The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1900-05-10
Forging q The
Daisy Chain:

plates IN the river Thames, iooked per-
petually toward Miss Daisy Middleton
industriously engaged in packing
s dishes. Over the meadow the rest of
the picnic party was dotted mainly in
pairs, as is pleasant to look upon at
picnic. II the truth were known, Mr..
4 Travers was pleased to see Miss Mid
dieton sternly packing, for of late she
had seemed to bestow too much OF the
honey OF her smiles upon certain
bee ito give him no worse title) OF the
name Of Congreve; and Miss Middle
ton was rejoiced to see Mr.. Travers
pretending, to rinse, since she had GER
tain undehned objection to hear his
praises sung by others of her sex-ss
recently.
People entertaining such approx
s mate sentiments have no business to
Z Be separated by distance of at'least
90 yards. So at any rate Mr.. Travers
thought, for he left the meadow sweets
that sucked in the eddying stream be-
hind him, and, bearing the cleansed
plates as peace offering in his hand,
) approached the lady.
Miss Middleton lifted her eyes. ont
Of hamper, and, preceiving his
humility, smiled.
with fingers weary and worn, >" ne
began, sand eyelids heavy and red
as you perceive, Miss Middleton-a
man answering to the name of Travers
has been standing in midstream-
more or less mid on an undenlabie
rickety stone for half an hour-tor-
rents foaming about him-fatal plunge
imminent-and has rinsed picnic
plates till he could do no more "
During which time" she asked,
sshe broke-how many?"
That is hardly generous, said
Mr.. Travers, gravely. "How many
exactly I started with I don't remem-
: her. One-I admit it came to
pieces in my hand as the kitchen
maids say. Another I was compelled,
I morally and intellectually, to throw
{ 1t q grasshopper that came up imper-
tinently to sniff the msyonnaise. A
! saucer or two, by nature amphlblous,
started down stream. But what would
you? have four here as clean
s.And I gave you H." said Miss
Middleton, sternly.
It's better than picking daises, like
CongreYe, said Mr.. Travers, slyly.
Would you like to clean some
knives?'' she asked, willing to change
the subject 'They don't break SO
easily, and we shall want some for
tea. e
ssIt's no relaxation cleaning things
that don't break said Mr.. Travers,
discontentedly.
You intend simply to be idle till
8 tea?'s she asked, scornfully.
81 you think I deserve little re-
creation for cleansing all those
plates" he said.
Breaking themr'
Let us split the difference and say
aaving them"
sYou crack joke and plate in
the same BREATH" she said.
Don't you think might take you
ont In that canoe?" he persisted.
It's rather late, " she said, doubt
fully.
eve might find some of the float
ing saucers," he urged. 'The grass
hopper got on one and was plotting it
Z magnifcently.'
ssBut canoes are so unsafe. Perhaps
i Miss Maltby would come with US,
ik wouid be steadier.
This was distinctly unkind redec-
tion on Miss Maltby, whose attrac-
lions, in the opinion of many, were
not dstracted from by her weight, Mr..
Trsvers, however, saw light in the
unkindness, and willingly sacrificed
victim.
without in any way wishing to
/. deny the merits OF Miss Maltby," he
said, ssshe would add more than a
feather-weight. Besides, in adopting
an invention like canoes, from the
Choctaws, one must conform to their
custom"
(which is?' asked Miss Middleton.
BASED on the tribal motto-Two's
company The canoes were con-
structed accordingly, and only hold
two"
.sThen there would not be room for
Mr. Congreye" she asked.
ST fancied he was making daisy
chains" said Mr.. Travers.
Now, if Miss Middleton had been
adverse to the voyage, this foolish re-
mark would have left Mr.. Travers soli-
fary. But she was not. She suffered
herself to be constrained-not too
readily. Yet since, when once the
canoe was launched. Mr.. Travers
s seemed to sink into abstraction, Miss
! Middleton took up the ball. Since
This is the very simplest story, devoid
Of incidents or criticism. is sufficient
TO say of Miss Middleton's conduct,
atsuch is life," and to report her re-
!. marks.
seYou'll be very careful, won't you?"
she said. ssI'm like a cat-very
frightened of water
aWhat cats averse to ish?" quoted
Mr.. Travers, irrelevantly. '"rhat is
II mean-I wouldn't LET drop of
water touch you for-what I really
mean is, the canoes perfectly safe. 1t
would hold five with ease.
81 thought that the Choctaws-"
hinted Miss Middleton we'll pleased
with herself.
.'Ob. yes, that's all nonsense" he
said, distractedly. II should say !
an tsaking nonsense now. What ]