Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1905-08-04

~AN~Aess oAo shCAk uuut uCi Dell away
on the first, handsome Irish boy she.
, met
That'll do, Tom. 80
Girls, IL you could have seen Mrs
Dowager Diamonds face when She
came down the stairs, the bishops
card in her hand, and into the gor-
geous parlor, it'd have been as good as
a front seat at the show,
She was mad, and she was curious.
and she was amazed, and she was dis
armed; for the very nerve of his
bringing me to her staggered her so
) that she could, hardly believe she'd
seen what she had.
'''Mr. dear Mrs. Ramsay" he began,
confused bit by his remembrance of
how her face had looked. Is minutes
before. Il bring to you an unfortunate
child, who mistook my carriage for her
fathers this afternoon at the station.
She is a college girl. stranger in
town, and till her father claims her"
Oh, the. baby! the baby! She was
stifening like a rod before his very
eyes. How did his words explain his
having his arm round the unfortunate
child? His conscience was 80 clean
that the dear little man actually over
looked the fact that 1t wasn't my pres
ence in the carriage. but his conduct
there that had excited Mrs. Dowager
Diamonds.
And didn't the story sound thin? |
tell you. Tom, when 1t comes to lying
to q woman you've got to think up
something stronger than 1t takes to
make man believe In you--if you
happen to be female yourself.
didn't wait for him to finish, but
waltzed right in. danced straight up
to that side of beef with the diamonds
still on 1t. and finging my arms about
her. turned a coy eye on the bishop.
"You said your wife was out of
town. daddy" | cried. gayly. Have
you got another wife besides num-
N.Y."
The poor bishop! Do you think he
tumbled? Not bit--not bit. He
sat there gasping like fish, and Mrs.
Dowager Diamonds. surprised by my
sudden attack stood bolt upright,
about as pleasant to hug as-as you
are. Tom, when you're jealous.
The trouble with the bishops set Is
that it's deadly slow. Now. if I had
really been the bishops daughter-all
right. I'll 60 on.
"Oh, mummy" | went on. quickly.
You know how | said it. Tom-the way
told you after that last row that Dan
Christensen wasn't near SO good
looking as you-remember? "0b,
mummy, you don't know how good 1t
feels to get home Out there at that
awful college, studying and st'a"iug
and studying, sometimes | thoucht I'd
lose my senses. There's girl out
there now suffering from nervous
prostration. She worked so hard re-
pairing for the mid-years What's her
name? can't think can't think,
my heads so tired But it sounds like
mine, a lot like mine. Once-I think
1t was yesterday thought it was
mine. and I made up my mind sud-
denly to come right home and bring 1t
with me. But it can't be mine, can It!
It can't be my name she's got 1t
can't be, mummy. say it can't, say 1t
can't"
Tom, ought to have gone on the
stage. TN 80 yet, when you're sent
up some day Yes. will. You'll DO
where you can't stop me
| couldn't see the bishop, but the
dowager-oh, I'd got her. Not so bad
an old body, either, If you only take
her the right way. First, she was sus
picious. and then she was scared. And
then, bit by bit, the Stiffness melted
out Of her, her arms came up about me,
and there I was, lying all comfy, with
the diamonds on her neck boring 70
settes in my cheeks, and she a-snifling
over NE and patting me and telling me-
not to get excited, that It was all right,
and now I was homs mummy would
take care of me, she would, that she
would
She did. She got me on 10 a lounge,
soft as-as narshmallows, and she
piled one silk pillow after another be-
hind my back.
Come. dear. let me help you of
with your coat" she cooed. bending
over me.
oh mummy, IT'S so cold! Can't I
please keen 1t on
. To let that coat of me was to give
the whole thing away. My rig IN
derneath. though good enough for your
girl, Tom, on holiday. wasn't just
what they wear In. the square And,
dye know. you'll say it's silly, but
had a conviction that with that coat
[ should say good-by to the nerve
I'd had since | got into the bishops
carriage-and from there into society
| let her take the hat, though. and
could see by the way she handled It
that 1t was oil rlght-the thing; her
kind you know. Oh the girl | got 1t
from had good taste, all right
| closed my eyes for q moment as
| lay there and she. stood stroking my
hair. She must have thought I'd
fallen asleen for she turned m tha