The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-11-08
PHILOPENA WOOlNG, OR
MISS HARLOWE'S LOVE
STORY.

STORY.
John Armstrong took Miss Harlowe
out to dinner, and neither the dinner
nor the diners received any of his at
tention, for it was entirely occupied
by Miss Harlowe.
He could not have told what was
the first course, nor what was the last,
nor what had been said by the lion of
the evening, Lieut.. Barnum of Cuban
fame but he knew at just what droop
Miss Harlowc's curling lashes looked
prettiest, he knew every detail of her
gown, he knew just how her own hair
turned to gold where the rays Of the
electric globes fell upon it.
Miss Harlowe held out a twin nut
in her pretty palm. "Will you eat
philopena with me, Mr.. Armstrong p"
she said.
1t was marvellous what a softening
effect those lashes had on her brilliant
eyes, one felt the difference when she
looked straight at one and when she
looked up from under their silken
fringe. Some people said she had
hard eyes. Armstrong did not think
so. He bent over the small hand and
took up the nut as if it were jewel.
II will do anything that you ask
me to do," he said. "But what hap
pens when one eats a philopena?"
"Oh, you cannot accept anything
from me and cannot accept anything
from you. If one of US does and the
other cries 'philopenor the unfortu-
nate is obliged to give pawn"
"Those are very hard conditions, al
though fair" said Armstrong.
Eat it'll" Miss Harlowe command
ed, imperiously. Then she looked
down at her plate. "There is always
a way to get around the hardest con.
ditions,' she said, softly.
"Phillipa carried on as usual this
evening"" remarked the hostess to her
husband when the last guest had gone"
II declare, that girl is simply deadful.
She is the dearest, prettiest thing, but
she seems to think that all men were
reated solely for her amusement.
Mrs. West had tender heart, and
all the evening she had carried with
her the recollection of the pathetic
gratitude in John Armstrong; eyes
when she told him that he was assign
ed to Miss Harlowe. She gave an un-
offending yellow soft pillow vicious
dig, which might have led one to sup
pose that for moment she had trans
formed it into Miss Harlowe's golden
head. Then she gave her husband a
hug and kiss as if to atone to all men
for the cruelty of all women.
"My DEAR" said be, "John Arm.
strong is able to take care of himself"
But Mrs. West knew he wasn't.
Phillipa was sleeping the sleep of
the just. Probably it was the sleep
lessness of the unjust that John Arm
strong was experiencing.
He had been warned. Other moths
who had futtered about the flame ex-
hibited their singed wings. or expa-
tiated on the altogether wingless con-
dition of still more unfortunate victims.
But where is the moth that was ever
saved by good advice?
"She is beautiful, and she has a
heart to match her face" replied Arm
strong. "You fellews have never been
able to reach it, that's all. She isn't
a woman to be lightly won, and like
her for it,"
Lightly won! Good heavens
That's just it. she doesn't want to be
won; she only wants to be wooed.
John, my boy I admire your delicious
selfconceit and your stubbornness, but
l tell you she is just playing with
YOU"
81 do not care to discuss Miss Har-
lowe any further" said Armstrong
coldly. And Travers knew that he
had said as much as he dared.
Phillipa sat in her drawing room,
waiting for John Armstrong. She
was smiling to herself as she remem-
bered that she had told three men that
she would not be at home to night.
He comes out OF his shell when
there is no one else here" she said to
herself. "What a great, noble head
he had? And what will Twill tell
him about the other men,"
He came directly and she welcomed
him very sweetly; but as she looked
in his face she saw a certain firmness
about the lips and steady light of
purpose burning in his eyes, and she
shivered little Like Tlavers, she
knew that she had gone as far as she
dared.
She became desperately gay, but
Armstrong was in no mood for rail-
lery. He sat silent and watched the
play of the light on her hair, the deli
cate rose color that burned in her
cheeks, the quick dropping and curv-
ing of her lips.
Then he leaned suddenly over her.
He was tremendously in earnest, his
straightforward nature could brook no
preamble. She certainly understood
him by this time. |