The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-04-29

had hardly seated myself at my desk,
when the telephone rang. expected
business communication. took up the
receiver without in the least anticipating
the shock which awaited me.
is that you?' | heard Daisy voice
saying, in its most honeyed and beguiling
tone.
'.Ges. | managed to euunciate.
.It was so sweet of you to ask me to
go to the ball, she continued, serenely.
Il don believe that thanked you enough
last night. | am just looking forward to
it.
"You-you are going?' stammered.
why. of course, she announced
camly, with hurt astonishment "Didn t
you understand
No, | babbled. Il didn't alto
gether
How stupid of youl OF course I'd
70, when you asked me. Now You un-
derstand--
but" | began, realizing on the
instant that neither my courage nor my
sense of politeness would permit me to tell
her the awful truth-that | had invited
another.
''Good-by'
| staggered back from the instrument
Lord Chesterfield could never have con
ceived Of such predieament. He never
found himself engaged to take Two girls,
A.. -, ., ~. snu,. bsU Erar ka
| believed, would not have been able to
cope with such situation. Despair seized
me. | was completely at sea--tosSed in 4
tempes, of doubt. without the compass Of
precedent to direct my course, without the
rudder Of determination with which to
steer IL
| sank back in my Office chair, plunged
in the gioomiest reflections Constituted
a. was. knew that could not face Miss
Hopkins and calmly tell her that | had
made mistake-that could not take her
a. had said | should Much less could
I | meet Daisy face 10 face and acknowledge
10 her thar had the teuierity 10 invite
another particularly after she had just
Z informed tnc that she had considered her
I ssif engaged 70 inc from the first | shud
dcr,d as thought Of the prospect, and
.hrank trom il in hopeless dsssnay What
/ vas 10 do The future was ciouded in iie
decpsS, gisom, uubroken by one ray of
light.
knew well the prescribed usage fpS
I such an occasion After sending aoSvrs
in the afternoon. ,he young man vas ex
/ pecsed to arrive az about niue in the even
{ IN at The Young lady house ia hack
} Together thes drove 20 the scene of fe-.
uyi,y. The frst dancC fell to him, a. s
,.,st q a premium on the Transaction, A'
E a matter It caarse. he took her to sappcr.
Oshcrwise, during the evening be might
sse hus little of the girl, II she was pop
( uhr belle. wiih many to dance With her
suddenly spEang To my ieet. 4
/ surprising idea was forming ii~et in
ay mind \ mighty reS.,lye was filling
my sol In deep agitation, ! walked up
/ and down the oshcp was engaged "a
take both girls to the party Why not
E take thetag The conception vas bold,
E daring g. the verge Of madness, Would
I Lord Chesterfield have ever done the ike
I | ,iii not kuov. | did nos, in fact, care.
{ As have before observed, he had neyeI
/ found himself in such hole. Was thl.
thing praeticals As walked the floor,
/ the difficulties presented themselves with
[ startling dissiaetneSs. The rssali If Dis
/ as,cr allsd me with terrer But with :
/ dssn~rate ease--ani my case was desperate
came the time fog desperate remedies,
| In a fever Of excitement, | made menta
sketch Of the campaign. \ slip anywher'
{ mi ht bring upon me irreirieyable ruin
Miss Hopkins would refuse to speak 70 mt
again. should lose Daisy favor forever
The ensuing week | spent in night
mare Of apprehension. | necessarily ssS
Daisy often. | e,ald not completely nes
lect Miss Hopkins Skalking from on'
house to the other. ielt Ike fuei,iv,
from Justice Covering up my tracks o'
all occasions, | had all the sensation ot {
malefaetor. Ny Consciousness Of guilt
knew was manifest in my bearing
You behave a If you d eaten th'
eauary bird, Daisy commented, critically
on one occasion n We were walking ans
was in moneniary terror Of meeting Mis-
Hopkins
THAT yellow sonester Is not what | I
desire to devour most, y | replied, gallant
IL, aud 10 a manner which felt tha
Philip DOrmer Stanhope, Earl Of Chester
field, would have approved
Daisy rewarded me with kindly glance
On the afternoon Of the fatetul day,
carefully arranged TO have Aowers sent /,
my two dulcineas. | ordered with grea
care the bes, the place could afford Their
should be no failure TO satisfy in any pos
sible detail. had early engaged a dis
Greet driver for my hackney coach, Will
the best horses obtainable in any hy
cry stable in Spreadesgle At pinch
speed might be important in the evening
work. | took the vehicle for the night
giving the man such fee As insured devO
tioR. wakefulnesS and obedience.
For a long time | debated as to whiel
Young lady should convey to the entertain
ment first My scheme, of course, was I
90 for one, get her started it the ball, sli
out and hurry as quickly as | could to tn
home of the other With sufficient celer
ity, hoped TO be back on the dancing
floor with her before my absence was OBJ
served. | concluded, after long consider
alton, that on the whole had better tax
Daisy. | knew her the better, and shoul
be obliged and inclined to delay for fey
words with her Miss Hopkins felt tina
| might venture. if necessary, to kee
waiting for brief period.
| must say that as drove up to tn
Brown residence and walked to the from
door, | shook in my dancing shoes. | wa
too well aware of Daisy 5 keenness not t
be in a mortal terror Any slip might be
tray me, and what the consequence Nigh
be | could not contemplate
When Daisy tripped into the parlor i
all the bewildering glory of her ball fine
ries, she received me with unusual col
diality
1.-The flowers were perfectly lovely,
she assured me, as she gazed on me wit
rosy smile Il must get them out {
the ice box.
II knew you liked La France, " said