Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1901-08-01
1.-THE Meddling Of Nilhas,
by Rowland Grey.

by Rowland Grey.
1t was, of course, nothing to Michael
O'Ferrol that Ozzie Sopstocll was in
love With Morella Slater. Yet the utter
unfitness OF the affair initiated him,
and made him feel there would be joy
IN nipping it in the bud. Every woman
and most of the men at the kronberg
were acquainted with the self-evident
fact. and extracted the usua! enjoy
ment from its discussion. The hotel
cynic had said the humor of the situa
ton was "Gilbertia," and further de-
Scribed Morella as Il woman whom tn
know was to avoid, to avoid success1ul-
~ as fine art. The acknowledged
belle, Miss Cicily Adair, wondered why
that Mr. Sopstock could be such
goose, for if he was only a short UNI
dergraduate he dressed Well. and was
Ozzte's belongings merely laughed, for
they We're wise. and knew the foolish
ness of being too serious.
Morella Slater was strong minded
young person of 80, With straight hair
and reddish complexion, with which
much ice climbing In unspeaka BILE
boots had wrought havoc She Wore
brief petticoats and affected a deer
stalker cap with flaps. She was the
New Woman of carcature incarnate,
but was, however. in reality. of that
quite other type that is immense upon
plain living and high thinking
She was pleased to encourage her
young adorer and had been seen seated
In the woods with the boots we'll in evil
dence, explaining tough morsels OF
Browning to OZZie, in his best tlannels,
with u cummerbund of red silk.
Mike O'Ferrol was an engineer and a
climber of note, and tonight he was to
try a new route. He was also an Irish
man with Il persuasive tongue and an
engaging manner. He was not hand
some, but there We're women who ac-
knowledged that there was something
about him" probably because he was
an inyeterate tlirt. and did the thing
Very neatly and Well.
Miss Slater, tonight, had gone in for
the ultra feminine, in Il teagown of the
wrong shade of rra-cotta. 1T was
crumpled after a course of Newman
cocoa parties, and its effect was not
enhanced by the Inappropriate addition
of a plaid golf cape The hall was
crowded, and every one mobbed round
tho bureau as If English letters and
| newspapers mattered much more than
Il full moon over the mountains. The
chaplainS Wife was Immersed In Vanity
Fair, having CHANGED on n paragraph
limiting at the possible divorce of one
OF her acqnaintances. Professor Strum
huIriediy ran through n lengthy mis-
siNc from his professorln, puzzling over
the spider-lke crossing on thin paper
in purple ink. This conscientious house
wife boosted that che had had his lab
| oratory We'll cleaned out during his abb
\ sence and the unlucky scientist was
Well aware of the certain consequences.
If he dared take Il holidayalone the frau
was always amply avenged.
"Good-evening, Miss Slater cried
OFerrol as he cantered up. What
glorious weather. ann a hopeless ig-
noramus. but ] really believe there is
something unusual in the aspect of the
stars. DO you care for turn?
Morella put on her spectacles and
hitched up the tea gown with BRASS
colored patent suspender. Had the pa
tient Ozzie been al hand she would not
have deserted him. AS 1t was she had
| Il faint touch OF satisfaction in the dis
covcry that Mike OFerro was also
capable of appreciating female intel
lect So they went out, and she began
10 deliver a rather faulty lecture in Gle
mentary astronomy.
|. O'Ferrol listened with an absorbed as
pect that enhanced her. but in real
lty his thoughts were entirely absorbed
by the white magic of the moonlight
THAT was, in fact. the gist OF Pro-
fessor Tcllson's final lecture last term.
AS you see he proved the entire fail
lac of the old theories
Mike came back TO prose with Il rush
and certainty that he should commit
himself badly unless he We're very care
fu.. Professor Tellscn is a great man,
he asserted. with safe decision, though,
needless to say, he had never heard OF
him before. but for the benefit of out
siders like myself il is indeed, a priv
H..
ms yours. is that Venus shining so vely.
brightly III front of us? You will be able
to tell 1 knod.
Morcla gave the wrong name TO the
star in question with perfect assurance.
You will have II splendid night for
Your expedition, she said, after half
an hour spent in series of wonderful
astronomical blunders
O'Iferrol sighed sofely: Yes. fine
enough, but it Will be fearfully dun
alone with the guides. / confess i think
climbing slow work without a lady in
the party
You will have Mr.. sopstock?" said
the staid Morella.
Poor little Ozzie, nice, good -natured
little chap, bus with u head as empty
as a Chinese lantern. After such con-
vcTsation as we have had Ozzie's little
tales of the varsity and the girls he
met in the May Week will fan rather
fiat
The artful Mike contrived to fire
three shots that told in this last
speech. She did not relish the plain
sentiment that OZZie was a fool That
he was very young. and that there he'd
been other girls pleased her even less.
Morela had certainly reached years of
| discretion, but she knew much more of
| comic sections than of love making ex-
cept a la Rustin. so she merely gave
assent by her rather mortified silence
You are a really good climber, old
Sassbach assures rae, and he is no
fiatterer," pursued mike following ul
his advantage untruthfully. Now,
Why don't you take compassion upon
us and come. too?"
Really, Mr. O'Ferrol, you are very
kind. Morella was almost skittish In
an abortive effort after sort of cum
brous coquetry.
The kindness would be on your side,
Miss Morella; you would be able to
make me understand mountains as
have never understood them before.
You could give me some information
about the botany. geology, and all that
as we went along
The idea was too tempting, for Mo-
rella did, indeed. love to instruct. .
The prospect of harangulng so respect
ful an auditor was sweet.
snail have to change my things il
I decide to GO
Then au revoir; at 2 o'clock I must
go down to the village and find Fritz"
Morella had not quite meant to be so
prompt, but OFerro was already
hurry1ng over the gravel that
scrunched under his heavy nails.
Morella assumed her climbing dress
what there was of it. Then she took
a volume Of German philosophy and a
dictionary and began to read. But her
reading WAS deSIlltary and her a ttan-