The Washington weekly post., 1900-03-13

INTO tne low voiced confsb.
Girls, he's Just splendid-a great. big.
handsome. manly fellow, with the sweet
est smile Remember he Is here &c fulfill
prophecy. Now. don't le, my sacrifice 20
Tor nsught." She was pouring out a glass
OF water Hes bean used to white
capped Mattresses. Called me my good
girl with the most urbane composure
After I've watered him I'm going to take
him into mamma's room and give you
girls a chance to primp."
Miss Nell!eent protested
But ] haven't said a word TO Aunt
JOHN about dinner"
Nanny stamped her foot In a manner
out Of all keeping with her cap and apron
Leave Aunt JoIin and the dinner 20 me.
There must be some ladies TO do the en-
tertaining"
With which she disappeared. carrying
the Tray with its glass Of water upon IL as
eeitiy as If her experience Of maids
duties had extended far beyond the boards
OF the private theatricsls she so ardently
affected.
Miss Mellicent often declared In after
years that she felt that day as II they
were al playing in private theatricaIs.
%, as Jack lueidly put ii. Everything
81 cAattiS as u WASH I.
Iheir ineonvenient guest alone was a
CAIN self-possessed. well-grOomed reality
"heh they all assembled around the din
her table, with Nan standing demurely
Dehlho MISS Mellicent's chair. tray in
hand, ready 10 pass the soup.
Later on, when, after an evening devot-
go 20 reminiscent talk chiefly. Marston
had followed Jack 10 the stately chamber
assigned him, that young man brieIv
summarized his own view OF the sltua-
ton.
Il tell YOU we're a lot of frauds: He's
got enough man in MIN to take US In the
rough"
No one can take US in the rough,
Jack"
We'll, then. just as we are. Some
body's going 10 let the cat out of the
bag
Which cat?'
Nan there. 1 don't like II, I tell you.
girls
Miss Julia was delicately darning a hole
In the fine damask tablecloth which Nam
ny had exhumed for the occasion She
gently pricked Jack on the shoulder with
her needle.
My dear little boy, what you like or
don't Ike doesn't concern US just how.
DID you tell our guest TO put his shoes
outside the door. SO that the boy could
get them in the morning?"
Yes, cOnfound him"
Nanny was carefully folding up her
apron.
Ihere Is where your narrowness comes
IN, JACK. II you could only efface your
self Tor the good Of the family as / have
done! There Is 10 sense in confounding
Teddy. He's just perfectly splendid, and
If Mel and Julia between them don't
carry out his dear fathers wishes / shall
have TO intervene"
He's not the sort of chap to fall In
love with a waitress. He's a gentleman.
Yes, butch. well, I'm not pining to
appropriate him. / simply want some
body 10 marry into this family TO keep
US from falling TO pieces from a sort OF
dry rot. am so ireadfully tired of living
On nothing month"
so an: l., said Jack, yaw wning SO por-
tentoGsly that his sister Julia advised his
going after Marston's shoes before slum-
Der should Oyertake MIN irrevCcably He
stretched his arms and got up ob5diently.
Il say, Nan, we are In for this masQuer-
ade. Let's make ii bowling success"
Aarston rad been the guest of the Hen
dersons quite two weeks when he felt
the necessity Of explaining himself to
some trustworthy friend laid inexorably
upon him. He selected for this purpose
the chum he had left behind him in Ber-
lin.
Nobody knows better than yourself, ny
dear Holbrook." he wrote, "how entirely
in accord with my dear fathers wishes
for my settlement in life / was when l
started for America.
1T all seemed to dovetail beautifully
The proximity of the estates. the wishes
OF our elders, the beauty and goodness of
the Henderson girls, all pointed TO the full
fllment of the prophecy uttered over my
cradle by my black nanny, who declared
it was writ on the stars / was 10 fetch
home bride from this house
But now let me abase myself y can
only do so with comfort while seas roll
between US. The Henderson girls are all
that my father painted them-handsome
cultivated. dignihed, proud as Luc!fer. and
bearing poverty. which cannot be hidden,
with gracious dignity that actually ex.
ais II.
Nothing would seem easier than for a
vagabond like myself TO fall in love with
one OF these sweet girls and take her over
TO my own old house 10 brighten it with
the light of home. They are famous houze-
keepers, and my old home-when i get r;d
of the army of workmen now in full pos
session CT it-wouldn't be q bad place to
take a bride to. But, bah! Let me out
with IL.
"Old chum, I've made a fool of myself
"a beastly ass! I've fallen in love with
my cousins waitress. the girl who passes
me my coffee at table and stands behind
my cousins chair with a tray IN her
hands-1, who call myself gentleman!
Not that l mean BY that that I've de-
meaned myself. She is no ordinary SER
want girl. I'm not quite sure who or
what she is. l should never dare ques-
ton my high bred cousins about their
domestics. Butch, well, TO make the
matter short, this demure little Nancy,
with her downcast eyes and graceful fig
ure has got between me and all nv plans
making 1t forever impossible for me to fall
In love properly. A word in self excuse
That she is no ordinary nousemaid I
am sure. for / found her dusting cloth
left accidentally between the leaves Of
my Browning, and one day al table. when
| gave my young cub of a cousin. Mr.
Jack Henderson, mathematical nut 10
crack, l am quite sure she eontrIyed TO
give him the solution while Offering him
the Waffles
All the same. l must get away from
here. l can't court my cousins wait
ress, and l won't court my cousins. /
snail move over 10 nv cwn place In
day or two and shall then claim you for
my guest"
There was matter in this letter that
Aarston would have been very sorry 10
nave go astray, so he concluded to walk
into the village with his mall. He stopped
al the open door OF the family sitting
room 10 let Miss Mellicent know his in
tention- She entered a polite protest. IF
You are not in a particular hurry, cousin.
can send 1t in by the boy. He always
goes In for our mail about O'clock"
But Marston thought the walk would 40
him good, and presently they heard him
swing past the library windows with that
long. easy stride which carried him over
so much ground with so little apparent eff
fort
Miss Mellicent looked at Miss Julia anx-
iOuSly. He Will come back with the an