Middletown transcript., 1905-05-27

think Last year, he told girl he'd
take her to the races. | know she made
him ask her She was horrid-looking
thing-as thin as slat-and they missed
the train, SO he went and found carriage
and drove all that distance rather than
disappoint her, though the man charged
him thirty dollars, and lie was down to
his last five until the end of the month.
But he was game lie said his watch
was already doing time,' so he got an
other fellow to pawn his and lend him
the money. That's the spirit like i'll
a man r.
"What is that that you like in man,
dear? inquired Mrs. Lane, coming into
the room. "Here's box from the flor
lists, Anna-roses from Harland | Just
opened it TO see. thought you wouldn't
mind. Now don't be SO foolish. What
difference does it make who sees them
first? And here's something else that
Just came "a telegram. | hated to bring
it up, though | know it's absurd to feel
so in these days, when people send tele-
grams for everything. suppose it's just
more congratulations. Well p
Anna was scanning the yellow paper
she had unfolded, and looked up incred-
ulously.
tits from Harland. What does lie
mean? He can't mean-he can't mean
that he isn't coming Y
"Give it to me-" said Ethel, snatching
the telegram from her. She read aloud
'EIave just been called to Philadelphia
| for important business meeting. Would
have come to tell you, but must catch the
| siX-thirty train. Very sorry not to be
! with you tonight. Will write on train.
III. LLOYD.
| 1T certainly does mean that lie isn't
coming" said Ethel, blankly. "It's too
bad, Anna. But, Of course, you can 60
with your brother James.
"He is going to take Gertrude"
"You know you can come with as,
anyway" offered Ethel, generously. "TIl
make Jack give you some OF the dances
he has with me, and"
II won't 60 at all ]" cried Anna, with
heaving bosom. She ran down the
hall and disappeared from view.
"Have you been in there ?" Mrs. Lane
questioned mysteriously Of Ethel, later.
"I've been to the door, but she asked
me not to come in" replied the visitor,
bare-armed, lustrous-eyed and fragrant
of violet, in the first stages Of ''party"
toilet, pleasantly secure from disappoint-
ment in her own case The house had
been given up to hurried and spasmodic
dinner in the tumult attending the ad-
vent of Mr.. Jack Van Dorm, which
seemed. to necessitate endless runnngs
up and down stairs and into different
rooms on the part of james, with occa-
sional loud slamming of the front door,
in the effort to supplement the wardrobe
Of his guest in the matter OF collar-buttons |
and studs, and clean linen and ties, Mr.. |
Van Dorm having arrived hastily in an |
imperfect condition, with but three cents |
and postage stamp for negotiable pur-
poses. Ethel was blissfully unconscious |
that the flowers with which he presented |
her were token paid for with the last
available funds Of an obliging James.
She lent her cheerful sympathy now to
the perturbed mother, who continued:
"She'll hare to go, you know the /
Wiltons have put off this dance especially |
for her and Mr.. Lloyd. I've been talk
ing to her, but | couldn't seem to make
any impression at all. She said she
didn't want to talk-she kept her face
turned away in the pillow. used every
it is disappointing. and | do think Har-
land might have managed things differ
emily it's happened SO many times be-
fore, though not quite like this, but he
has never been able to go with her any
where, and it is trying. When Anna
sets her heart on anything, she wants
it so dreadfully. 1t really uses me all
up" Poor Mrs. Lanes eyes had pit
eous appeal in them. To match the ache
in Annals young breast was the almost
worse ache of the mother, who could do
nothing to heal her child's hurt. In
Annals younger days the mother could
have been her adjusting providence, but
the girls happiness had gone beyond her
keeping. She went on with forlorn dis
traction:
II told her if she expected to get mar
ried, she must get used to disappoint-
ments many people had far worse ones.
There was cousin Louise Crete, she mar
ried such a fne-looking mamie came
Of such splendid family; his mother
used to have a plantation in the South,
and colored nanny who always called
her ole Miss 1t was really beautiful
to hear him talk Of it, and after all he
caught cold and got bronchial asthma, SO
that he had to sleep sitting up in chair
for fifteen years. And there was Han
non Beterson, who-but there was no
use of my saying word. Annals father
GHlnkS SIZE lS tOU lOOliSIi iOI ally biilIlR, |
that it was the only thing Harland could
do, if business called him. He'd have
no respect for HarIand If lie hadn't gone.
'Oh, she'll hare to 60 to the dance"
said Ethel decidedly. ''She will, you
see. She'll have good time, anyway.
OF course, it won't be what she expected
but she cannot be rude to the Witons. /"
stThat's just what told her." said the
anxious mother, endeavoring to reach
some sustaining comfort. Perhaps you
can have some influence with her, Ethel.
Really, she was so unresponsve that
had to tell her that thought she might
try to answer little more pleasantly,
and get over that habit she has of poking
I'D one shoulder when she doesn't want
to hear. I'm sure I don't know what 4
excuse she could offer to the Wiltons,
il" ;
..Oh, she'll 60" said the other again, |