The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-09-10

Mrs Bedding saw this pretty group q
apparent lovers on a rich BACKGROUND
of Jacqueminot roses
Startled more at the words of Farm
ham than at the entry OF Mrs. Beldine.
Maud had started up. like Vivien. .-stin
as viper frozen" Her first thought
was whether she had crushed her hat
on his shoulder, and her hands flew in
stinctively TO her headgear. She then
walked tempestuously past the astonish,
ed lady out into the garden and brushed
roughly by Sleeny, who tried to detain
her.
Hold your tongue, Sam. I hate yuu
and all men," and with this general d.
nunciation. she passed out Of thu plaza
flaming with rage and shame.
Mrs Bedding stood for e. moment
speechless, and then resorted to tho use
OF that hard-worked and useful mono
syllable.
Weir with a sharp. falling innss-
ton
Well!" returned Farnham. with a
easy, rising accent; and then both Of
them relieved the strained situation
with a laugh.
Tome. now" said the good-natursd
woman. Il am e sort OF guardian a
yours Give an account Of yourself"
fhat Is easily given" said Farnham.
a young woman. whose name hardly
know, came to me In the garden thu
morning TO ask for help to get soma
lady-ike work to do. After discussinr
that subject threadbare. she CANA in
here for a rose and. apropos OF nothtne.
made me declaration and a PROPOSAL
OF honorable wedlock, dams toutes lea
formes."
The forms were evident az I on
tered" said Mrs. Bedding, dryly.
i could not let her drop on the damp
floor" said Farnham, who was aston
ished to ind himself positively blush
ing under the amused scrutiny of his
mother-confessor Consider. IL You
please, my dear madam, that this is
the first offer 1 have ever received. and
was naturally somewhat awkward
about declining 1t. We shall learn bet
ter manners as we so along
You did decline them" said Mrs.
Bedding. easily persuaded Of the SUBJ
stantial truth Of the story, and natural
iy inclined. as is the way OF woman, to
the mans side. Then, laughing at Ar
thurs discontinue. she added, Il was
about to congratulate YOU"
Il deserve only your commiseration.
Il must look about and dispose OF you
| in some way. You are evidently too
rich and too fascinating. But / came
| over today to ask you what / ought to
do about my Lake View farm l have
two offers for 1T If 1 had but one. I
would take either-wel, you know what
1 means and the conversation became
practical After that matter was dis
I NJ sd or Il
glance at Farnnam, THAT was very
pretty girl hope you will not be ex-
posed TO such another attack; might
not be so near the next time
That danger, thanks to you, Is over;
MademoiseIle VIII never return he
answered, with an air OF conviction.
Mrs Bedding went home with no
impression left of the scene she had
witnessed but one CT amusement. She
thought of il only as IA good Joke
on Arthur Farnham," She kept chuck
Ing to herself over It all day. and IL
she had had any especial gossip in the
town, she would have put on her hat
and hurried off TO tell 1t. But she was
woman who lived very much at home,
and. in fact. cared little for tattlinx
she was several times on the point OF
sharing the fun Of 1t with her daughter.
jill "6S prevented pf an instructive
feeling that IT was hardly the sort of
| story to tell young girl about a per-
sonal acquaintance So she restrained
herself, though the solitary enjoyment
or II irritated her.
They were sitting on the wide porch
| which ran around two sides OF the
| house just as twilight was falling. The
air was full of drowsy calls and twitters
| from the grass and the trees. The two
ladies' had been sitting ever since din
/ ner, enjoying the warm air Of the early
summer. talking very little. and drop
! ping often into long and contented ST.
| iences. Mrs Bedding had condescendsd
TO grenadine in consideration OF the
weather, and so looked less funereal
| than usual Alice was dressed IN soft
and vapory fabric OF creamy bunting.
| in the midst of which her long figure
| lay reclined IN an easy chair OF Jap
/ anese bamboo; she might have posed
| for a statue of graceful and luxurious
| repose. There was light enough from
| the rising moon aud the risen stars
| to show the clear beauty of her face
and the yellow 1uster OF her hair; and
1 her mother cast upon her from time
| TO tine a glance of pride and fondness,
/ as If she were recovered treasure to
which the attraction Of novelty had just
4 Dtfn duCSQ
x Y
| They say she looks as I did at her
| age" thought the candid lady: but
they must hatter me My nose was
never 50 straight as that; her nose Is
| Bedding all over I wonder whom she
will care about here? Mr.. Furrey is
nice young man, but she is hardly polite
! to him. There he is now
The young man came briskly up the
| walk. and ran up the steps so quick
| ly that ne tripped on the last one and
dropped his hat. He cleveriy recovered
il. however hoping that he found them
quite We'll. Mrs. Bedding hustled about
10 give him a chair. at which Alice
knitted her pretty broWS d little. She
had scarcely moved her eyelashes TO
greet her visitor; but when Mrs Beld-
ing placed hight chair near her
daughter and invited Mr.. Furrey 10
take il, the young lady rose from her
reclining attitude and sat bolt upright
with a look Of freezing dignity. ne
youth was not at all abashed. but took
his seat. with his nat held lightly by
the Grim IL both hands. He was .-.e-
gantly dressed. in as faithful and rev.
frr1ifaTiOR homo