The Dolores star., 1910-02-25

iou NouiuH Cdrpet tue Wills ana
the ceiling. If you come TO think OF 1t.
now could you?"
Il suppose you couldn't" admitted
Isabella. though she was evidently not
prepared for the idea that arithme-
tic carpet could possibly have any
characteristics OF ordinary domestic
carpet
Never mind. we'll soon put II
right" went on. encouragingly; ''it:s
the mistake l always used to make
myself"
Isabella stared at me with interest.
"Then-then were you really as stupid
as me?" she pursued.
Every bit as stupid I confessed.
Isabella shot out her legs an inch
or two further In the excitement Of
the moment; and the girl In front Of
her pulled forward her chair with the
dismal scrape characteristic of the
schoolgirl.
And did you hate it?" was lisa.
bella's next question.
Yes" | said, heartily, as I jotted
down a last correction over her shoul-
der.
You see what happens when peo-
pie teach subjects that are their weak
points, said the principal, at the end
of the term, when she read my re.
port of Isabella.
! had added another Ave years to my
age when | met Isabella the Second.
She was sitting on the drawing-room
floor. playing with her baby. as the
maid announced me: and I had mo-
nsnt In which to study her before she
turned around
do not quite know what had ex.
pected to see. l knew she had left
school three years ago. that she had
married almost Immediately, and had
been living abroad ever since. 1t was
the first time | had seen a pupil grow
Cr, and | wondered II 1t was always
done like that
How charming of you to come! Do
sit down." said Isabella. in the man.
ner of hostess of thirty. Let me
see, do you take sugar? l really for
get"
It was SO deliciously overdone that
] could not feel hurt. OF course. lisa.
bella had a husband and baby: and
Isabella's world just then held no
place for anybody who had neither
] fell into the situation with glee, and
prepared to enjoy 1t thoroughly.
Two Jumps. please, and the milk In
first" | answered.
On her way back to the tea.table
Isabella casually picked up the bundle
of white irills. Her attempt to look as
though 1t were quite ordinary thing
for bundles of white frills to be lying
about on peoples floors was also over.
done; and again fastened to meet
her halfway.
ut is surprising how few people
know the way to hold baby" re.
marked Isabella, when the white frills
had been borne of by a magnificent
nurse, and we could once more hear
ourselves speak. "Of course, 1t makes
a difference If you haven't got one
yourself" she added graciously.
I A sense of humor may do much;
but mine would not let me endure an.
other moment of this sort of thing, so
] made a diversion by asking her has.
/ tily If she had been to the pantomime
yet.
Isabella the First had adored panto.
mines. Isabella the Second looked
simply hurt at such suggestion.
Il could not possibly leave baby to
go anywhere" she explained. II don't
think much Of a mother who does not
give up everything for her child
It was too much. The picture Of the
first Isabella rose irresistibly in my
mind, and could not be effaced even
by the strenuous young woman who
sat in all her married splendor and
patronized me. Isabella did not quite
know what to make Of a visitor who
suddenly collapsed into fit of laugh.
ter. But the child had not lost her
instinct with all her other doggy quail.
I ties; and she soon broke into q
shamefaced laugh herself.
ITS all very WE'LL" she protested,
but you haven't got baby, have
! you?"
mo. my dear little girl, / have no
baby and no Richard, and nothing
nothing but a. dull and stu1y knowl.
edge of how much carpet to order
when you want to cover your walls
and your ceiling and your floor with
it," cried maliciously.
Swiftly there leaped into her eyes
a twinkle of mischief, and to my joy
I saw that Isabella the First had come
back into the room.
you don't even know that" she
chuckled. "Those sums Of yours ney
er allowed for the pattern!"
| ''Ah,' sighed, 80 you have discov
/ cred that too? Then. after ALL 1t is
the most ignorant pupil in my class
| who has found me out
What do you mean?' asked lisa
bella.
| had sudden inspiration to pay
back the debt of gratitude had owed
her for five years.
| '.There was nnce a teacher, I told