The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1903-09-25
THE INADVERTENCE
OF MISS PERKINS.
BV WARREN CLARKE.


that something was Miss Marguerit;
Daisy De Jones, OF New York"
| Miss Clemans exclaimed, "Well,
neverw and Miss Perkins groancd.
ITO think" finally said the elder
lady, that Harry Martin has no NOR,
sense than that! What the young mcr
OF this day and generation are coming
TO I'm sure ! can't tell. Here that
bold-faced creature with her blonde
hair"
ITS bloDdined, know" put In Miss
Clemans.
And her pink cheeks" continued
Miss Perkins, comes 10 town with
nobody TO introduce her but the hotel
keeper, and sets half the men in town
crazy, and they do say that some OF
her worshipcrs are not single men
either" and Miss Perkins set down
the sprinkliDg can no hard that the
noise attracted the attention OF people
in the street. ut does beat all; Harry
Martin was such a nice fellow, too"
said Miss Perkins; and then suddenly
she asked, when did II happenT
"Ob, It's been going on for long
time, guess" said Miss Elwell, finger
ing some flowers on the counter, but
the break came night before last. Ma
bel's brother Dick told my brother Tom
yesterday, and Toms been coaxiDg me
TO lend him my wheel, 80 he came
straight home last night and told me.
IL was raining too bad for me TO get
out then. 80 ! had to keep il to myself
all night I guess from what Dick
said they must have had an awful
time. IL seems that Miss Marguerite
Daisy De Jones is going 90 give a sup
per at the hotel tonight 10 n lot Of
young fellows, and Mabel heard that
Harry was going, and or course TINT
made trouble. They just had IL In the
parlor and she gave him back his ring
and he left in great huff Dick says
that Harry never intended going at
all. that he wasn't even invited. but
when Mabel began TO suspect him he
got angry and said he'd go If he want.
cd To. Isn't IL awfulT'
"Wcll. I don't believe hc was going"
said Miss Perkins, land somebody
ought TO patch II up between them"
IL don't think anybody will" replied
Miss Elwell; they're both as proud
as Lucifer and az stubborn as-I don't
know what. Tom says he bets Harry
goes away, and | suspect he will
Well, ] feel sorry for them. but ! don't
know what we're going 10 do about
IL, Say, Miss Perkins. what Is that
plant over In the corner? ! never saw
anything like II before"
Miss Perkins told her the name OF
the plant, and then commercial trav-
cler, who wanted to sell Miss Perkins
some glass That she didn't need for her
greenhouse came in, and while Miss
Perkins was explaining why she didn't
want and couldn't use n thousand
panes of glass, even If IL was the
clcarcst ever east, the young ladies
slipped away.
All morning Miss Perkins, who usual
ly did not give much heed to the gossip
that went on in her little room, thought
OF the lovers quarrel she had heard
were general favorites i'm town. and
their marriage had been deemed an
cminently suitable one; ii was shame,
thought Miss Perkins. that n frivolous
stranger with yellow hair should have
the power of working SO much mis-
chief
IL do hope" said Miss Perkins 10
herself, Ihat those girls won't chatter
about IL all over town. ought 80
have warned them about talking too
much-not that it would have done
any good, but il might have eased my
conscience Il little"
As she spoke carriage drove up TO
the door. and Harry Martin sprang
10 the pavement and came in.
Good morning. Miss Perkins" he
said in his brisk, whole souled manner.
Some roses this morning? All. those
are beauties: how many have you?
Three dozen. only? Wen, | want them
all. Here's my card. which you will
drop i'm the box. and send them to"
And he wrote an address on tag
lying on the counter.
"This address. I've left mother In
the carriage and she's afraid of the
horse. so I'll hurry out. Good morn
ing. Miss Perkins"
And Mr.. Martin was ont and away
before Miss Perkins had hardly recov.
cred her breath.
She looked at the address lie had
left.
Miss De Jones. Liberty House,
City"
And then Miss Perkins lost her TEN
per.
why. the impudent puppy" she
cried. IF he THINKS I'm going 10 send
those flowers To that-creature. he's
mistaken! He's crazy. he is. won
der IL his mother knows"
And then out of pure vexation she
sat down in n back room and had Il
good cry.
A few moments later she came out
and calmly put the roses in n box,
dropped Mr.. Martins card among them.
tore into little bits the tag he had
addressed, and with firm hand wrote
new one. which she placed in the
box: then put il with half dozen
smaller packages. which Nero. the fac
totum OF her establishment. would dc.
liver. Then Miss Perkins regained her
habitual smile and gentle sclf-posses.
sion. and went about humming little
snatches Of happy songs and seemed
as one conscious OF having done a
good deed.