The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-13

' "Vutu ouly make some advance, Fan ! would respond. Young people are sc
 naughty these days. They never are willing to take the first step. Yes, Will. I'm coming now! Goodbye, child. have good time"
 As I belong to the great army of work wonen. my paths don't lead me | to dances and festivities so my knowl- edge of the events of that evening. | gleaned from broken sentences over the phone. next day.
 Fanny Leary rang her sister up again by breakfast time, and I fancy she sounded a trine hurried and con- strained: Thank you ever so much for the cloak. Ella. Yes. l had a very nice time. What? Oh! Flowers? No.
 my dear. It was the oldest thing. None ever came. Alec came late him. self and bundled me into the carriage without ceremony. The german had begun when we got there. so there was no chance to look around even. What? No, he didn't say anything one way or the other. Most of the girls had flowers but not all. Yes, little queer, as he always did it before. Thank you again, Goodbye"
 Now for explanations. thought. and. sure enough. presently MT. An drews called up the florist and asked in no gentle tone if he had sent the roses to Miss Leary, as ordered. Old Mr. Mays himself bewiidered,
 had to send for the assistant. and final
 ly 1t all came out-the flowers had gone to Miss Cary. as I had known all along. MT. Andrews indulged in a pretty expressive exclamation of displeasure. and advised Mir. Mays to change clerks. but the mischief was done.
 By and by Frances Cary's mother called for Mrs. Johnson, to ask for some recipe, and I held my breath to hear what followed the business talk. Frances isn't going out. I believe. Mrs. Cary. So she wasn't at the dance last night?''
 No; she stayed at home: but she had rather pretty surprise in big bunch of lovely roses which came in the afternoon"
 'Oh. indeed"-a pause, while I fancied Mrs. Johnson gathering herself up for a question. T suppose 1t would be indiscreet to ask who sent them?" she laughed.
 Yes. rather" answered Mrs. Cary. "A very unexpected source: but I won't tell on her Two spoons of butter and one of oil, did you say?"
 of course, it wasn't long before Mrs. Johnson wanted to speak to her sister Fanny. and in the interval she had quite settled in her mind that the roses had gone astray. In fact, she hit the truth almost exactly.
 Now. Fanny Leary is nice girl, but I suppose 1t isn't in girl nature to sit still and see another girl come do a very unwarrantable thing. When Tnhnsnfa 6nishnd har was hanging up her receiver. I spoke to Miss Leary myself.
 T beg you pardon" I said-vand l confess felt rather shaky-"but. Miss Leary. l unavoidably heard your sis ter and yourslef, just now. and I feel as if I must put in a word, though it's none of my business" She started to answer, but l did not give her time. II heard MT. Andrews order those roses. and they were for you; but Mr. Mays's man misunderstood, and they have gone to Miss Cary by mistake. But, Miss Leary, don't you think 1t may smooth matters over between those two-and-I know am imperti- not, but I am so anxious for Miss Cary not to know."
 I gasped d little at my own boldnesS, but Fanny Leary laughed good -natur-
  Duncan, she shan't learn 1t from mel"
 As l am neither messenger boy nor mail carrier, can't say what Frances Cary wrote in her note of acknowl- sdgment to Andrews. My part of the story ends with a telephone call. two days later, and it seemed to me that ring had a peculiar vibration. but that may be too fanciful a notion for a se- date public official, like myself.
 "Give me Miss Cary. please. Oh! Good morning, Mics Frances Thank you so much for your note-ah!-what did you say? Not at ali; not aS all; II was worth whole garden of roses! And may I come to see you this even ing, and apologize for past sins, and be taken back into"--
 But here she interrupted him saily:
 of course. you may. This-this--oh, well. this would never have happened IT that telephone girl hadn't cut us on so quick one day several weeks ago when l was about to explain that Der. maps l was too quick fla saving what | did. Yes; these "Centrals'' are un- feeling creatures. Goodbye, then. un- til tonight" oy GeSfrude Potten Daniels