The Van Buren press., 1904-10-15

charms were very penetrating, very
many. very appealing.
The colonel took counsel with himself
He intended telling ia a'sehood, he a,:o
intended giving il away with the grel,
white light Of truth.
NO. Miss ErEestine," he said, "'
think You were quite right. Il has
always been my theory that shutters
look better &fterward when painted On
the house do not know why: but that
has always been my experience.
She looked mp at him gratefully, and
he felt repaid
Presently the colonel left followed BY
his Irish setter Lodusky For quite i
few minutes after on the homeward walk
he could see nothing very distinctly bu,
sweet Ernestines graceful figure, the
peculiar poiSe Of her head. the charming
gestures Of her hands, the dreamy, Ger
manic sweetness Of her face And this
delightful picture was framed in a border
Of dancing light and shadow, chrysan-
themums. dwarf roses. and delectab,a.
inspiring cleanliness and order
The colonel had attained certain age
He had often seen his sisters in tla
matutinal hours display themselves 4
well perhaps picturesque disarray one
might call il. if one were disposed 10 BE-
| lenient The colonel wished 10 com
nit himself not swiftly He desired his
future wife TO be his most dainty. hts
most beautiful p'aything and lido.
There was. perhaps a dash OF BagdAI
and the far east in the makeup Of Co
Bell He would call on Miss ErnestD'
very early tomorrow morning; aud
then, pernaps-it-
rs IL eight O'Clock yet?' yawna1
Ernestine, turning over in bed and pre-
seItiuE a white rampant Of back to her
sisters sleepy face.
yes. came the mu1ed answer
Ernestine rose. yawncC again pressed
her hands to her frowsy head ami
stretched herself uXuriously blinking
hard to open her eyes She sent our
one small foot to feel about on the floor
for the badly down-trodden slippers
that lay hidden under the pile Of rufflel
bedclothcs that had slipped to the hoot
during the night
Erncst.ne rroaned audibly, The room
was so intolerably. depiorabIy untidy
"Oh. dear" sighed Erncstine GROSSLY
then stopped suddenly as rather sick
looking wrapper came down over her
head and shut of utterance do ger
up. Anne, everything is in such nasty
mess.
She kicked a rol. Of soileG towels into
a corner and threw a bunch Of withered
roses into the brimmmg slop basio.
When the shutters were flung open she
stepped for moment before the mirror
In it she saw most dowdy little fgurn
She nearly laughed out loud. Her
beautiful hair was tumbled about he'
shoulders and standing absurdly at skies
and scycns Traces Of Yesterday morn
ing's chocolate aCorucd her wrapphc
front
"I certainly am a I.tte-triehu" she
laughed
She thought 'ancuiGly Of the trans
formation mat wou.d take place when
she douuod the fresh pInl, wrapper now
lying across the back Of chair in the
next room. and Of the effect Of knot
4 yUuur ro,ebuds at the belt
The beat q footsteps sounded in thn
hall. The girls stopped short and Their
eyes met, They came upscttinEly near
then ceased. The sisters still stood
transfXoG. looking at each other,
An nqu'rnc ,oug brown nose wa
softly prouGcc within the crack OF Tho
door
"Lodrsh,'" screamed Ernesurr
Tebbs. running 10 him and beginning
to par his head vigorously
"Col Ben" CALCULATED her sister
ErneStnc had long since raised QuitT
costuming 70 the level Of a science
Very shorty she emerged distractlng.
" pretty captivating. Immaculate az
the morning and in time TO gather a few
blossom for hCr throat as she tripped
down thf grave, walk TO meet the unra.
generate colonel She was as fresh and
sweet a. one Of her own fayurte blush
roses dat blocmcd at hsr feet, as She
faced lhr colonel In that most delectab
Of pima morning wrappers She looked
mp a, lin ar.hlr .o'Iy from out ta'
shadow uf h,r great garden hat
"Go,l morning be- said, abruptly
Miss EucstDuo pray pardon such aa
early morning cal but
She pat out her soft. white hand
quickly and laid It on his pressing Il
gently
Dear colonel she said 81 find the
carly. carly morning the most beautiful
part Of the day Why apolof!2e7"
She let her hand drop His own still
tnglcd, he folt her little hnEcrtips res'.
ing In his palm The co.onel's face waR
oycrsrrcad with a not conventional
bcatltudc for had she not stood the
supreme test and come out with not
only 0yiug but sarupulously clean,
colors We twiucd his arm about her,
drawing Der into The shadow Of tree
near by. and whispered few hurried
words IN her ear LoduShy lay on the
grave and stared at them with an un-
fathomahc look in his eyes,
II was very quiet not leaf "lrred Ir
smmhTous Greeu'ou valley, National
Magazine
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