Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-03-08
get you a new doll to dress"

get you new doll to Dress"
doll, indeed!' She mimicked bis
gravity. "Your capacity for insulting
helpless female becomes startling, my
love. think shall have to get you q
new pair of eyes the better to see, nav
dear" She came toward him, RANT.
sparkling creature, and stood before
him with crest uplifted. Observe the
length Of my gown, if you please, and
the Psyche kaot which tops my mature
and classic head"
Her father drew her to him almost
roughly. "Ohvia, you startle me in
earnest. You are young lady. The
fact has burst upon me in second.
You are no longer my loving, trusting,
unquestioning little darling. You will
be measuring your strength with mine,
demanding your place at my side rath-
| or than under my wing. It frightens
me-"
She laughed musically up into the
furrowed face.
"And it delights NE. You stupid
pnpa-to want fretful, puny baby al.
Ways under your wing in place Of q
wise young woman by your side! And,
you naughty papa, to let my eighteenth
birthday almost dawn without
breath touching appropriate celebra-
tionsp'
Celebrations? He repeated the
word perplexedly.
Don't you even know, father, that
a girl comes of age when she is 10?
She doesn't come into a vote and all
that sort of nonsense, but she comes
out, and propose to do that appro-
| priately."
Appropriately! Why, bless my soul.
yes, of course! What shall we do,
Onie?'
| Il should like fete champetre."
said Ollie grandly, "such a fete as the
people of the country shall date back
to and from for generations to come.
l shan't come of age but once in my
lifetime, you know, papa"
| Her father looked overhead out OF
the bay window into her garden and
upon the grassy terraces intervening
between it and the cobblestone street.
The Matthews cottage, perched upon
its well kept terraces. was one Of the
show places of Vaudeville, but it's di-
mensions were by no means imposing.
In land it was conspicuously cramped.
| "a garden party, my love? believe
that is your idea donss in English. Do
| you think our modest little yard"-
She interrupted him with q gay
laugh. s'Oh, no, papa!, That would be
q rif1 1Slr ~ -
| house is where mean to hold my
fete. We could give lovely garden
party among the grand old. trees on
Broxton lawn and such delicious
dance in the long, yellow parlor.'
i 'But the people?"
/ 1.-THE Westoyers are expected back
from Europe on Monday. I should es.
| pecially like them to see that one does
not have to go abroad to know what to
| do on occasion. Oh, I want it to be
very grand indeed, papa! Miss Malyina
Spillman will help me to make it just
| perfectly lovely. She can act chaperon
too. can make out quite splendid
list of guests"
A strange hesitation seemed to bind
her fathers tongue. He who was gem
orally eager in his readiness to crafty
| her slightest wish, stood mute and
frowning in face of her very dearest
1 one.
| "You have guardians right to use
the house, papa, haven't your
''Yes. Oh, yes, of coursew
"And know Tom would be only too
| glad. I shall write for his permission"
Still that unfriendly silence. my
| heart is quite set upon it, papa"
Her fathers surrender was sudden,
but complete. s"Then so is mine," he
said almost violently, lifting her sweet
face near enough to kiss her on both
cheeks. $50 it is settled We will have
our garden party over at Broxton Hall,
and will stop there this evening as
drive home from Rosecliff to give or
ders about having the house opened
and properly aired. A good deal Of
weed chopping will be needed"
"Oh, I forgot court was in session!
You truant papa! You ought to have
been in Rosecliff half an hour ago.
am going to send Reuben over with
the ponies for Miss Mally. am dying
to talk with her all about the affair.""
And she dismissed him with a shower
of kisses and the injunction: Don't be
late in getting back, papa. There is 50
much to see about
The day held more than it's full quo
ia Of trials for the iron nerved man
who never yielded point to anything
living but the soft dimpled child who
held his very heartstrings in her care
less grasp.
Night had fallen before he mounted
his horse and turned its head home-
ward. Seven lonely miles stretched be-
tween him and Vaudeville. He gladly
would have foregone the stop at Brox-
ton Hall on his way home, but he had
promised Olivia, and that was enough.
When he reached the outer gate to the
gloomy old mansion, he dismountad
and, finging his bride rein over the
horse rack. made his way on foot up
| the crumbling brick walk slimy now