The Washington herald., 1907-07-29
THE TALE OF A FEATHER DUSTER
By F. p. SUMNER WELL.

over before I had a chance TO say any
thing. You ought TO know who I am.
anyway. Ny picture has been on fath-
er's desk ever since the day after I met
you in Thtrty-seventh street, and the
( boys told me who you were. It occurred
10 me then thar he ought TO have one,
but you never saw il. I am Marjory Met
T calf, your chiefs only daughter.
Tom didn't know you when you
( brought me my duster, and before J
could speak he knocked you down. we
brought you home. and have had a ter
rihle time saving your life. The nurse is
asleep. and I stole into her uniform. ]
guess III have 10 90 now, or she might
not like It."
He caught her dimpled hand and per
sUaded her that the nurse really needed
rest, which she must perforce take. 81
long as she was without any uniform.
They had lovely afternoon. giggling
/ over the imprisoned nurse. eating bon
boHs. forgetting his medicine. and being
as happy as one can be n the spring
time OF life
At Mrs. Metcalf came in and told
them thar the nurse had departed. in
high dUdgeon. They did not get any one
in her place MarjOry and Tom and Mrs
Metcalf taking care OF him themselves.
The night before he was to leave Mar
iory came up with the maid who brought
his dinner She was so perfectly lovely
in a Clinging white dress. open at the
neck that he had no eyes for anything
except her dainty beauty. She finally
. decided that if he would not eat she
would feed him. and they made q great
frolic Of the meal.
After she had made him take the last
morsel. she decided TO make him pre-
sentabIe. So she washed his face. then
she combed his hair, and then he-but
YOU would have done It yourself-shs
was so sweet OF course she cried-they
always do-and he had 10 kiss her again
90 comfort Der. Then she grew a LITTLE
saucy and tipped I'D her cleft chin and
7 looked irresisu0ly he simply had to
{ just once more.
Mrs Metcalf came IN and found her
daughter kneeling by Phil Pemberton's
chair with her head on his shoulder. Her
mother was so overcome that she forgot
her grammar and exclaimed. ''ybv
Marj0ry. you've been being kissed
Mother" said MarjOry, how can Won
speak OF such things before a strange
man2"
He IS acting Ike stranger. isn't
he?' shifted the lady of the house; are
You engaged?'
You'll have to ask him." said Mar
jory; Il don't really know"
why. yes, Mrs. Metcalf." answered
Phil, we are-I am sorry Marjory never
told you"
s.Vhv phil" exclaimed his s7roo+
/ heart you know we have never men,
toned il"
Mother she cried, don't you think
father must be lonely downstairs alone
should think you'd hate to leave him"
Mrs. Metcalf went and told her hus-
band who said he was delighted-that
he would rather have her marry a poor
man who promised well than rich one
who did not Phil stayed a week longer;
then begged Marjory to marry and so
with him. He was six feet three. but
he persuaded his little maid that he
could not live without her-that ioneli-
ness would be his undoing. So they were
married. not downstairs, as they ought to
have been, but up in the coy room
where he had first seen her in the nurse s
clothes.
Mr. Metcalf gave her away and Tom
was best nan, while Mrs MetcaIf stood
very near and smiled through misty
eyes. The little bride wore the white
dress with the open neck, and looked like
a morning-glory. In her hair she wore
no orange flowers. not even a "sunburst.
the gift Of the grOOm"-but she did wear
a mOth-eaten, much-used feather duster.
Copyrighted 1901. by NJ NJ Cunningham