The Irish standard., 1904-10-22


mo, Miss Ernestine," he said, Il
think you were quite right. 1t has
always been my theory that shutters
| look better afterward when painted on
the house. do not know why; but that
has always been my experience"
She looked up at him gratefully, and
he felt repaid.
Presently the colonel left, followed by
his Irish setter Lodusky For quite q
few minutes after on the homeward walk
he could see nothing very distinctly but
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 border
] of dancing light and shadow, chrysan-
! themums, dwarf roses, and delectable.
inspiring cleanliness and order.
The colonel had attained a certain age
He had often seen his sisters in the
matutinal hours display themselves in,
we'll, perhaps picturesque disarray one
might call it, if one were disposed to be
lenient. The colonel wished to COM
nit himself not swiftly. He desired his
future wife to be his most dainty, his
most beautiful, plaything and idol.
There was, perhaps a dash of Bagdad
and the far east in the makeup of Col.
Bell. He would call on Miss Ernestine
very early tomorrow morning; and
then, perhaps-if-
is it eight O'Clock yet?" yawned
Ernestine, turning over in bed and pre-
senting white rampant of back to her
sisters sleepy face.
Eyes" came the muffled answer.
Ernestine rose, yawned again, pressed
| her hands to her frowsy head and
stretched herself luxuriously, blinking
hard to open her eyes. She sent out
| one small foot to feel about on the floor
for the badly down-trodden slippers
that lay hidden under the pile of ruf1led
bedclothes that had slipped to the floor
during the night
Ernestine groaned audibly, the room
was so intolerably, deplorably untidy.
ooh, dear!" sighed Ernestne Grossly,
then stopped suddenly as rather sick
| looking wrapper came down over her
up, Anne, everything is in such nasty
mess"
She kicked roll of soiled towels into
a corner. and threw bunch of wthered
| roses into the trimming slop basin.
| When the shutters were flung open she
| stepped for moment before the mirror.
| In it she saw most dowdy little figure.
J III,
beautiful hair was tumbled about her
| shoulders and standing absurdly at skies
and sevens. Traces of yesterday morn
ing's chocolate adorned her wrapper
| front.
81 certainly am little-fright!" she
| laughed.
She thought languidly of the trans
formation that would take place when
she donned the fresh pink wrapper now
lying across the back of chair in the
next room, and of the effect of a knot
of young rosebuds at the belt
The beat of footsteps sounded in the
hall The girls stopped short, and their
eyes met. They came upsettingly near,
then ceased. The sisters still stood
transfixed. looking at each other.
| An inquiring, long, brown nose was
softly protuded within the crack of the
| door.
'Lodusky!" screamed Ernestine
Tebbs, running to him and beginning
to pat his head vigorously.
"Col. Bell!" calculated her sister.
Ernestine had long since raised quick
costumng to the level of science
Very shortly she emerged distracting-
ly pretty, captivating, immaculate as
the morning, and in time to gather few
blossoms for her throat as she tripped
down the gravel walk to meet the unre-
generate colonel. She was as fresh and
sweet as one of her own favorite blush
roses that bloomed at her feet. as she
faced the colonel in that most delectable
Of pink morning wrappers. She looked
up at him, archly, coyly, from out the
shadow of her great garden hat.
Good morning." he said, abruptly.
Miss Ernestlne, pray pardon such an
early morning call, but"
/ She put out her soft, white hand
quickly and laid it on his, pressing it
gently.
Dear colonel" she said, 81 find the
early, early morning the most beautiful
part of the day. Why apologize?"
She let her hand drop. His own still
tingled, he felt her little fingertips rest
ing in his palm. The colonel's face was
overspread with not conventional
: beatitude, for had she not stood the
supreme test, and come out with not
only flying, but scrupulously clean,
colors. He twined his arm about her.
drawing her into the shadow of tree
near by. and whispered a few hurried
words in her ear Lodusky lay on the
gravel and stared at them with an un-
! fashionable look in his eyes.
1t was very quiet, not leaf stirred in
slumberous Greenton valley.-Natonal
Magazine.