The Washington herald., 1909-04-11

IRON Punch.
Am disgracefuly latee" whispered
Phyllis mother 10 our mother. as she
came into the church alone. phyllis is
staying with an aunt in Australia 7
had fve letters from Australia, and
simply had 10 read them all before
could start"
Really" whispered our mother with
unfeigned interest
YES. i've" said Phyllis mother.
beaming- And 7 do hope your rheuma-
tism is better
PHYLLIS is engaged" said our mother
to 10 at lunch.
AT last" said Sister Amy. How re-
Heved Phyllis mother VIII be- said
Sister Marcy. How do you know
said Z
Phyllis mother told me that she had
FIVE letters from Australia this morn
ing. said our mother. as II no further
evidence was required.
But" said J.
7 could see BY the way she said it.
OF course. she IS engaged"
"Of course she IS" said Amy
OF course. said Marcy. Thereupon
withdrew, as I was clearly intended 70
withdraw from active part IN the CONVEX
sation.
"One OF the letters would be from
Phyllis" said Amy. written before he
proposed she would say that il was still
raining and she was enjoying herseii
frighfuily and didn't want TO come home
a Bit She would write that in the aft
ernoOn. and they would go out and post
IL together. On the way back ne would
propose. and she would write another let
ter TO catch the same mail They would
go out and post that together. She
would be so pleased that she wouldn't
mind the extra stamp a bit. and lie
would think il WAS the incest piIlar-box
he had ever seen.
Two" said MARY The third would
be from him. saying what a lucky man
he was. and what a sweet girl PHYLLIS
was. and might he come 20 England 10
see Phyllis mother, and Phyllis said II
he did he would fan more IN love with
her than he vas with her, and what a
sweet girl Phyllis was, and what a
/ lucky man he was.
The fourth would be from the aunt.
telling Phyllis mother all about his
family. with just a postscript 10 say
! how glad Phyllis mother will be. and
what blow IL viii be 20 lose her daush-
ter
The fifth would be from the uncle.
with tust a few words about the finan-
ciaI position and all the res, about his
cold
Whose coId?'' I asked
The uncle's. OF course. I suppose
Phyllis mother win write 10 Phyllis.
saying she cannot bear the idea OF losing
her"
Having sent her out for no other pur-
pose"'
and though she doesn't want
TO spoil Phyllis happiness she cannot
/ promise anything yet. Then she viii
write TO him letter. more kind than
enthusiastic, saying what a treasure
/ Phyllis is, and that she does not know
whether she can see her way 70 parting
with her daughter"
Isn't it possible2" said I. boldly,
mo. Il isn't snapped Amy. Leave
him alone; he is only man. wish he
would go on overeating himself. and not
/ interfere in things he doesn't under
stand. What shall we weer2'
Ny sister went to tea with the De
Wintons IN the afternon with intent
! and the De Wintons always sup with the
Priestleys on Sunday nights. Violet
Priestley IS engaged TO Jack Hammond
and I met Grace Hammond IN town on
| Monday afternoon.
II have some news for YOU" she said,
If you VIII promise not 10 tell a soul
I oughtn't really to tell any one, but you
are different" I did not promise any
thing. but that did not seem 10 make
any difference. Phyllis is engaged
Isn't X a good thing? Fancy IL she had
/ been sent out all the way 70 Austria
| for notii ingr'
''Or worse still, TO Australia" said J.
! He is a tan. dark man with a black