Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-03-01

said, sulkily. You gave 1t to me, and
thought 1 might have a little one
back. OF course he is not likely to
think Of you. He Is a great deal too
wise to make such a-er-um-well,
you know what mean"
You are an exceedingly insolent
girl" was the mothers reply to this
polite apology, "and 1 terribly regret
crippling myself in this way in order
to give you a chance that you have
wasted"
Il never asked you to-"
eyes, you did. You were always say
ing that you never had a proper chance
like other girls, and what you would
do If you had. Well, now you have
had 1t, and what good has it been?"
In this dialogue of 81 never did" and
II wish 1 hadn't" there was no doubt
great deal of truth on both sides.
Lady Lester had been foolish; Alice
had been unsuccessful. Both had con-
Cured in this folly with their eyes
open, and success, after all, does not
depend solely on the desire and need
of the seeker. 1t would have been bet
ter If the ladies had accepted the in
evitable without recrimination, but
they had both been ground to such a
sharp edge by the continual stress of
poverty that the slightest contact was
liable to wound. Doomed as they were
by nature to fill the greater part of
+ W. toll vryh !
well or i'll, it was inevitable that. their
conversation should recur again and
again with increasing sharpness to the
topic which they had most at heart
equally whether 1t were well or i'll.
There was a ball that night, and the
Testers went. Lady Lester was queer,
distrait, sharp, but distinctly looking
her best. Alice was thoroughly down"
and conscious that she was by no
means in her most attractive form. Nor
did any special success attend her en-
trance to raise her spirits. Pretty.
penniless girls with sharp tongues are
mere drug in the London bathrooms.
George Anderson was, of course, faith
full, and she danced several dances with
him. at Is better than sitting out all
the evening"" she said defiantly when
Lady Lester demonstrated.
Lord Wimberley took her from
George for his usual one dance.
"That seems nice young man." he
said in his kind, friendly, unlover-like
way. "Not well off, is he? 1t is a
pity he hasn't some clever woman to
push him along"
why, what could a woman doY de-
manded Alice, surprised and interest
ed.
"Oh, lots of things. Women can
push and ask when men can't. They
are sure to be treated politely even
when they are refused, and very often
they get what they want simply be-
cause it is difficult to refuse a woman.
Besides, they can stick to the subject.
Don't you remember that the unjust
judge gave way to the importunate
widow solely to get rid of her, where
as he would have ordered a man to
be thrown out. Well, now, what Mr..
Anderson wants is that woman
should find out some comfortable berth
vacant and never rest until she has
pushed him into it."
"But how does a woman begin ?"
said Alice, with deepening interest. for
there was something fascinating in the
picture which Wimberley drew so
lightly.
"Oh, she talks to people and finds
out. Now it happens, oddly enough,
that 1 know Of post worth seven
hundred year, which is practically in
my gift, and which any gentleman who
was also a man of the world and dis
posed to stick to his work could fill"
"Why don't you give it to Mr.. An
dersonY.
"Well, you see, don't know him, and
am not general philanthropist. II
a friend Of mine, whom I wished to
oblige, were to ask me-but none has.
Apropos, want you to do me favor"
Alice's heart beat at this abrupt an
nouncement. Was it possible that he
could mean to propose after this extra
ordinary beginning? If SO, would she
be glad? Would she be
He made his request in plain.
language, and she gaz-
ed at him at first mystified, then a prev
to mixed emotion, anon aware of
rose-colored future before her. Her
fact wreathed in smiles as she gave her
consent.
well, now, is there anything that
you want from me, little grip
Whereupon Alice, smiling and blush
ing, told him what she wanted most.
In the following afternoon Lord
Wimberley called on the Testers and
found them at home. Soon after his
arrival Alice left the room on some ex-
cuse. Then she put on her hat and
went out for the afternoon, telling the
servant to say Not at home" to any
callers.
When she returned she found her
mother sitting in the drawing room,
musing profoundly. AS Lady Lester's
hour for dressing was past-and her
toilet was long and important func-
tion-Alice felt that something had
happened. She was q trifie anxious,
but she did not dare question her moth
er
The latter opened the ball.
Don't you think, Alice, it was rath-
er rude of you to 60 away when Lord
Wimberley was hereY"
mo-" replied Alice, boldly. HE ask
ed me to. 1t was arranged last night
that should"
Mother and daughter looked fxedly