The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1904-01-15

len as If they had been stung BY 4
whole hive of bees, and Janet was
scared half to death when she saw
what she had done. But was mad.
just hopping mad; up to this time I
hadn't lost my temper at all, but /
was afraid the swelling might dis
figure my mouth permanently, and /
have always taken q humble little
pride in my mouth; it is the only fea-
ture I have like the Halls, and l value
1t as sort Of hallmark. Isnatched
up the first ,thing-I could reach, which
/ happened to be, my carved ivory mir
ror that came from Japan, and threw
at her, and she turned around and
laughed; then threw Nette's curling
iron, and that, of course, missed her
and smashed the glass; ,,u...
As Kitty babbled on, felt my hair
slowly turning gray at the revelations
her condolences made; old stager that
I was, still chung to my belief in the
genuineness Of the visions of lowell
ness saw about me, but with every
confession another delusion had to 20.
suggested the home-stretch, and,
whistling up the caddie, started back,
sadder and wiser.
"Nette said," resumed the indefati-
gable Kitty, "'you would better go to
bed now for safe-keeping; there is no
knowing what else might happen to
you, and in the morning we will tell
you all about the dance and the COL
onel.' But .said:. No, stree, I'm 60
ing to this hop now, if it's the last act
of my life. I shall sit in the shadow
with your mother and look on for
knew that if should try to dance
something would paralyze me so l
wouldn't be able to move a muscle. l
had made up my mind that wouldn't
dance-you see didn't know how the
pink and blue combination would suit
the San Jose taste-but didn't pro-
pose to stay upstairs all evening by
myself. 1t was lovely night. There
were lots of people we knew there,
the music was fine, and the floor not
too crowded. The colonel doomed up
early in the evening, and asked Nette
for a dance the first thing. I watched
them sailing around the room, and
knew Nette had been thinking up
topics alt day. She is one of the few
people who can talk and dance, too.
I could imagine just how entertain
ing she. must be, for she talked every
minute of the time. Things went on
that way half the evening, and if my
lips hadn't panied so I would have had
pretty good time watching the others,
bat after the colonel had danced with
the other girls he looked over their
heads into the chaperon row, and
asked me if I wasn't dancing. It was
lovely two-step, and simply couldn't
resist; I tried to hobble about on the
white slipper so the russell foot
wouldn't show, but soon had to give
it up, for when let my dress drag
everybody stepped on it, and when I
held it up caught curious glances di-
rected at my feet"
Through all this recital of her mis-
fortunes, I dumbly wondered whatthey
had to do with my friend the colonel,
but remembering that "the longest
way round is the shortest way there
in woman's story, listened patient
ly.
"Just imagine my Iredicament!" she
continued. II couldn't dance on &C.
count of my slipper; I couldn't stay in
the light because of my blue eyebrows,
and couldn't humble a single word
distinctly on account Of my swollen
lips. Then the colonel suggested the
veranda. It was simply glorious out
there, warm and moonlight, and l be-
gan to think I was glad I was there
after all, but it didn't last long. You
know, just love to talk; they tell me
at home talk entirely too much, but
it would have done their souls good If
they could have seen me then. My lips
were so blistered I couldn't even open
my mouth, SO l just drew myself up
into the corner and wondered if that
nightmare evening would ever end.
The colonel said something about the
weather, and could only nod my pink
head; then he said something else, and
l raised my blue brows at him to show
that I had heard, and, with that, If
you can believe it, he began to talk
himself
did not understand her surprise, for
I had always rated him as a great
talker, but recalled his reputation, and
said nothing.
"Well, if you please, he Kept right
on talking. 1 never heard of his do
ing such a thing, for the girls all say
they have to rack their brains to pre-
vent pause in the conversation. He
told me all about his career; where he
had been and what he had done; all
the active service he had seen; and
his whole family history, beginning
with his grandmother's maiden name,
and there I sat in the corner like a
wooden image, not able to say word"
Now, for the first time, began to
understand how the colonel had gotten
his impression of Miss Flinders being
"delightfully clever and entertaining"
It would have been impossible other
wise. The poor fellow had been starv,
ing all these years for listener, and
been Sl1ffOcate6 nv the we1lmaont Of, ,