The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-07-06
MILDRED's ACQUAINTANCE
TFrom the Boston POST

Mildred Mildred Come here, child;
have a bit of news for you from your
Aunt Sara called Mrs. Whitney, as
she stood in the hall of an old colonial
house at Princeton, Mass, and scanned
the pages Of a letter which she held in
her hand.
Immediately a little creature of about
eighteen summers half slid, half skipped
down the long staircase and stopped at
the foot, with one hand still resting on
the balustrade.
wei. mother. what is t?' she said.
Your aunt has sent you a kind in
vitation to spend the season with her in
Boston, and there enter society under
her chaperonage," returned the mother
slowly.
How delightful cried Mildred, her
brown eyes sparkling with joyful an
ticipation and her black curls dancing
on her forehead; but when am to go,
mother, dear?"
Probably in a week or ten. days"
replied Mrs. Whitney; that viii allow
me sufficient time to furnish your rather
scanty wardrobe and drill you a little in
town manners.
Five weeks after this episode We find
our little friend in great Boston city,
not. however, as we expected, in the
height of society, but in St Margaret s
private hospital, enjoying herself about
as much as she would at the opera or
in the drawing room But have NOT
told you how she came there.
Shortly after her arrival in the city
Mildred was suddenly taken i'll and was
ushered off to the hospital where she
underwent a serious operation, and at
the time of which we are speaking was
lying on her back, unable, to move, bue
still bright and lively and talkatiye.
The sister superior had gone away
for a few days and therefore the nurses
had sole charge of the establishment
Nurse Ruth one day told Mildred that
there was a young man in the apart
ment across the hall, a Harvard stu
dent, who had broken his leg in foot
ball fray and would probably have to
remain in the hospital for some time to
As soon as Ruth left the room Mil
dred whistled as loudly and clearly as
q boy. Directly there came a reply
f'hallo"; as before the voice answered
halo" Then gradually short sentences
were exchanged, and at the end of day
or two the couple were carrying on a
one day when Miss Whitney's uncle
called to see her she told him Of her
sociabIe neighbor and asked him to go
and take peep at him. He did so, but
upon his return to Mildred's rooms could
not tell whether her hero had blue eyes
or brown; whether he was dark or fair,
and therefore her curiosity was not sat
isfied.
However, this happy state Of affairs
was not to last long. for you remember
the sister superior rad gone away for
ing elapsed, all intercourse between the
two friends was brought to an end. The
halls no longer echoed with whistles and
bright conversation, and in two weeks,
which seemed months to her our little
heroine left the hospital without even
a whispered good by to her lonely com
paniOn.
one evening about two months after
A1ildred's recovery Uncle Fred knocked
at the door of her room and jokingly
told her to look her sweetest at dinner,
because he had invited a friend to dine
with them, and he wanted this gentle
mans first impression of everything,
even the little niece, to be good one.
"Au right, uncle; you can trust TO
me for that" replied Mildred. Dinner
was served at Z o'clock sharp, and Mil
dred much to her uncle's displeasure,
was fifteen minutes late, but when she
entered the room how could ne be dis
pleased? She looked SO charming in her
simple white gown, wearing no orna-
ments whatever, save a large jack rose
which rested in the waves of her luxur-
ious hair.
Disregarding his nieee's apologies, Mr.
Elliott hastily rose to present her to his
guest Mr.. Marshall whom she had
hitherto not noticed, forgetting that she
had dressed especially to appear pleas
ing to her uncle's friend.
She turned and bowed sWeetiy but
when she raised her eyes to view the
stranger her face showed both surprise
and admiration, for she had expected
to see an elderly or middle aged gentle
man, and upon beholding instead a
splendid looking young man of about
/ "A, his bearing tall and elegant, she
was quite astonished.
Meanwhile Aubrey Marshall had been
viewing the little fairy before him with
look of passionate yearning. At this
point Uncle Fred burst out laughing
well, Mile, I've given you time
1 enough to recognize him. but IL you're