Daily camera., 1901-05-17
The Mother Of MedOra
BY Kate N. Cleary.
ssVII ELL, wouldn't look so tragic
w about it if l were you!"
"0h ves Won wOuldi" sighed Me-
u
Copyright. 1901. by Author. syndicAtA.)

/ SNSS.
"You shouldn't have become en-.
gagged to him in the first place." as
serted Nell.
That's easy to say!" Medora
Verne exclaimed in some exaspern-
ton. slows body going to help
becoming engaged to fellow who
haunts you like your shadow, and
is the only presentable man within n
month of miles, and who makes the
other girls furious by giving you
alone his persistent and hatterins
at,entions?'
Nell Harmon's plain. pleasant face
looked back at her gravely.
But you weren't in love with him,
dear."
Mcdora gazed meditatively Mt the
| slim feet on the fender. Fairy feet
/ they were in their pretty boudoir
| slippers of blue silk and swansdown
IL didn't know anything about
being in love them" she confessed,
meekly.
"And-you do now?"
Medora nodded. her white brow
rutlling into pcrturbed little
| pucker.
"Who is he? Do I know him?"
| A series OF rapid little mods from
the girl in the blue kimona.
ut isn't Reuben Dever?"
81 should say mott" Indignantly.
Hes iifty!"
Tit can't be Gregory BowersT'
"Nell-that child" A disdainful
toss of the yellow braids. "He isn't
grown up yet"
Il can't think of anyone else un-
less it might be Dave Rogers"
/ Miss Verne raised heavenward n
pair of appealing eyes.
"May the Lord give you sense!'
/ she petitioned. "Dave Rogers! That
/ imbccile,'
Then there was no sound in Nell
I IIarmon's pretty room save the whis-
| permC OF the fire and the purr Of
/ the family cat sudden suspicion
caused Miss Harmon to sit upright
To fash ut her guest suddenly il
/ lumined glance.
/ 'Medora-it's never Maurice"
/ The face in the flooding freshine
/ kindled roSily. The lids dropped over
/ the blue-black eyes. The reply cams
in whisper.
"Yes-it's Maurice!" she uttered
| the rame tenderly.
"Wclll" gasped Nell Harmon. Her
great astonishment held her silent.
/ ''My-my brother. / never dreamt d
Does he know"
"Oh. u-s,upid-thing! How
/ should know-if he didn't, He had
to tell mc-hadn't he? That's bow
came TO find out | was in love-"
oh" brcathed Nell. and found no
I further word TO say. But the flood
gates of Miss Verne's confidence
were set wide.
And here Maurice adores me-hns
/ for five years, he says. but I'm sure
| it can't be tina, long. for / was only
/ in short dresses then. And" miscr-
ably. I'm die without, Maurice-I
+ know | shall! And here I'm engaged
/ to Thomas Eldcr-s fussy. finical.
tiresoma, old-young creature. He
won't let rue of. I've tried to make
| him hate me since found out that
/ Maurice was the only man in the
| world for me. But he won't, He
/ thinks I'm pcrfection-and will al
ways be perfection, and that mamma
will be perfection when he meets
/ her, She's to get back from Europe
on Saturday I've told him she must
/ live with US. T. tearfully. know
most men detest mothcr-in-laV-
and mamma wouldn't leave her own
/ house for any man alive - nor
/ even for me! He says" in despair
/ ing tone. "he-~he hopes so, I've told
/ him she has no money. Think Of
that, You know what mammals in
come is! He declares that doesn't
make a particle of difference. / said
\ she-she was-was bad-temperedl
Oh, Nell! Think OF my sweet mother
being bad-tempered! He vows that's
1 impossible-if she's my mother.
Rell-whatcver am to do?"
"WeH, of all the subimated Sap
phiras I've ewes met you've turned
| into the worst, Medora! If that's
/ the effect of love on you, l pity
Maurice. Thare-there. You little
silly. As IL wouldn't give-oh.
wha. wouldn't give TO have you for
a sister. Hark. Come in, Keturah.
keturah came ina tall. stout, red
grenadier and the stride of an
Amazon.
Are you ready, Miss Nell? Shall
] brush your hair now?"
mot for ten minutes, thank you,"
Nell answered, politely.
When the door had closed behind
Keturah the visitor drew the folds
of her japanese negligee around her
with fas tidious little shudder
- can't congratulate you on your
taste in choosing maid, Nell! That
old creature is hideous. And your
mother says she has volcanic tenn
per-"
''She is very faithful-very de-
voted to me. You see, rescued her
from unhappy conditions several
years ago, and trained her in my
service She is not charming to
look at, l confess-and her temper
only conquers her when the other
servants are disagreeable. But let
us talk of your love affair, dear"
Its your turn. Tell me-haven''
you ever been in love?"
II fancied so-once!" She spoke
in low tone. a burning flush suf'
fusing her checks. IL was jiltet
for younger-a prettier woman
''Nell-my dearest"
Miss Harmon rose, went to he1
desk, took from it letter which
she brought to her friend. "Yor
read this" she said.
A sharp exclamation Of surprise
broke from Medora at sight of the
chirography. She read teie letter
through. 1t was a brief note-ant
a brutal one. The writer had beer
mistaken. He had fancied his affec