliment II you hadn't stopped me-" She
traced the pattern again.
by all means
Il was going to say that you were quite
right about that allowance of mine. 1t is
very Kind of you, uncle, really. don't
mean that for flattery." She touched my
arm with her tiny gloved hand, and pat
ted it. lyon were right, was going to
own, about keeping 1t secret. +"
Il trust Harry hasn't been plunging:"
l asked with alarm "He Is an unusually
nice fellow and has seemed quito steady
since the marriage.
.Oh, dear, nor she cried. How could
you imagine such n thingf"
Then how Is my wisdom provedf"
II am going to explain. fou-you
won't be cross--or rsntirical-will you, dear
uncles" She leaned eagerly toward me.
with her head little on ono side. She is
nice to look at.
II hope not.
PROMISE
Very we'll promise not to be cross
or satirical, but of course may object" ("
"It's this, uncle You know how fond
Harry is Of painting, and how he gets up
early and does such lovely pictures before
he goes to the cityi'
'Ye-es. Go on, my dear. They're
rather OF the dnbby order to my mind.
II cali them beautiful, but they won't
have them at the academy. I'm sure it's
only jealousy, and lie can t sell them often.
you know. 7"
"Umphr' thought she wanted me to
purchase them.
II want you to get an agent TO buy some
with my allow ance-w which Harry knows
nothing abont. l was preparing to OBJ
ject. but she put her hand on my shoulder.
1T would please poor Harry so." she
pleaded, land should be just MS well of.
He would be sure 20 buy things for me
and baby with the money. II he didn't,
we have everything We really need. He Is
SO good and kind to me, and-I do SO
want to-uncle-dear." She paused for
breath, with her big eyes looking entreat
ingly. wiped my pen carefully and CON
sidered.
Master Harry Is sufficiently lucky
man, without being great artist, y ! said
at last. II don't know that he deserves
any moro good fortune"
ut would please me, uncle. |"
My dear child, the allowance 10 TO be
spent entirely ut your own discretion"
But you wouldn't mind 1t, would
youf" I watched hse eager face admir-
ingly.
"No, my dear child" told her, II
shouldn't mind. 1t is very good plan
of very good little woman" She jump
ed up and fairly hugged me until had to
protest that one Of my clerks might come
in.
Doris plans were duly carried out-they
generally are We bought IL Of the mas.
terpieces for R2l5. The agent evidently
thought that we were u pair Of lunatics,
but he promised to send Harry n check
for the anount, less the commission, at
once. and, as we found nfterwnrsi. kept his
word Doris WAS In high glee, and actual
~ offered to stand me lunch out Of her
small balance Strange to soy, Harry made
no meneion Of the sale to her, though he
seemed very jubilant So we felt sure
that he was preparing some grand sur
prise When week had passed, however,
began 70 feel uneasy. Then he called at
the Office.
Il want to consult yqp about some
thing, uncle" he said "lt is secret
from Doris, you must understand.
yes said 1, rubbing my hands and
laughing up my sleeve. "Yes, my boy"
1--we sold come Of my old daubs," he
continued, with hearty laugh, "for
couple Of hundred. It's quite windfall-
So want To do something for Dorry with
| the money ~