The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-04-29
A
ADVERTISEMENT
BY Ethel Eiay Shorey.

And SILL they come! oACldlueo
Willis Clayton as he entered his
airy little Office in the Oxford build.
Ing and saw the package Of envelop-
es on his desk. Large envelopes and
small OF all, tints and shades, and
with a few exceptions each highly
perfumed. cts a duce Of q nuis-
Rnce now he mutkred as he tore
open envelope after envelope, merely
glancing at the contents and invari-
ably giving each a toss into the
waste basket, with curling lips.
"Twenty-four this noon, that makes
119 in three days-119 foolish girls!
All, this one inclosed the notice It.
self, "A young bachelor. good looking
plenty Of money, desires to com
municate with eligible young lady
matrimony. Address Clay. P. o.
U.s.
when Jack made the bet with
me I scorned the idea that any girl
would be unmaidenly enough to even
think of answering such a nonsen'
steal advertisement. Well. I've lost:
and a box Of good cigars go:s to
him evidently. At first 1t was inter
esting, then amusing, and now, we'll,
rather disgusting." Suddenly ne
paused, staring incredulously at a
photograph he had just taken from
a plain little envelope-a smiling
sunny face returned his gaze, and
two big trusting eyes, shaded by
wavy hair falling about a high fore
head, looked into his.
at isl" ne exclaimed at last with
q deep breath. "Sbe was the last one
In the world I thought would sto Up
to such a thing, but there can be
no mistake" and he stared long and
earnestly at the picture, entirely ig-
noring the accompanying letter.
"How many times does a fellow
have to rap to be admitted to this
sanctum %sanctorum?" asked a merry
voice as It's owner put his head In
side the door.
Beg pardon. Frank, didn't hear
YOU" answered Clayton, slipping the
picture of that sweet face under a
pile Of papers. did you knock"
Did knock! Several times, my
dear boy. Aren't you feeling we'll?
Look az II you'd seen a ghost. Who
ls-she?'.
well, 1t Is a she this time" Clay
ton la~ughingly replied, land I don't
even know ner name. Your acqualn-
lance among the fair sex Is not as
limited as mine; perhaps you can as
sist me. I see her nearly every morn
ing, as early as $50 or 7 o'clock. on
horseback riding through Westbury
street-a beautiful girl with fluffy
brown hair"
Wears a gray habit, doesn't she1'
interrupted Frank, a strange little
CLEAN in his eyes.
Eyes, yes, do you know herr"
"If it's the one I think, you must
be referring to my cousin, and II
you've been putting her on a pedes-
tai you cant make it a bit too high"
Your eousin!"
Yes, and the dearest, sweetest,
little tning you eve saw. Are you
coming to sis party? suppose you
have received her invitation?'
mo, but l haven't been all through
my mail yet-why?"
Because Queenie will be there
and III introduce you. Her real
name Is Marjorie, but we've always
called her Queenie on account of the
imperious, yet modest. little ways
she has"
Imperlous-modest! Involuntarily
Clayton's hand fumbled with the pile
of letters underneath which lay the
picture face of this girl, giving the
lie direct to her cousins eulogy.
There's Kits invitation now; l
know her writing" exclaimed Frank
digging a plain little envelope from
the pile. Haven't you read it YETI"
Hadn't seer it BEFORE" responded
Clayton.
Been opened" replied Frank. un-
tremendously dragging forth the
folded paper. As he scanned the
lines a bewildered look stole across
his face. What the dickens" he
began, then stopped, the light Of un-
derstanding superseding his bewild-
erment, which ended In a hearty
laugh. lone on SIS" he cried. Hear
this: Mr.. Philip Hanscomb, artist:
Dear Sir--Inclosed find the photo
graph l wish copied life size. and
about which I spoke to you yester-
day. Sincerely. Katherine Ellis.
Don't you see what she's done?
Wrong envelopes! Kit vas going to
have Queenie's picture copied as a
surprise for her father and mother,
and she mixed your invitation up
with the letter to the artist. Good
Joke, isn't it? l wonder where she
sent the photo"
And again ne laughed heartily,
while the rapidity with which Clay
ION set his pedestal" up again would
have done credit to the swiftest ex-
press. ever known. But he wouldn't
part with that picture, and so failed
20 enlighten Frank.
"Ill> see you get your invitation"
Frank said as he started for the
door, then, as an afterthought, by
the way, speaking Of my cousin.
want to tell you the most nonsensical
thing she ever did to my knowledge
taken a decided interest in a good