The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-03

you take next and he thinks it only
right to give you time TO know your
cousin
81 don't want to know any more of
him. interrupted Molly He has been
three hours in the house, and 1 hate
him already. He has not single re-
deeming point about him. To begin with
what does he look like?"
He looks dreadfully delicate,'' put in
Mrs. Mckenzie compassionately.
So he is-a mass of rheumatism as
he told me himself-he loves talking
about his health, I can see that. Did you
hear him detailing his symptoms to -me?''
MOLLY, he can't help his rheumatism -
Il know he can't, but he should be
humber about it and not appear to con-
slider it an additional attraction. I tel
YOU, said Molly, coming to a stand
still and checking off each statement by
an emphatic rap on the palm of ore
hand with the fingers of the other,
that cadaverous creature thinks himself
simply hewitching He can't say two
words without striking an attitude Did
you notice how he was looping himself
up against the flower stand in the hall
when he was talking to me? Evidently
he goes in for being esthetic."
Does he? / thought he look Il as if
he had pain somewhere, and q ike
II he is rheumatic, you know, ne had,
poor young man! Don't be so uncLari-
table, Molly, and do go and get ready
for dinner
Just let me finish, auntie, 1 shall
feel better when, I have said my say.
wen, my cousin, Hugh O'Neill, is a de,
creplt little wretch, without two ideas
! In his head, yet oVerburdened with con-
ceit-a man that no girl with an iota of
self-respect would condescend to look
at from the matrimonial point of view,
and nothing would induce me to say or
think otherwise, not if he and l were
years and years together. There the
sooner you and Mr.. Burke make up your
minds to that the better. Now I'll go
and dress"
Mournfully enough did poor Mrs. Mac
kenzie retail this speech to Mr.. Burke,
as the couple sat in the drawing room
waiting for dinner, neither Molly nor her
cousin having as yet made their appear
ance
81 knew she couldn't have anything to
say to him. said the lawyer disconso-
lately. 'Of course she wouIdn' t-any-
one who knows her might be sure she
wouldn'tr
Il thought there was just chance!''
| sighed the lady. He seems a quiet,
gentlemanly young man
''Pah!' said Mr.. Burke
"And it is really very hard-very hard, -
pursued Mrs. Mackenzie with a sniff or
two, ito be obliged to turn out after
all, and for Molly to have to work again.
just like Cinderella and her fairy god
mother, when I had let my house and
everything"
The lawyer compassionated his old
friends distress too sincerely to criticise
this slightly confused speech.
ut is pretty state of affairs, I must
say he assented, after a pause, land
all the result of one woman's morbid
craze about her family. Poor Miss
O'Neill! I don't wish to abuse her fam
now that she is gone, but I must say
here Mr.. Burke compressed his lips as
though depressing volumes of disapproval
II only wish,'' he remarked, viciously
at last, that she could see her heir,
that's ALL 1 wonder what she would say
to the Neill fascination as exemplified
| in hinn-good Lord"'
Further discussion was prevented by
| the entrance, first Of Molly, and after
wards of Mr. O'NeiI himself.
A slight, not 10 say lean, young man,
| with a face pallid in hue, and almost
! triangular in shape, fair hair and mus
| tache, and passably regular features.
| The gait with which he crossed the room
was somewhat hating. it Is trlle, but
| the air and gesture with which he Of
! fered his arm to Molly were graceful to
the last degree During dinner he de-
voted himself CALAMITY to his cousin,
| though her pretty shoulder was per-
sistently turned towards him, and his
various overtures ELECTED only Mono
syllable replies. The others were too
much preoccupied to evince much In
terest in his unceasing flow Of small talk,
while even the Yapid little jokes with
| which he endeavored to enliven the con-