Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-15

Even Il he had been pressed for time
he could at least have written q letter:
and his failure to do so seemed to prove
that, on his side. theirs had not been
a serious love affair, but a Irritation.
Anne kept her own counsel: but her
pale pink roses became white roses.
When Mrs. Pendleton worried over her
daughters color and languor, Anne
said it was 'just the hot weather. and
meekly took the tonic prescribed. but
her cheeks grew no roster.
Three months had passed when one
day Lucy saw Tar Baby dragging a
paper bag into the dark little broom
closet under the stairs-one OF his ia
vorite haunts. He was just preparing
to rend the bag to pieces with his
sharp teeth, when a well-aimed whack
from Lucy's broom sent him flying.
Amt that cat the beatines',n mus
ed Lucy-"jes' materially loves to tear
up paper, IN keep me sweepin' be-
hin him. Now what's this he's ben
a-tearin up?'
In n corner of the closet were
scraps of letter D Lucy
gathered them up and examined them.
She could read. and on the torn enye-
lope she deciphered Miss Anne
then she remembered the pretty blue
paper" of the letter Mr.. Heath had
given her.
What have you there. Lucy ?" asked
the voice of Miss Anne.
Glare to goodness, 1 nuve done
it," gasped Lucy.
well, what have O tori or brok-
en-, now?" asked Miss Anne. resigned
ly.
Then Lucy poured forth a confused
tale about Mr.. Cyril's letter, and how
she had put it or the table when Mann
my hollered for her, and that ole Tar
Baby must "a took and tored it, and
she was skeered to tell-and-and-
But Miss Agnes did not hear the rest OF
the explanation. She had taken the letter
into tho library. and was piecing IL to-
gether. Some scraps were lost, but enough
was left to show that It was the proposal
Cyril had not had time to make ''by word
of mouth" The silent contempt with
which it had. apparently. been received
must have created a very false impression.
Was it too late now to answer this letter?
Ann was not one of those heroines of a
romance who allow the happiness of a
lifetime to be ruined by the want of a
little Common sense She reasoned that
so genuine a love as was expressed in
Cyril's letter could scarcely be killed by
three months absence. Then, too, the
pictures in Manila Beauties In the IL
Illustrated papers were reassuring. "They
are so fat and dowdy," she unused, "and
so dark, too,-and he admires blondes"
So her letter of explanation was written
and sent. n the answer which came JUS
tilted her action. Cyril explained in his
turn, that he had Intended putting his let
ter in the postoffice; but, seeing Ley by
the roadside. 1t had occurred TO him 10
send the missive in what seemed a speed
Ter way. He was amazed to learn OF the
curious combination of circumstances
that had mad 1t mlscarry. "F'ate's dark
Instruments he styled Lucy and Tar
Baby.
AS for Lucy. she escaped with a mild
lecture.
Now, o see. Lucy" said Miss Anne.
"how much trouble you can make by not
being straightforward"
But 'twan't me. Miss Anne whim-
pered Lucy-"'twas that ole Tar Baby"
But you know what you are doing and
Tar Baby doesn't-that's the difference"
Don't o tell me bout that cat not
KNOWN, Miss Anne" replied Lucy. dark
ly-"it's my belief he knows ev'ything an
done 1t to spite me-"