El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-25
; MISS SIMMONS. ;

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
| Hannah Maria, Mrs. Hobhouse's
daughter, while protesting something of
regard for Frank Fairfield, had been
| partly promised to Major Ginger, a glum
old martinez with a passion for Persian
| carpets and majolica.
That night a letter was written to
papa, and this was the brief reply:
Dear wife-Received yours yesterday. Stop the
thing at once. Fairfelds salary is $50 per week
Ginger talked matters over with tonight, and
l told him he could have Hannah Maria, II he
wanted her. Leave the place you are at and go
to Sproogles hotel, at -. No dancing there:
quiet place Ministers families and such. Bath
ing. Let her battle much she likes I'll
bring Ginger down. No other beaux there, settle
affairs. Don't let her go anywhere without you,
except into the water. Watch her then BY
by. Your affectionate husband, B. HoBHoUsE.
Accordingly next day the mother and
daughter left - hotel for the seaside,
the mother quite unaware that one of the
young men on the roof of the stage was
Frank Fairfield.
few words had been exchanged be-
tween the two very early, and Miss Hob
a small bundle done up in paper.
The seaside hotel was as quiet as it
had been described, the company as Sc
rious. Nobody rode anywhere. People
only walked on the piazza. Twice a day
everybody tumbled into the sea. Han
nah Maria, escorted by her mother to the
bathing house, followed every body's ex-
ample, and on the very first day her
mother saw her meet and greet amid the
waves very robust young lady in very
large shade hat and a bright blue bath
ing suit.
''Who was that?" she had asked Han
nah Maria on their return, and Hannah
Maria had answered:
"Oh, ma, it was dear Miss Simmons,
with whom 1 used to go to school,"
And so day by day Mrs. Hobhouse
basked in the sun, while Hannah Maria
sported in the waves hand in hand with
Miss Simmons or greeted great pillows
that momentarily engulfed her, causing
Mrs. Hobhouse to shrek. But, as she
wrote to her husband:
Even while 1 am frightened almost out of my
senses 1 feel grateful, for used to be than
frightened when she waltzed with that dreadful
Frank Fairfield. Now her only friend IS a Miss
Simmons, who went to school with her, and she
gets no letters
With this good news to welcome him,
Mr.. HobhOuse came to the seaside, &C
by Major Ginger, and arrived
at the hour which was devoted to bath
ing. Hannah Maria was in the sea, and
Mrs. Hobhouse sat watching her under a
large white umbrella.
THAT one in the gray bathing dress
with red is Hannah Maria, and
the blue one is Miss Simmons" said Mrs.
"Bless us! What objects bathing
dresses do make Of people!" said Mr..
"Some people like we'll grown girls"
said Mrs. Hobhouse.
I've no doubt they have their admir-
ers," said the major. Il adore delicate
beauty myself, and this Miss Simmons
lid you say-appears to have a mus |
ache"
BLESS my heart, so she has, said Mr.. !
Hobhouse, Selling the glass. did you
ever notice it, Matilda?''
"No, dear" said Mrs. Hobhouse faint |
Just then two figures crossed the sand |
Jones the boatman, who rowed people |
'ut for 30 cents an hour, and a gentle
nan in black, with white neckcloth.
Looks like a clergyman said Mrs
dollhouse.
Jones, walking slowly to the spot
where his boat lay, stepped into it; the
Gentleman seated himself in the bow and
ook little book from his pocket. Off
vent the boat-it skirted the line of
winners and went far out upon the wa
err. Then the gentleman lifted a pair of
classes to his nose and reconnoitered.
erchief from some portion of her dress
nd waved it in the air. The boat at
nee changed its course and flew toward
he rope to which Miss Simmons and
hannah Maria were apparently attach
''Why, what on earth!' cried Mrs.
dollhouse.
That's ratio" forward person, that
1iss Simmors," said Hobhouse
Rut Ma iOr Gippar with biS placS 70
is eyes, suddenly started to his feet.
"a boat! Here's another boat! Go out,
Iobhouse-see to her-stop it!' he cried.
"Oh, what! Are they drowning?' cried
FRS. Hobhouse.
'NoP cried old Ginger. mo! Is ev-
rybody blind? That isn't a girl-that
ne you call Miss Simmons; that's
IAN! 1 tell you that's a man. I say
God gracious! He's putting a ring on
er finger! Get a boat, Hobhouse! Stop
! They're being married.
Hobhouse seized the glass in time to
&c the flaps of two bathing hats overlap, |
ut, though he rushed wildly about in
earch of boat, there was none to be
ad.
AS for Mrs. Hobhouse, having clutched
lie glass wildly and uttered one shrek,
lie tainted away on the sand.
but 1t S no use making a fuss, ma
lid Hannah Maria as she attired her
If in the bathing house amid her moth
IS tears and reproaches. Frank loved
e, and l loved Frank, and we are Of
,e. l chose to be happy on $40 week
stead of miserable on the interest of
llf a million. And, though we shan't
i've majolica and Persian rugs in our
lite of a cottage, we shall be as glad to Q
g you as if we had, and don't you think e
you invited Aunt Abby ON here and
essed her up good deal she might do n
well for the major as 1 would? She's :
arer his age"
A year from that day young Mrs. Fair
i ,,1al hon. e. |