Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-03-23

y
would have ruined my promotion, for
I should have lost a hundred credits
on it."
THAT is the cream of the joke" in
terrupted Miss Morton; ''for every
morning brings bouquet addressed to
Mrs. Lucia Drummond, and nobody
knows who sends them"
why, how romantici Aren't you
curious, about it, Mrs. Drummond?"
81 was at first; but one gets used
to almost anything in Washington, and
now l begin TO take it as a matter of
course, and L should miss them very
much should they cease coming" And
Mistress Lucia looked lovingly at the
scented blossoms with eyes of the self
same hue, a soft flush coming into
her cheek, that had paled from the
long winters work in the treasury de-
partment.
ooh! but she is sly cat;" said Mr..
Paul Pry, another clerk in the same
room, as Miss Mildmay seated herself
at a desk next to his.
What do you mean? You mystify
me, for she seems as open as the day.
"You ladies are so delightfully."- cred
ulous," sneered he. "But do YOU sup
pose for a moment that man is 90.
ing TO send expensive, winter flowers
to a lady for months, and never seek
to know more of her? Miss Mildmav,
you are new here. and would advise YOU
to look out about your intimacies' -
Mrs. Drummond had declined this
mans attentions in their earliest ac-
quaintance.
II think 1 know how to take care OF
myself" said Miss Mildmay, slapping
over the leaves of her ledger with
rather unnecessary energy. "He would
be Just as ready TO hint against me"
she thought.
But alas! Mr.. Paul. Pry's hints did
not fall on such cold ears in every
instance, and after awhile Mrs. Drum
mond began to notice averted faces as
she passed; she, in her innocence, never
suspected the cause; and the flowers
OF her unknown friend were her great
est comfort when Misses Mildmay and
Morton were almost her only friends
in the Office.
''Oh, / wonder what I have donei"
she cried, in the privacy OF her home
TO Lett, but in public she kept brave
bright face, and appeared not TO no.
tiee. a complaint was carried even to
the secretary, about the discredit to
the office, ETC., but he dismissed il sum
marily.
Mrs. Drummond was made a widow
by the fortunes of war, and Uncle
Sam" adopted her as a protege by Civ
ing her place in the public service.
She was one of the few handsome wom-
en- in the departments at Washington.
that have been manifolded by popu-
lar report into the myth about the
pretty treasury girls" which a de-
luded public has so long accepted az
history.
1t was holiday for the department
people. The excursion boat went
steaming down the Potomac. bearing
crowd of people. Miss Alildmay had
persuaded Mrs. Drummond to 90. and
the two were sitting on the bow of
the boat, when Miss Midway saw an
acquaintance approaching. accom-
panied by tall. dignifed looking man.
A plentiful sprinkling of gray in his
luNuriant hair proclaimed him already
past the meridian OF life; but time had
only added intellectual graces 10 the
lines Of beauty in his strong face.
Something told Lucia that he was COM
ing to be introduced to her, so that
she felt no surprise when, merely greet
ing Miss Midway, he passed around to
her side, and stood with his hand on
the back Of her chair till a change in
the crowd allowed him a seat beside
her. 1t was Representative Richard
Stanfield, man OF unusual ability, and
a large income.
The roses you wear are dropping
early in the day." he remarked, point
Ing to a corsage bouquet OF the rarest
rosebuds.
'They are not perfectly fresh" she
replied, they were sent me by a friend
yesterday"
a curious look was on Mr.. StanfieId's
face as she said Shy a friend;" but he
went on: Il would like to get you some
better ones. 1 saw some for sale be-
low. But I presume you think too
much of those to exchange them for
the gift of new acquaintance"
TO the contrary, 1 would be very
glad to have fresher ones;" she said,
and fieeting look, that seemed like
came into the fine
eyes that watched her as she flung the
faded flowers overheard.
"Will you go with me and choose
your flowers, then?" he asked, gently.
She consented, and, excusing them
selves to the others, they departed.
''He is evidently hard hit" said the
friend who introduced him. "I saw
him when first came aboard, watch
ing her face like a play; and as soon
as he saw me bow to you, he entered
into an unusually friendly talk, and
it was quite amusing 10 see his maneu-
vers till I offered to introduce him."
On the deck below Mr.. Stanfield was
saying: "You are not very sentimental,
/ imagine. or else the friend who sent
you these flowers has failed to get a
place for his offering on the altar of
your heart"
'You mistake in both" she replied:
'for think am rather given 70 SEN
timsnA But Il 10 impossible TO keep
ar Aaa HaA1SnHa a