The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-09-13
nhe necded rroomlng ln modern matrI.

Hhe needed grooming in modern matrt moulal Ideas.
 But Mrs. Taylor showed hopeless lack of Interest in her niece's matrlmo- nml prospects and no dlsapproyal whatever og what the porch brigade termed her scandalous Girtatlons,
 It happened on the heels Of nasty hot spell. when even the Springs yield. cd Co the Influence of the torrid wave. Just beyond the fence which rose close to the rear of the hotel were some small cottages. occupied by the people who found work among the hostelrles of the resort. For two days and a night the iuccssant wall of child had travelled across the high fence and on this day directly after luncheon Elsie. with her cotcric Of admirers, sat on the rear porch. testing and laughing.
 Suddenly the girl rose to her feet and said impatiently:
 "I wish the mother Of that child Lould be forced to do something for it That crying nearly sets mc crazy. The proprietor Of the house ought to look Into the matter"
 As she disappeared in the direction of the office the men looked at each other. shrugged their shoulders and smiled. "Yes. decidedly Elsie Taylor was Jolly company. but
 "Heartlcss cat" murmured a pale blond with appealing eyes. Then tho group scattered for the afternoon sies- Ca.
 Later in the afternoon one of the men, seeking a shady corner on the upper porch, stepped nolsily through his window. A hand was raised in si- lent warning. It was the hand of Tom Lyons, crouchcd against the vines and gazing across the fence down into the labOrer's cottage. The other man tip tocd to his side and caught his breath.
 Then he tiptocd back and hurried down the hall to the billiard room. Tho game was stopped. and half a dozen other men joined the tiptoeing army and gazcd through the vines.
 What did they see? Just tall, slen- der girl in a long. lace trimmed white wrapper sitting In the corner of the porch of that little house. On her knees lay a baby, the one that had been crying. and beside her was a bowl filled with water She bathed the tortured little body and showered lt with healing powder. Then she took brush and comb and made tiny gleaming curls an over the small head, while the baby's big eyes studied her softencd face. And an the while she talked checrily to the mother. lying m just inside the door. Then when the baby's toilet was completed and he had been fed she rocked him to sleep, singing not the Jolly college songs and ractlmc melodies which the listening men had heard from her lips before, but sweet. old fashioned songs.
 Tho feet of thc men on that overhang- Ing balcony grew numb as they stood brcathlcss. afraid to break the spell Their cigars. an uuuoticed, went out, and when she lald the bHby fin its era de and slipped through the small gate in the fence the men straightened up, looked oddly at each other and shook hands. But they did not speak.
 There was a hop that night, and for the first time in the season Elsie Tay- Tor was gowned an in whitc-clinging, creamy crepe de chine And the men who had hung over the vine clad bal cony that aftcrnoon-oll but one asked for a private chat with her dur ing the course Of the evening. The answer in every case was "No."
 The one who did not Join the army Of su2pliants was Tom Lyons. It hap pened that he had forestalled his rivals by taking Elsie for a walk directly after dinner. and his answer had not been "No."
 The engagement created a tremen- dous sensation. The women who knew nothing of the hidden witnesses on tho upper porch marvclcd greatly and said that Tom Lyons would never be happy with the wearer of crimson gowns and French hosiery But, then, men are even moro Inconsistent than women, which Is saying great deal.