The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1901-05-24

IVY HE came out or the west. put
that was the only respect in
fdS5a which he resembled Lochin-
eESR6D var. Indeed the points of dis
similarity were noticeable. He had no
fair Ellen. His steed, knotty little
mountain animal, was far from being
the best ON all the wide border, and,
naturally, he did not bring it with him
to Chicago.
! What he did bring was a bulging
pocketbook. Not knowing exactly what
to do with the contents, Ec bought an
| astonishing amount of gay summer lin
en- and scandalized discreet neighbor-
hood by sending quantities of Ameri-
can Beauties to Mrs. Haddon Worces-
ter, whom he had met out at Denver
and whose husband had interests iden-
tical with his own in certain mining
ventures. Mrs. Worcester was some
what annoyed by these attentions; but,
understanding that they were only a
part of the habitual eXuberance by
which Thaddeus Gaylord was distin-
guished, she accepted them with pa
tiencc.
He even insisted that she should
lunch with him at his hotel, and she
consented, but just as she was leaving
her house to keep this appointment a
young woman alighted from a cab,
satchel and guitar case in hand, and
presented herself at Mrs. Worcester's
door.
"Why, Heth Lowmanw cried Mrs.
Worcester, kissing the quiet little face
of the girl. Il thought you we"e not
due for a week yet. Surely you said
commencement day was the 1st of
June"
Il was too tired to wait for COM
mencement," said the girl. "Besides-
well-there wasn't anybody to see me,
you know-and all the other girls had
their people coming to commencement.
Father couldn't get away. And it's a
long way from Denver to Poughkeep-
sic, isn't it? l hadn't any graduating
frock, either, and 1 didn't know what
to get. And-oh don't know! But
just thought l would come and see
you"
You're as welcome as you can be,
my dear, and you look just like your
mother. which makes you even more
welcome.
s'But l must tell you why have my
hat on. I'm invited to luncheon with
a gentleman from your own town,
from Denver, who is n friend of Mr..
Worcoster's. My friend will be de-
lighted to have you come with me-"
Half an hour later Thaddeus Gay
lord took her pliable little hand in his.
Il call this kind of Mrs. Worcester"
said he. Il count myself compliment
ed! Mrs. Worcester, madam, you have
honored me-" He led the way to the
dining room, talking all the way, and
the ladies were seated where they
could overlook the lake. at table half
hidden in violets and pink roses.
Gaylord was of uncertain age. He
appeared to be man who would never
grow old. His dark red hair was wiry
and intractable. His eyes were blue
and full of -rankness. His mustache
was so voluminous, so long and SO
generally reckless in its appearance
Illttt II cCClliSI llhS lllC VI u
| mustache. His white hands had Ger.
tain protubcrances on them which in
dicated that he knew the shovel and
pick-but that's no shame to a miner
as he would have explained-and his
skin, naturally tender and sensitive,
bore marks of exposure. AS for his
| clothes, they We're quite impossible.
| But Miss Lowman did not know that,
and Mrs. Haddon Worcester did not
care. She was too correct herself to
be more than amused at incorrSctness.
| The luncheon was quite wonderful,
even for that hostelry, and the conver-
sation was so interesting that num=
Der of listeners made q feint of linger=
! ing over their dessert to hear as much
OF 1t as possible,
| After luncheon Gaylord called for the
best rig in the establishment. But no
sooner had he laid his eyes upon it
than his jocund spirit appeared to un-
dergo some transformation.
"That hearse," said he to the attend
ant, sis intended for me, is itY'
.Yes, sir. 1t is quite the most correct
| tHlHS we nave, Sir.
"air, Reynolds" said Gaylord to the
clerk, II asked you for rig to take
two ladies riding. l didn't ask you for
a hearse, sir. I'm not one Of the mourn
ers! No, nor the corpse, dashed If l
am! Get me wagon, sir-a road cart
something yellow"
A few minutes later Gaylord was
driving two bright chestnuts up the
Lake Shore drive before yellow road
cart, and every time the chestnuts lift
ed their dainty legs there was clank:
ing of brazen chains.
"Now this" said Gaylord, fairly un-
furling his splendid mustache to the
wind in the eXuberance of his enjoy.
ment, reminds me of Denver Now l
feel at homer
Mrs. Worcester, who was meeting
her friends, grew n trife pale. Her
western acquaintance vas even more
startling than she had apprehended.
But the grave little Miss Lowman was
glowing like n rose. AS the eXcitable
animals flew along the perfect boulo.
ward and all eyes were turned in their
direction she felt like Roman empress
in triumphal car and said TO herself
that she was really seeing life.
After that Gaylord called every day
at the Worcesters and saw the ladies',
Two punches of roses came daily to the
house now, and the roses for Miss Low.
man were invariably white, and some
times the flowers were not roSas ar ali