The Washington herald., 1906-12-26

Miss Johnston looked at the two limo
cent bits Of pasteboard, and dallied fur
Their with temptation. Virginia Davis
had the envelope containing the tickets
IN her hand when she came to her room
that afternoon 10 leave a little Christmas
token before starting home for the Holt
days. She had met the pOstman on the way,
and these tickets. she declared. were the
only thing that marred the pleasure Of
her going home There were probably
not half a dozen girls in the school that
would be invited TO the masquerade given
by the town Cosmos Club. and Virginia
threw the tickets into Miss Johnstou's
wastepaper basket with the remark that.
while they might have meant so much,
they were nothing but paper and ink.
When Miss Johnston saw them later
she took them out of the basket. and the
idea, fun grown, confronted her. She
had never been 70 q masquerade in her
Ife-she caught her breath in a gasp Of
self pity when she realized that, at thir-
ty-fve, she had never been TO ball OF
any kind She had struggled to pay her
way through college. and for the last ten
years had taught literature in one Of the
mos. conservative schools for girls. She
had yearly assumed greater degrees Of
conservatism until her polished manner
and impenetrable reserve were the envy
OF every fmpulsive young creature in her
classes.
She tapped the tickets against her we'll
manicured nails ana sighed to follow,
once, the line OF least resistance.
i viii have my holiday-and spend it
as I choose. she decided. mutiny shining
in her gray eyes. Nora will help me
she is the soul Of devouon-and discre-
ton"
Nora, the chambermaid. who had been
Miss JohnstOn's slave for the past I'VE
years. was taken into confidence. and it
was she who smuggled into the building
a beautifully gotten-up Titan wig with
which to cover the brown hair. and her
nimble fingers helped fashion the yards
of white liberty silk into the garb Of a
Persian princess. Eora's practical mind
also arranged the details with the cab
man. just where he should wait for them
and just how, wrapped in plain dom
reach the city hail. and how she herself
should stand in the corridors and watch
the masquerade. then meet in the cab 70
return home, like Cinderella, at Z o'clock.
At 10 o'clock that night a Persian prime
ess, tall, 1.-the. with Clinging dTaperieS,
leaned against one Of the gayly decked
pillars that supported the balcony where
the musicians sat. She had danced with
cavalier. monk, and devil, and now stole a
moments rest.
Il prithee, let me charm your gentle
melancholy" said a voice in her ear. and
jester tapped her lightly on the arm
with his stick and bells.
a fool there was" she quoted gayly,
taking his proffered arm.
Lots of EN- here tonight" he con-
fided amiably. Aren't you tired dancing
know Of painfully manufactured look
ing coy corner that is not occupied-let' S
try it,"
When they reached it he leaned his ell
bow on his knee and peered intently into
her masked face
I've recognized you at last" he said.
She gave a Mortified gasp. You
haven't, really2"
Indeed / have. You are-the princess
I've been hunting for years." he shook
the bells in her face joyfully I'm sure
It proves we are twin souls-or I wouldn't
have known you, princess he said, in
mock sentiment
She laughed with relief. And since
when did fools aspire to being twin souls
/ to princesses?" she asked, giving her new
red hair a loving pat.
"Oh-it's nothing at all unusual for fools
to be foolish" ne said, nOnchalantly, but
the truth is, princess, I'm not really fool
I'm something much higher and nObler
en- disguise pro tem.-the ease with which
I mix French and Latin ought TO be posi-
tive proof of it." He dipped his pointed
satin toes and limited that he might, with
proper persuasion, let her into the secret
The princess actually giggled-she for
got her years and her dignity. and en-
tered into the spirit of the game as thor
Oughly as one Of her own schoolgirls
would have done.
Tell mel can keep secrets. she said
eagerly.
The truth of the matter is he leaned
over and whispered In her ear. I'm
something much larger and vastly more
I important than a fOOl-I'm across your
heart you'll never ten?" he asked, cut
ting his confidence short in the middle
Hope I may die" she said, gravely.
That's the countersign-it shows yoJ
| belong. Well. I'm a Hero!" he said, II
q mild whisper,