The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-01-02

grace, the round tops OF the llVe-OakS,
the gloss of the orange groves, tho
Gala lily hedges and the heliotrope
and geranium trees which climbed
to the second story Of the stucco
houses, filled her with the enthusiasm
Of child She drank in the cries OF
the enterprising young liar who cried
Fresh figs" months out of season,
and she ate fruit, withered in cold
storage, with trustful zest. No less
than three books about the flora OF
California came out of her bag. A
certain vine called the Bougainvillea,
she was trying to find. if only the
cars would not go SO fast; as for poin.
settias, she certainly should raise her
own for Christmas. She was learned
in gardens and she discoursed with
Miss Smith on the different kinds OF
trumpetvine, and whether the white
jasmine trailing among the gaudy
clusters was Of the same family az
that Jasmine which they knew in the
pine forests. But she disparaged the
roses; they looked shop-worn. The
colonel watched her in amazement.
"Bertie, l make you think Of that
little dwarf of Dickens, don't II" she
cried. Miss Mullins, Muggins? what
was her name? You are expecting
me to exclaim, Amt volatile?'
Thank Heaven, am. could always
take an interest In trifles. 1t has
been my salvation to cultivate an in
terest in trifles, BERTHE; there are q
great many more trif1es than crises
in life. Where has Janet gone? Oh,
to give the porter the collodion for
his cut thumb. People with troubles,
big or little, are always making
straight for Janet. BERTHE, have you
made up your mind about herr"
"Only that she is charming" re-
piled the colonel. He did not change
color, but he was uneasily conscious
that he WINGED, and that the shrewd
old critic of life and manners per-
ceived it. But she was mercifully
blind to all appearance; she went on
with the little frown of the solver Of
q psychological enigma. Eyes, Janet
is charming; and why? She is the
stillest creature. Have you noticed?
Yet you never have the sense that she
hasn't answered you. She's the best
listener in the world; and there's one
thing about her unusual In most lis
teners-her eyes never grow vacant. "
Rupert had noticed; he called him
self doddering old donkey silently,
because he had assumed that there
was anything personal in the interest
of those eyes when he had spoken. OF
course not; it was her way with every
one, even Millicent, no doubt. His
aunt's next words we're lost, but SEN
tence caught his ear directly: For
all she's gentle, she has plenty Of
spirit. BERTHE, did ever tell you about
the time our precious cousin threw our
great-great-grandfather's gold snuff
box at her? No? It. was funny. She
flew into one Of her towering RACES,
and shrieking: Take that!' hurled
the snuff-box at Janet. Janet wasn't
used to having things thrown at her.
She caught the box, then she rang
the bell. Thank you very much says
Janet; and when old Aunt Phrosie
came. she handed the snuff-box to her
as. present. But she sent it that
same day to one of the sisters. There
was never anything else thrown at
her can tell you"
| They found wonderful sunset on
the bay when San Francisco was
reached. Still in her golden humor,
as they ratified over the cobblestones
OF the picturesque streets to the Pal
ace hotel, Mrs. Winter told anecdotes
of Robert Louis Stevenson, obtained
from friend who had known his
mother. Mrs. Winter had chosen the
Palace in preference to the St.
Francis, to Mrs. Melville's high dis.
gust.
"she thinks 1t more typical"
sneered Millicent: myself, I prefer
cleanliness and comfort to types"
Their rooms were waiting for them
and two bell-boys ushered Mrs. Winter
into her suite. Randall was lodged on
the same floor, and Mrs. Melville, who
was to spend few days with her
aunt on the latter's invitation, was on
a lower floor. The colonel had begged
to have Archie next to him; and he
examined the quarters with approba-
ton. His own room was the last of
the suite; to the right hand, between
his room and Archie's, was their bath;
then the parlor of Mrs. Winters suite
next her room and bath, and last to
the right, Miss Smiths room.
Archie was sitting by the window
looking out on the street; only the
oval of his soft boyish cheek showed.
The colonel went by him to the parlor
beyond, where he encountered his
aunt, her hands full of gay postal
cards.
Souvenirs de voyage" she answered
his glance; II am going to post them"
Cant take them for your"
mo, thanks, want the exercise"
"May 60 with you?"
Indeed, no. My dear BERTHE, I'm
only aged, I'm not inf1rm."
you will never be aged" responded
the colonel gallantly. He turned away
oil {ok