The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-07-06

note in the middle OF them, and no
body could see it."
.Rippin' idea. That's Just where I
wanted the violets to go when bought
them on the chance. She likes vio-
lets better than any flowers" said the
gentleman
With that he took them out of his
huttonhole and gave them TO her.
Then he looked cautiously round the
trunk. The pretty girl was watching
him covertly. He held out the note
for her to see and pointed to Polly
DOLLY. Pollyooly united the violets with
deft fingers; set the note in the mid
die of them and tied them up again.
The pretty girl watched her with
sparkling eyes.
Then she looked at the pretty girl
thoughtfully, and said: II may as we'll
do 1t now, sir"
Right you are. She's tumbled to
it all right" said the gentleman
eagerly. When you've given them to
her, walk straight on, and I'll catch
you up"
Pollyooly rose, took the Lump by
the hand, and sauntered towards the
pretty girl. Two yards from her she
said to the Lump. Give these flowers
to the pretty lady, Lump dear. And
she gave him the violets.
The Lump toddled up to the chairs.
But he was of too tender years to be
a judge of female beauty; and he pre-
sented the violets to the sour-faced
dowager.
She shifted in a manner we are lit
tie used to associate with our arts
tocracy, and eyed the gift with cold
scorn. The pretty girl bent hastily
forward and took them
Thank you, you dear little boy"
she said.
''Grizel! What thing to dol" cried
the mother. Taking flowers from a
red-headed little beggar! They're in
fictitious! I'm sure of it, Throw them
away at once:"
Hes quite clean little boy; and
the violets are quite fresh" said the
pretty girl; and she put the shilling
she had ready into the Jumps fat
little hand
"A shilling!" cried her mother. "A
shilling for tupenny bunch Of VIC
lets! II that's the way you waste your
allowance. no wonder you're always
hard up at the end of the month! Be
sides. it's encouraging begging bare
faced begging"
ooh, I'm sure they aren't beggars!
Look how clean they are" said the
pretty girl.
Say thank you Lump DEAR" said
Pollyooly.
The Lump said Tank 'oo": and
Pollyooly drew him hastily away. She
of &l- 60 La
should recover the shilling
She walked quickly; and hundred
yards further on (well out of sight
IF the sour-faced one) the gentleman
caught them up.
BY Jove, the way you worked 1t
was marvel" he cried. Il tell you
what: where do you live? You might
10 1t again for me. l want it done
badly"
I'm Mr. Rufin's housekeeper; and
live with him at rs The Kings
Bench Walk in the Temple" said
Pollyooly proudly.
He pulled out his betting-book and
wrote down the address. Il wonder
If your Mr.. Rufin is the Honorable
John he said. He does live in the
Temple
"All his tradesmen call him the
Honorable John Ruffin till they lose
their tempers; and there's only cat
between him and peerage-he says
there is said Pollyooly.
"A cat2" said the gentleman mystifed.
Because a cat has nine lives-he
says it has" said Pollyooly.
That's the Honorable John all
right" said the gentleman. Tell him
I'm going to borrow you. I'm Cap
tain Croome-Basil Croome; and my
present address is Knightsbridge Bar
racks"
He pulled handful of money out
Of his pocket, gave her half-a-crown,
thanked her warmly for the service
she had rendered him, shook hands
with her, and turned back to feast his
eyes once more on his lady-love.
Pollyooly continued her homeward
course in very contented frame of
mind. The three and sixpence was in
deed windfall. She felt that it JUS
tilted her In spending twopence on
bus which took them all the way
to the Temple, instead of carrying the
Lump to Piccadilly Circus, and taking
one there for a penny. Also she spent
three-pence on cakes for their birth
day tea.
The next morning, when the Honor
able John Ruffin was eating the bacon
she had SO carefully and skilfully
grilled for him, and she was collect
ing the garments with which, as al
ways, he had bestrewn his sitting
room in the course of selecting his
morning toilet, she said:
Please, sir, | met a gentleman who
knows you in the Park yesterday; and
he told NE to tell you he was going
to borrow me. He gave me whole
half-crown for giving lady a letter
in bunch of violets-at least the
Lump did. And she gave him shill-
ing. His name is Captain Croome. and
he lives in Knightsbridge Barracks
The Honorable John Ruffin gasped
and set down his knife and fork. My
dear Mrs. Bride" he said-he always
Insisted that since she was a house
keeper she must be called Mrs. Bride
II am aware that the art Of boiling
down romances for popular consumr-
ton is highly esteemed and lucrative.
But I'm not popular. and do not suf-
fer from consumption. Do you think
you could narrate this romance In Its
unabridged form? Could you tell me
all about it?"
Pollyooly told him the events of the
afternoon at full length dwelling