Middletown transcript., 1904-12-03

,, As for Annette, she was not slow in dis
covering that the work OF writing out
stories in an artistic little studio was
more in harmony with her taste than
scrnbbing the kitchen floor therefore,
| the kitchen floor
A day came when Celia Dow, who
then had page on society journal,
said to her husband ''l'm not going to
waste my time attending all these society
affairs. | mean to devote part Of my
life to writing something better than
society notes. I'm going to train Annette
to 60 to those places and get the items
Of interest for me, and I'll write them
! up. She can do it with little instruc-
ton she's quick to observe and clever
to describe; she gave me bright de-
scription of the children's party last
night"
"S'pose you don't call that deception?'
''No, it's elimination by substitution.
l eliminate Celia Dow and substitute
Miss Jacques. "A rose by any other
name is just as sweet if she's able to
report the event, and it appears in the
society news in good style the next day"
I'D like to know who's going to
attend to the house, with you and the
girl both gadding? I thought you hired.
Annette to do housework r.
There, that's the man of it 4! You'll
get your meals just the same; don't you
worry about that"
| "You'll ruin her usefulness as SER
want, with your nonsense"
"Now, don't be SO selfish, Bob. Since
she's had the ambition to get as much
education as she has, someone ought to
encourage her. 1t may be the first step
ping-stone to something higher than
housework."
Bob took refuge behind lis newspaper,
while Celia went out to unfold her scheme
to Annette, who readily agreed to the
arrangement.
| Mrs. Dow accompanied her on one or
two occasions, till she should have grasped
the situation firmly enough to be able to
venture alone.
Miss jacques soon proved herself
eminently fitted for the greatness thrust
upon her, and gave her mistress many
happy releases from the tedium OF recep-
tions, pupil-recitals and dog-shows to
which it had been her previous fate to
submit
Then Celia Dow gave her best thoughts
to the weaving OF an artistic tale, "A
Summer ldyl," being wondrous har-
mony Of man and nature. So true to
life it was, you laughed and wept with
the humble characters so close to nature,
you tasted the honey and the honeycomb
heard the droning Of the bee in the
clover, and the ripple of running water
through the quiet meadow.
Bob pronounced it good thing, and
advised her sending it in competition for
the thousand-dollar prize offered by the
Bay State Monthly.
1t was sent to the Bay State Monthly.
Then, as relaxation, she wrote bur-
lesque story entitled "The Passing Of
Mary jane" which Bob laughed over
immoderately and Celia put away to
"kiln-dry," as she called her process of
consigning manuscripts to the mellowing
influence Of time.
|
The SHOWS had come, had fingered on
the sleeping fields till their last grilny
yestige had been swept away by the
winds Of March. April had trailed her
arbutus through the budding forest, and
May had gone with her tinted drifts OF
apple blossoms. The ever-faithful An
nette grew almost pensive as she twined
Celia Dow's choicest June roses in her
hair. Celia Dow herself found the July
heat oppressive after the return Of her
Summer 1dyl,' with note containing
the kind assurance that her story came
within one of receiving the prize.
Along the dusty roadside the golden
rod broke into flame, reminding the
Dows their outing time was at hand. So
with congenial party, they migrated to
the quiet shores of Orchard Lake.
The campers consisted of one artist,
two doctors, three writer's, four music
ians and five mortals, and fourished
under the name Of "The Royal Se-
quence. They had an orchestra that
discoursed Wagnerian harmony through
an old comb, dinner horn andl tin
kettle.
- \
As the weeks slipped by the outside
world was nigh forgotten by ''TEe Royal
Sequence"
Pipe all hands out to see the sunset,
it's gorgeous tonight" shouted the artist
as he sat swinging his feet off the little
pier.
There was lazy sauntering down to
the beach, and some one exclaimed :"See
that man dancing round over there and
waving his hat A blood-curdling
whoop came across the lake.
| cts someone who knows us, for that's
our yell. Someone 60 over and get him. "
So doctor went over and ferried the
visitor across. 1t was Gilbert Browne,
who had camped with them the previous
summer.
In honor Of the guest, bigger bonfire
than usual was built the huge corn
pepper flew fast over the bed Of embers
when the fire burned low. And tile
band did its worst.
Suddenly Gilbert said Say, there's
the funniest story in the Bay State Monthly;
it's thousand-dollar prize story. May
be some.of you literary people wrote ii ~
As no one claimed the honor, lie con-
tinued: Il brought it down With me.
Let me get it, He rushed off to his
tent and returned with the magazine,
IF you WANT to hear it, I'll read it,
go ahead"
| In circle around the fire, '.The ROYAL
1 Seutience" settled itself comfortahlv aud