The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-08-02
VIRGINIA Of
WASHINGTON
BY Eleanor Austin Harris
Copyright. 1906, by Z. c. PARCELS
BY Eleanor Austin Harris

impossible, Aunt Ellen. German
bIondncss, reading German paper,
travelling in German train with bag
gage marked "A. Won S., Bremen
''Virginia, What does possess you?
never heard you talk So"
Miss Dressed laughed hearty Amer
lean laugh. Il am so glad to shake the
dust of Europe off my feet that can't
keep it in. I'm so glad we're headed
for Hamburg, the Kaiser Wilhelm der
Crosse. America and Washington that
-that-well, honestly L should like to
kick the epaulets off the guards gOr-
geous blue and gold uniform. Don't
faint, Aunt Ellen. I'll stop and not say
another word for an hour
For an hour and five minutes Miss
Dressed sat silent, ostensibly watching
the valleys, the German gables, the
green of meadows and forests, as they
swept by. For an hour and five min
uteS their young German fellow travel
er read his German paper, and for an
hour and five minutes Miss Ellen Van
strum enjoyed perfect peace of mind.
Then Miss Dressed coughed, and Miss
,Vanstrum inwardly caught her breath.
AUNT Elem said Miss Dressed, Ia
lilly waving her hand toward the seen
cry as if she were discussing it-"Aunt
Ellen, do you know that young man
has a dreadfu1y nice face, even If he
is a German. Oh, don't look shocked.
Just gaze out the window as if were
talking about the scenery, and he will
never know the difference. I've been
looking at him off and on for the last
hour. Just see what a nice firm mouth
ne has. He's SO well groomed too. Just
look at his finger nails. Oh, Aunt Ell
len, I wish you wouldn't gasp so. |
Ike his looks better than any foreigner
I have seen in the five years we have
spent in Europe. Really, | shouldn't
mind being married if I could get such
j handsome, we'll groomed man as he
Is.
Virginia, oh, Virginia." groaned
Mrs. Vanstrum. 'It's-it's indecent to
talk about a man like that when he
can't understand
Don't jiggle your pompadour crook
ed, Aunt Ellen said Miss Dressed
calmly. Don't worry. IF he under
stood English he would have betrayed
himself long ago. He might be chunk
Of pink and white and yellow taffy for
all he understands of the English Ian
guage. Thank goodness, Aunt Ellen,
here we are almost at Hamburg. Here,
let me tie your veil. You are getting
It on crooked. No, let me carry the
suit case. It's young house. Now
FOR my last fee-alm0st-on foreign
soi1'
The train had hardly come to a long
gcreeching stop in the great station at
Hamburg when the door Of the car
riage was jerked violently open and a
young man pulled the German out
with hearty grip, exclaiming in Eng
fish:
Were in luck There was a state
helm, and we can sail four days earlier
than we expected. Good luck, man!
Why don't you say something instead
of looking at me like a dazed idiot?'
I The German pulled himself together
with a noticeable effort and began to
stammer out something in German,
when the other interrupted him impa-
tiently.
saw, cut that out! You know per-
Sectly we'll I can't understand word
Of German. Never mind, come alongw
The young German flushed red, and
with one appealing look straight into
1he eyes of the aStOnished Miss Ores
soon lost to view in the hurrying
throng.
Miss Dressed silently picked up her
luggage, carefully avoiding her aunt's
eye, and for minute after leaving
the carriage she looked helplessly
about her. Then the label Berlin on
carriage caught her eye, and without
a word to her puzzled relative she took
Fer by the arm, raced her across the
station and pushed her in, stumbling in
herself, just as the guard put his hand
on the door to close it.
Why-what-where"- said Miss
.yanstrum
uOh AuOW3 SdlQ uOE Niece UGS-
perately, 'but most anywhere out Of
Hamburg"
''But our steamer" gasped Miss Van
gtrum.
''What's losing steamer, Aunt Ell
len, compared with my peace of mind?
I'd no more sail on the Kaiser Wilhelm
now than I'd fly. Aunt Ellen, you're
jewel not to say, L told you So nor
even to look it,"
''You haven't given me time," laugh
sd Miss Vanstrum, ''but must say l
@ertainly think it. There, I'm glad
we're off at last. [ don't think l my
seIf care to come face to face with that
young fellow again."
It was the evening of the last mu-
sicale Of the season at the White
House, and an unwonted air of antici-
patton pervaded the brilliant throng as
II gathered in the great east room.
''They say she has one Of the finest
voices ever heard off the STAGE" said