River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1903-11-26

answer this question, month later,
when he was back in New York, chatting
with his sister, who had missed and
mourned him-rather she was chatting
to him-at the late breakfast hour.
He nodded acquiescence.
well, yesterday, / met Susie Craw-
ford's friend Miss Darlington-and she
and her sister, Mrs. Keppler, were at the
Cavendish for two months. Perhaps
they were there when you werv?"
81 left on the seventh of March TO"
Los Angeles" Austen said, after long
pause.
Then they were! Oh, I'm sure you
must have noticed her. They are both
lovely brunettes, two sisters, but Mar
guerite is slender, with such wonderful
coloring, and such a dear, winsome
face"
Like a dark red rose, just newly
budded, and not very anxious to be
looked at-seemingly?"
eyes, indeed-just!"
''Well-I noticed her."
ANY one would! Oh, like her i'm
mensely. 1t just happened that we had
long talk by ourselves, and she told
me one such funny experience they had
at the Cavendish; your speaking of the
hotel brought it to mind. 1t was really
her experience, and it did not strike her
as being SO very amusing, but thought
it exceedingly amusing"
"YCu often find things exceedingly
amusing"
ooh, but this was! You'll say so, too.
1t seems lady, an old friend of hers
they had been estranged some little time
through misunderstanding to
the Cavendish, not knowing they were
there, but Mrs. Keprler had seen her ar
rival, and glanced at the register to find
the number of the room assigned to her
-139. Meeting in this way, in strange
city, and far from home, the sisters felt
they ought to make some little overture
of friendliness, SO they talked the MAJ
ter over. Miss Darlington did not feel
exactly free to call, informally, and well
come her friend, but toward evening she
concluded, as they would probably meet
later in the dining-room, to take her
card down with q rose"
WHAT" Austen sat back and looked
fixedly at his sister. "Why?-why-
Millicent! Oh, go on-do-do!"
"Austen!" She returned his look,
with mirthful eyes. well, wonder?
Could it be possible?"
'Millie, let me hear the rest Yes!
Anything is possible in this ridiculous
world! Go on"
"Well-Marguerite took the rose; but
meantime, Austen-and this is the funny
part-there was a nice, melancholy
young man staying at the hotel, who
looked like a docto', and who seemed
to be, Marguerite saba foreigner-he
was fair, with a fair beard
Exactly" said Austen.
Both the sisters had noticed him, be-
cause he seemed SO solitary and-sad.
Marguerite, l would say, had especially
borne him in mind However, she took
the rose and the card downstairs, and
explored until she found 139, and tied
them to the doorknob, and was not
caught in the act, and came up, tri-
umphant. Now, when tkey were ready
to go down to dinner, and opened the
door into the hall, what do you suppose,
Austen?'
"Oh, don't ask me, Millicent"
"Why, there was the rose she had
tied on her friends doorhandle tied on
her own, the card with it. There it
hung! You can just picture how they
felt
Eyes, oh, yes-I can picture it,
"Ah, but wait! They were dreadfully
wounded, and did not go down to dinner
at all, and when the waiter brought them
up something to eat they learned that
there had been mistake about the num-
Der of the room--that the new arrival
was in 1877, and he also told them that the
occupant of 139 was a gentleman from
New York, tall man with a light
beard, who sat near them in the dining
room, and, of course, he was che nice
man they had noticed and likedl He had
found the rose at his door and carried it
back to theirs. What thing to do!"
ct was wrong, l suppose, but had
seen her tying it on the door--nsy door
the poor child"
lou were tue nice, melancholy man
Of course, you were! Oh, this is fine,
Austen, and so funny! Now you can't
say it isn't funny! Of course, the ladies
encountered their friend later, and all
was explained in that direction, but poor
Marguerite was overwhelmed with
shame. Why in the world did you take
the rose back to her door, if you thought
it was meant for your"
Because l concluded a girl like that
needed a lesson, Millicent"
''Oh-h-h, but, if she were a girl like
that, she would not take a lesson, so
where was the use? Never mind! She
is coming to us to dinner on Tuesday.
You must be here-remember, now!
Tuesday"
"I'Il be here, Millicent, and there will
also be some dark red roses; when |
used to meet her in the hotel corridors
called her "a dark red rosei'
Millicent, feel as if l ought to meet her
on my knees.
"That may be in order, later" said
Brooklyn Life.