Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-04-09

1--WE looked at Million" said Flo
recklessly. "All the same, the hand Of
Providence will lead Mrs. Bixby to
look at another million If she finds out
where you live"
"She's awfully hard on fellow, and
l don't know why"
"That's your conceit." said Flo heart
lessly. "Tenme about the people you
live with"
"Oh, don't live with people. Three
other fellows and who had got tired
of being bulliragged by boarding
house keepers concluded to take fiat
and mess together"
81 can well imagine the mess" said
Flo, elevating her nose scornfully.
"Oh, come. now. that is the technical
term for a lot of fellows who throw In
for the benefit of the crowd, and some
times they have jolly good time"
81 don't see why they should ever
want to change their way Of living"
"Bixby? Coal?"
"At last. Please 60 away, Mr..
Wheelock. This makes me feel just
like kitchenmaid talking with hall
boy"
81 call 1t jolly. May I come to see
you by way Of the front door?
She flung him vigorous mo" and
then gave her undivided attention to
unloading the dumb waiter, which had
reached its destination and come to
halt.
Wheelock drew his head in with a
chuckle, closed the door on his side OF
the shaft and left Flo to proceed with
her preparations for breakfast in per-
turbed frame Of mind. Her pretty face
was all aglow. Why should she not
have been polite to Neddie? They
loved each other dearly and were as
good as engaged. Papa liked him, and
Ned was gentleman. Her mothers
unreasoning prejudice must yield IN
the course Of time.
During this colloquy she was flying
around getting the belated breakfast
ready. Such dainty affair as 1t was
when served with the sauce piquante
of filial remorse and pleasurable recol-
lections of Neddie She summoned the
family with q proud smile and hustled
about attending to her fathers wants
with a tenderness not untinged with
remorse. Papa was SO good and trust
ed her so utterly.
"If she is going to treat US this way,
mother" said Mr.. Bixby. with a satis-
fed glow suffusing his benevolent face
as he pushed back his chair, I'VE
shan't want to take in help at all"
ut has given her quite a COLOR" said
Mrs. Bixby, land don't know when l
have seen her eyes shine as they do
this morning. 1t gives me some conf
dence in those newfangled cooking
schools"
81 like It," said Flo, half burying her
rosy face in the sugar bowl, and as
long as you and papa are satisfied with
my cooking we won't talk about a
hired girl"
But all that day she went about with
guilty sense that was-both new and
very oppressive. Ought she to reveal
Ned's near proximity or not? Was she
| not forfeiting all claim to everybody's
respect, her own inclusive? And what
would be the final outcome Of 1t all!
These and like troublesome moral prob
lens troubled her afresh after every
stolen interview with the irrepressible
young man on The other side OF the
shaft. which 1t seemed so impossible to
avoid. Before that accidental discov-
cry of her lover her soul had been ab-
solutely void of otfense toward her
mother. But now! Into one of these
somber tinted reveries upon her own
lapse from openness Johnnie's shrill
voice precipItated itself one evening
when the family was gathered around
the parlor lamp:
ma, ! saw Neddie Wheelock down
In Union square this morning, / did
that. He looked fine. he did"
1t was after dinner. Mr.. Bixby was
reading his evening paper. Mrs. Blk.
by was darning one Of the perennial
chasms in Johnnie's stocking heel. Flo
was embroidering impossible daisies
on a tea tray cover. The dinner had
seen without reproach, and an air OF
serenity pervaded the family visage'
Johnnie's announcement caused ces'
satiOn of activities.
"Well," said Mrs. Bixby, with an ac'
rid note in her voice.
Young Bixby inflated his right cheek
with the point Of his curled up tongue
and leered maliciously at Flo's bowed
! head:
81 say, ma, you needn't to bother
about him no more. Ned WheeiocH