The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-02-23
5elett Misrellunll.
Mock Sunshine.
BY L. NJ. MONTGOMERY.

lie WOflQ-Mlfllm NOICu WI III
would have told you, and would tell
you yet probably, that Miriam North
never had love affair in her life; but
her world did not know what Miriam
North knew as she stood one hight be-
fore her mirror and curled few loose
locks of her reddish-brown hair that
had fallen over her forehead.
When she had finished, she stepped
.k little and looked at herself with
a sense of satisfaction. She looked
very well; nobody could deny that.
One would not think she was thirty
years old, she said to herself, with a
slightly-heightened color that became
her,
Miriam was rather pretty woman.
She had a pale, creamy complexion,
and good deal of FURNISHED reddish
hair that she wore parted Madonna
fashion because Will admired it so.
Her face was long oval; she had good
brows, and rather fine eyes of the same
warm hue as her hair. Her nose and
mouth were large. Tonight her hat
suited her, and the dull fawn of her
jacket threw into relief her ruddy hair
and eyes. She caught herself hoping
that Will would notice it, and then
threw back her head and called herself
a foo.
"If anybody guessed, how they
would laugh at me- she said, biting
her lips sharply.
When she went down, Will and Kate
and Bob were waiting impatiently for
her at the front door. Kate was sure
they would be late for the concert on
account of Miriam's fussiness.
She was Miriam's sister, and Bob
was her brother, but Will Harper was
merely distant cousin. a handsome,
round-faced, boyish fellow of nineteen
or twenty, he was listening to kate's
lively chatter with rather bored ex-
preston. His eyes lighted up as Mi
riam came downstairs, and he stepped
forward eagerly.
Kate and Bob snickered Significantly
as they started down the path between
the lows of rcd and yellow dahlias.
Kate was eighteen, and, in common
with the rest of Lynnboro, looked upon
Miriam as a confirm; d old maid. 1t
seemed t. her too funny for anything
that Will should prefer Miriams com
pany to hers. Atthe gate Bob paused
to call out:
'If you two stand incoming there all
night, You'll be late for the concert"
Miriam WINGED little. She was
pinning cluster of asters to Wills
coat.
"You look stunning tonight, Mirry,"
he whispered, admiringly.
She colored again with pleasure
she was ashamed Of How foolish of
her to be 50 pleased with a boys all
miration! They walked Slowly down
the long, elm shaded street in the pur
pie bloom Of the dusk. When the con-
cert was over, they walked back again
in the moonlight Bob and Kate had
gone in before them, but, as they
turned in at the gate, Will drew Mi
ram aside into the shadow of the
naples.
Don't lets go in for awhile, Mirry.
It's just the thing out here. And |
want to have a talk with you before |
90; you know I'm off to college to-
morrow, and won't he back till next
spring. don't believe you're a bit
sorry"
"Oh, Will"
"Wcll, don't. You know how much
| think Of you, Mirry. I've told you
SO often, and you've just put lne eft and
off, and never would give me decided
answer But you will now, Mirry,
won't you, before | 60! Promise me
you'll marry me as soon as | get
through college, and I'll be the hap
piest fellow in the world"
He put his arm about her coaXingly,
and bent forward to look up into her
face
Miriam laughed little.