The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-03-15
CHAPTER v.
Compliments, Not Caresses,

steel herself against Rosie's future
husband. Never in her whole vaga-
bond, loveless life has such honest
human sunshine shone on her as
shines now in Roger, Temples smile
81 don't know about falling in love
but am sure Belinda and mean to
be friends, Rosie he says, advanc-
ing. do we not, my dear?"
And before she can find time to
put herself on guard, Captain Tenn
pies bronzed mustache has touched
her cheek. 1t is the kind of salu-
tation that could scarce, by the very
iciest prude, be stigmatized as kiss,
and yet 1t bears sufficiently marked
family resem blance to one to be I'M
pleasant in Rosie's sight.
TT really, Roger Belinda looks
so ridiculously younger than she ISL
Not biti" cries Roger, and now
ne rests his hand kindly on the little
girls shoulder. Belinda is fifteen
years old--you told me, did you not,
that she was fifteen? Well, and she
looks it. Don't mind Rosie, Belinda.
Rosie turns rusty at the thought OF
having grown-up daughter"
Il shall be seventeen the week
after next" says Belinda, holding up
her chin. II don't know what peo-
pie mean by taking me for child.
have certainly seen enough of the
world and its wickedness to make me
feel DID," she adds, with the accus-
toned hard little rebellious ring in
her voice.
Belinda will look different
trust Belinda will look totally differ
emit when she is properly dressed
says the widow, glancing down at her
own elegantly flowing draperies. 81
must really have serious talk with
Miss Burke about these short skirts. "
"Ah, but Miss Burke is not here to
be talked with, Rosie!" cries BeIin-
da, bent, it would seem, on disclosing
every obnoxious truth she can hit
upon. my natural guide and pro-
tector has been away in Spain week
or more, collecting facts for her book,
and I am knocking about alone. as
you SCENE and my dog Costa"
"Alone?" stammers Rosie, shocked
not so much perhaps at the fact it.
self as at having the fact exposed be-
fore Roger. you don't mean ac-
tually alone, my dear?"
well, no; have my chums, of
course, the fellows who were with
me in the street when you arrived.
Now. Rose" she goes on pitilessly,
tell the truth-were you or were
you not ashamed when you first saw
me?"
TT was surprised, Belinda" says
Rose, in her sweetest little feminine
treble. 1T is not usual in England,
you know, to see a girl of seventeen
wearing her dress above her ankles.
And then those fearful-what must
I call them, Belinda?-what do they
call those fearful door-mat things
you have on your feet?"
They call those fearful things al
pargetas in Spanish, espadrilles in
French" answers Belinda, coolly
holding out a ragged sandaled foot
for inspection. IF you played paume
on the pSt sand for hours together as
I do, you would be glad to wear es-
padrilles, Rose; yes, or to go bare
foot altogether, as ! do oftener than
not"
Our dear Belinda wants a year or
two of sound English training" she
remarks, in a tone that to Roger
sounds dove-like, but that Belinda re-
members and interprets only too we'll
THAT is the worst of continental ed.
ucation! One has to sacrifice sc
many good solid English qualities for
accomplishments. Still in these days
a girl must be accomplished. A
couple of years in select English
boarding-school will. have no doubt
render Belinda all that our fondest
wishes could desire"
Belinda, on the conclusion Of this
little TRADE, looks hard into her step.
mothers eyes for a moment or two;
then, shouldering her schistera, she
moves across to the door.
81 must be off," turning and be.
slowing a nod full of caustic mean.
ing on the lovers. "And unless you
want me to join some gang of wan,
dering gypsy players, as l have otter
thought Of doing, you had better moi
talk about Neutrality-suspicious. any more
MY accomplishments, Captain Tenn.
pie" looking with an air of mocl
modesty--"R talks of my accom-
plishments, for which the good sole
qualities have been sacrificed vii
tell you what they are, and you shall
say which I am best suited for-s
booth in Basque fair, or a selec
English boarding-school, Paumt
playing-'tis the same game, Mr.
Jones tells me, as your English fivel
-paumes," checking on each accom-
plishment on her dark, slim finger,
as she proceeds, ''bolero dancing, {
tolerable acquaintance with slang Ii
four languages"
Belinda"
"Oh! let me finish the list, Rose
Let me make the best of myself tina
] can in Captain Temples eyes. Bo
lero-dancing, slang, paume-of eacl
little. knowledge, learnt practi
cally, of how to keep myself and dos
on twenty sous a day board-wages
And a taste for bull-fights so strong
oh! so strong" this with unaffected
enthusiasm, that would sooner &
without meat for a fortnight AMI
church for year than miss tn,