The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1905-04-19

~ Wien merton NlahollCat kctnHeSS
gave him The advantage of Nirginia's
open interest ana appreciation. 1t was
hot II thing TO be borne quietly.
perhaps We understand it more
clearly than You do she aeknowledg.
ed. And that I'VE" that put her and
Merton together ON one side of the
question as opposed 10 him Oh the 9th
er shook Nugcnt strangely
Something of The dsmay that he felt
showed in his face. and, seeing it, Miss
Dlnsmore attempted once more to ex-
plain the methods of the new school of
writer's. And her efforts were reward
ed for at last light seemed to break
upon him.
Il see he calculated slowly. Il see
ut last. The gentlemen write i'll cipher
just us we send secret messages in
business. and it doesn't mean II thing
unless you understand the cipher. Dog
pigment chair doesn't sound very in
telligible 10 you. does it2'
lie waited moment; then as Miss
Dinsmorc shook her head lie went on:
and yet | sent that very message to
Il firm yesterday in Il matter involving
the Investment of thousands of dollars.
And they understood just AZ you and
Merton understand your Maeterlinck
code" he concluded alrily, while Miss
Dinsmore studied him with new in
terest After ALL she reflected, these
practical minds were keen enough once
they got the point of view.
Meanwhile Peter Nugcnt went his
way with curious eXhilarution. At
last. he felt, he was catching up with
Merton. Since he had the important
question TO ask, why not heap Goals Of
fire on Nirginia's head hy asking II
Rymbolically? hut how?
II was the Saturday before Easter
AL the afternoon the bell of the bins
more mansion had been ringing with
monotonons regularity, which kept the
Buttons 1t the door at work like an
automaton.
Gee whlz!' he soliloquized ~ he
took in nm azalea almost us large as
himself Miss Virginia must be de
whole ting, judgn' 10y desc Easter
sreetn's."
The very last offering to arrive came
about . o'clock in the evening, when
the Buttons wearied out. was doing
ut his post and dreaming that he sent
Sadie l3laherty II bunch of american
Beauties with stems as long rs tcle-
graph poles. 1t was therefore with Il
somewhat bored and ehasteued air that
he carried the package thai WAS hand
ed IN up to Miss Nirgnla's ~ m, where
in low chair she sat reading "Monna
Wanna"
"Open ii. Thomas." she commanded
languidly. laying her book face down
ward in her lap and watching him idly
as he removed the cnwrapplng tissue
paper. But at sight of the object he
lifted ont of the box Il moment later
all her languor disappeared, and she ut
tered an exclamation of amazcment
II WIS Il huge nest, upon which Il
bantam hen soft, white and with ma
chalant grace. Tucked under the edge
Of one wing was an envelope
Buttons did his best, but ii was poor
With Il gufiaw AS involuntary as II
was hearty he deposited the nest and
its occupant upon table and, holding
his hand over his mouth, fled from the
room Miss Dinsmorc approached her
latest possession and removed the note
saying "WhO under the sun"
Having read IL, she sank into chair
tears Of mcrriment streaming from her
eyes, FOR this was what she read:
Dear Nhginia-I call you that because
l know iustinctiVcly that symbolists have
no use for formality. The Easter gift
TINT ! am sendng may mt the first fash
seem bizarre, but when / explain that It
IS a symbolic Offering You will under
stand II is as symbolic as anything
Mactcrlinck ever dared to do and | inter
pref it 10 you because in this particular
ease / fancy that | can do better than
Merton himself.
The nest-what is II but r. home that
/ would offer your The therein
please notice that it's been Ia lie beastly
ugly stands for me. and. Hs ia me, YOU
Will have to get beneath the shcil TO find
its read significance. The hen t'nt Is sit
ting upon the egg in the ucEt como
now To my liNFlleSl blt OF symbolism, II
touch that ! pride myself upon-typiics
my frightened expectation Of being sat
upon when this simple effort of my
Imagination reaches YOU! BE merciful.
then. 10 T., N.
Weak with laughter, the recipient Of
this extraordinary missiye approached
the table once more and gingcrly re
moved the hen, half expecting an AN
CRY, clucking protest. There IN the
nest sure enough, WAS an egg bearing
an ugly caricature of Nugent, which
crumblcd in her fingers MS she clutchcd
it, releasing II scrap of paper that ilut-
tered back into the nest.
1t contained but Il few words. but In
them all the poetry of Nugent'1 strong,
sane nature had been compressed, aud
with Il little catch OF the breath Miss
Dinsmore pressed the slip of paper to
her lips.
The book that she had been reading
had fallen to the floor. With the tip of
her toe she gave 1t disdalnful little
kick as She nuttercd across the room to
her writing desk.
Nenu For the Enster Dinner.
oysters on Half Shell