Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1901-04-04

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! ly care to go with us, even If were
willing that you should"
"'Us!' | fairly shouted, almost be
side myself with rage and mortifica-
ton. Us Phyllis, Go to church
with you and the wretch who has
stolen your affection from me-bought
them with his beastly gold? Well, |
think not You must be crazy to
think OF such a thing I'd go to the
! hangman.-the gallows--with him
with pleasure, but to church with the
two of you? Why don't you invite me
to be best man and have done with
! it,"
IT'S rather early in the day for
such talk as that" said Phyllis, as
demurely as if could not see the
twinkle in her eyes despite the cur
tanning lashes which she wisely let
down. And you know | told you |
didn't think you'd want to go with
us. You seem to hate him. And
yet" meditatively, hes one of the
dearest, sweetest, most lOvable boys |
ever knew"
This was too much. | strobe across
the room again and seized Phyllis by
the arms.
Phyllis" I said in a tone which I'm
sure must have scared her--it scared
me- it was so ferocious and unpleas,
ant-"Phyllis, | don't want to commit
either murder or suicide, but If you
don't tell me who that man is some
thing dreadful will happen, | feel
sure Who is the man for whose SAKE
YOU have thrown me over?"
His name answered Phyllis
shyly, and all bushes and pretty
tremors, his name is Tom"
tom what" | shouted again, and
Phyllis dropped her voice to a tan
talizing whisper which | had to bend
low to hear,
Tom Percival," she said sweetly,
and | dropped weakly into a chair OPP
pOsite her, my knees fairly shaking,
and all but dumb with Amusement.
Phyllis lay back against the sofa
pillows and laughed until the tears
ran down her face. After a few mo
mcnts-her laughter is always ire
sistible-I joined her and we laughed
until we were nearly exhausted.
When it was possible to speak plainly
| attempted to take Phyllis to task
for her deception.
Little girl, | began sternly, and
If / wasn't able to maintain this tone
the fault lay rather with Phyllis
sweetness than with my force of win
or resolution, do you mean to tell me
that it's your little brother Tommie
whom we've been having all this
trouble about?"
Phyllis laughed again, and then
stopped laughing to look penitent.
1T u.s." she nodded, with great I'M
prcssiVeness, "and | didn't mean to
tease you in the first place, Arthur. |
just meant to tell you you couldn't
go to church with me tomorrow. J
| knew you wouldn't care to go with q
| little 3-yearold boy for company, and
| really couldn't get out of taking him
| The child has been i'll lately, you see,
times that he should go to church
Easter Sunday-he just loves to go to
churchill he'd only be good and not
fret to go outside until he was well
enough. Today mother sprained her
ankle badly and won't be able to get
out for a week or two, and father
wants to stay home with her. So she
asked me If | wouldn't help her keep
her promise to Tommie and take him
to church in the morning, and | said
| would. SO you and ! will go to
church together in the evening, if you
care to and will promise to be a
better boy in the future; and If youll
forgive me for teasing you this time
| really couldn't resist the tempta-
ton, YOU were SO fierce and solemn
I'll promise never, never to tease You
again-until the next time"
The unprejudiced observer, who
wasn't in the room but might have
been, would have found it difficult TO
discover Phyllis the next few seconds
My arms went around her with such
suddenness and feryor she must have
disappeared from sight. And | know
| felt a soft kiss on my forehead as
she came into sight again
80 you'd just as soon go to church
with me in the evening as in the
morning, would you?" she asked me
by and by as | was putting on my
overcoat in the hall. (This was after
| had suggested she ought to retire
soon and she had begun to grow
anxious concerning the danger of the
charming new bonnet proving I'M
becoming to a tired complexion.)
But | knew what it was she desired
me to say, and hope | rose to the
, occasion nobly At all events en-