Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-05-24

y \
companied by her decorous relatives
arrayed for the occasion in the most
unbecoming of their silks.
what dear old frumps they are,
Bertha commented ITO herself. II thinl
the Amsterdam ladies will like them
They just suit this background
They seemed to, indeed, and got OF
better than Bertha, whose youth con
demned her to subordinate place
This was not as it was in America
Bertha reflected, and permitted her
self to indulge in moment Of home
sickness, as she sat apart, her glow
ing beauty unnoticed by the middle
aged people who were paying their re
spects to her aunt and her second
cousin.
Il have delayed for a moment fol
another guest Mrs. Truax said. ~
wished to present to your niece, Miss
Henderson," she said, addressing
Berthas aunt, "a young man who is
half an American. All, there is the
bell now!"
The man at the door announced
moment later:
Herr Van Brunt."
Bertha turned with an anticipation
which she endeavored to subdue. II
was not likely that the son of gar.
dener would be at the home Of Mrs
Truax. But in the young man who
entered Bertha saw with unmistak-
able recognition the amiable, soft
eyes, the round face, and high brow
and the quiet, kindly manners OF her
old friend, borne with the assurance
and ease that come of self-con6dence'
The hostess managed to whisper
to Bertha's aunt-and OF course Ber-
tina overheard:
"This young man has distinguished
himself in landscape gardening. He
has just laid out park for Prince
Zagenwell and is much thought Of
both in Holland and Germany.
hear that the Duke of York is likely
to send for him for his new place in
Scotland
Dominicus Van Brunt saluted his
hostess with profound bow-how
well Bertha remembered that quaint
reverence of manner! He was pre-
scented to the guests, and at last he
was led up to Bertha, who suddenly
felt as II she were in short frocks,
with freckles on her face and braids
down her back. He started and flush
ed, and then held out his hands in
the good American way, regardless OF
ceremony.
"What. are you acquainted" cried
the hostess. They explained. The
hostess turned in some perplexity to
the spinster aunt. She wondered If
she had Internationally committed an
indiscretion. But there was no an
noyance in the face of the elder Miss
Henderson. and the hostess felt at
liberty to permit the two young peo-
pie to 90 down to dinner together.
The conversation at dinner would
not be particularly interesting to re-
count. But Bertha remembered every
word of It. Perhaps Dominicus Van
Brunt did too-hnt ii has been impos-
sible to secure his confidence. Tt Is a
certain thing. however, that the next
day a basket came for the young
American ladycontaininga dozen yell
low tomatoes. dronped like eggs in a
nest of white drises, which was sure
ly, a curious gift.
Now it was undeniable that Bertha
Henderson found Amsterdam inter-
esting, yet for some reason best un-
derstood by her sex she remained in
itbut short time, Fastening away to
other points Of interest. It is also GER
tain that about the time of her de-
parture a voun" landscape gardener
ran ITO views and weeping willows in
his designs, and accepted with alac-
ritv the opportunitv of designing a
cemetery for some new American
town I'ut he recovered from his
gloom when there reached him from
the shores of fine Baltic trinket fash
toned of lucent amber. shaped like
yellow tomato. II occurred to him
that he ought a'so to yisit the storied
beaches of the Bolfic and he did so
without an hours unnecessary delay.
And the consequence was as the
children say when thew nlny the old
game, that when Miss Bertha Mander-
son returned to America she wore an
engagement rim. n tomoto-shaped
topaz, on her third fnger.-Chicago