The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-04-17
Cousin Fanny's
Blundering

ter, returning my ring, l went to see
any Cousin Fanny. At that time l
thought Fanny clever in matters re-
.quiring tact. will tell you how dis
covered that she had no head at all
for such delicate affairs.
WELL" she said, after l had eX-
planned, what do you propose to do?"
told her l desired her assistance,
reminding her that she had frequently
promised to give me the benefit of her
feminine intuition, should | ever need
counsel on matters pertaining to the
heart. This, l limited was an affair
which needed all a woman's skill of
handling.
Did she send your ring back?" asked
Fanny.
l took it from my vest pocket in an
swer, and placed it upon the table.
She took it up, and blushed-no doubt
at the sighting way in which Marion
had treated me.
"She is very proud" | said, detected
1y. ''You know, Fan. what a splendid
creature she is, and how the men all
adore her"
Fanny bent down to examine the
ring, not before had caught glimpse
of her face, and l saw that she didn't
quite like Marion being praised.
"She's fair iceberg!" l sighed. "I'm
afraid, Fan, she'll want a lot of melt
ing"
LET me see her letter, stupid" said
Fan, sharply.
The privilege of cousins is historical.
l handed her the letter.
''You see l said, sitting on the sofa
beside her, 'she is bitterly angry about
that night at the Drummonds' ball"
YES" said Fanny, softly.
"And what about those-those many
dances I had with you, FAM"
Dear Marion is very nice" she said,
with generous candor; but she can be
almost maliciously jealous"
Jealous women" l said, make"
you are right" interrupted Fan;
s'they make very bad wives. You have
very deep intuition, Jack, in such
things"
She bent down so quickly to pat her
btdNilN 4itblC 0l'ublNl biiol ihiiNH ~
get a glimpse of her face that time. l
believe she knows about my gift.
81 think" said "she should not have
acted in such "a
''Contemptuous? suggested Fanny.
%'Well, yes, in such contemptuous
way. We are cousins, and there was no
harm"
"Of course" she said, airily, ''you will
explain to her that you offered me
those dances?"
did not remember offering them.
because" she resumed, though
Marion is by no means bad sort of
girl, she is at times disposed to say
yenomous things"
] promised to explain.
sit was really very jolly" said Fan,
retrospectively
'And," said, you looked so charm
ing, Fan.
That's just Bobby Griffin's word.
BY the way, he promised to send me
ticket for the opera"
Griffin is a poverty-stricken artist
chap, who always pretends to be con-
foundedly jolly, and affects artistic
tastes. He worms his way into peoples
society till they like him. I hate cads.
Fan" l said, severely, IF you in
tend TO treat my trouble with levity
shall go!"
''You dear boy!" she cried, looking
me in the face-and l could read re-
pentance in hers then, and no mistake
-''as if I could treat such matter
'with-with contempt"
Imelted, assuring her that did not
think she could.
81 have known you too long, Jack, to
think you would put up with contempt
from anyone"
eve have known each other long," I
unused.
1--WE went to school together, Jack"
i confessed to it.
"Do you recollect," she said, finger
ing a button on my coat, that day
when l sprained my ankle, and you car
ried me home?"
Ihad a vague recollection. Just then
Inoticed that we were sitting absurdly
far apart.
81 think" I said, shat we vowed to
love each other"
"As brother and sister, Jack"
"And in this awkward estrange-
ment," I said, referring to mine and
Marion's, what would you advise me
to do?"
''You must answer her letter." she
said, in frigid tones.
''How?" l inquired.
"The idea! Do you think I would
consent to word your letter? Any but
q stupid man would know that he had
only to say he regretted he had been
He'd away for the moment!"
Exactly" l said.
"And that he trusted that she would
mot take so seriously such a trifing
breach in his allegiance to herself"
"Of course" said. l was beginning
to lose faith in my Cousin Fan; she left
a fellow to do the thing pretty much
on his lonesome.
Fan took up the ring, toying with it.
"'Very we'll" she said, thoughtfully;
$50 that's settled, Jack. Of course
she resumed, still toying with the ring,
which she had absently slipped on her