Middletown transcript., 1911-06-03
lady efusively.

feathers, right away.
Oh, you foolish boy! cried Mrs.
Rodney.Jackson. Let my girl
marry in hugger-mugge fashion?
No, indeed! 1t is the sweetest,
most beautiful experience in a
girls life-the picking up Of her
trosseau here and there, and get
ting ready, little by little, to make
a dear man like you happy.
Oh, no! Oh, no! I'd grant you
almost anything, Ramsey, but
not that. We will go back to
New York with you next week,
and I think in two months time
Bertha can be reay.
Two months! See here, Bertha,
you'll marry me at once, won't
you? Bother the trosseau! You
can get it afterWard.
Bertha laughed.
Isn't it funny, mamma, to see
blase Mr.. ScoVille so keen about
anythingH
But you will, won't you? per-
sisted her lover.
Oh, I would, but you don't
know mamma. I'm afraid we'll
have to yield to her desire for
fluffy rufies. You see, I repre-
sent the only chance she'll ever
have to blow trumpet before a
bride up the aisle!
Bother the trumpet! exclaimed
the ardent lover.
But Mrs. Rodney Jackson tri-
umphed. The next week saw
them installed in New York, and
bargain-hunting in the shops.
Bertha protested in vain when
her mother mortgaged her in
come for months ahead by her
lavish expenditures.
My dear, Mrs. Rodney-Jack-
son would answer firmly, I want
your wedding to be q notable
event. There will be little ways
after you are married in which
you can tighten my financial bur-
den's but you may never be mar
ried again, and I want it done de,
Gently and in order.
They were seen everywhere
with Ramsey Scoville. His de-
votion was exceptional. One
afternoon, on his way to take
them out to tea, he dismissed his
car at a jewelers., and went in to
order some trinkets sent to
Bertha. AS he crossed the ave-
nue., a little girl ran out from the
crowd and threw up her arms to
him.
Papa !Oh, Papa! she cried.
Gladys! Gladys!
Quite regardless of the amused
passersby, he lifted and gave her
a bear hug. To his dismay she
burst into tears. He signaled a
cab to escape the publicity.
I'll take her home safely,
he assured the astonished nurse.
It's my own papa! exclaimed
Gladys proudly.
Inside the cab. she forgot her
woes and prattled on, at last an
nouncingt
Mama will be so glad. She
cries and cries for you to come
home.
What! shouted Ramsey.
She never laughs any more,
but she will be my own mama
again when she knows I have
found you for her. Her lips
quivered pathetically. You won't
go away now ever and ever. will
you?
Ramsey evaded an answer un.
til the cab stopped. Then he said
Now, dearie, be papa's brave
little girl! He's going away again!
| Mama doesn't want him. You
have made a mistake.
No, no! she walled, tugging al
his hand. No mistake! Come
Come!
In order TO avoid a scene or
the sidewalk, Ramsey was fore
ed to enter the house. Then his
persistent little pilot dragged
him upstairs to Alicia's boudoir
Throwing open the door, she
cried:
Mama! Mama! / have found
papa! I brought him home!
From between portiers came
Alicia, startled, pale, but will
something in her eyes which
made Ramsey forget the world
It was fully ten minutes before
he recovered his senses, and de
clared:
By Jove, Alicia, I'm engaged
| I was going to be married.
Yon will find my writing mater
isls on that desk, she answered
| Wen ring for a messenger. Oh
you can't possibly marry an.
one else! I'd die without yo1
| now!
There was another rapturou
interval, but finally Ramse.
wrote the note.
To the outward eye, Mrs. Rod
ney-Jackson was aristocraticall,
game; but that night she retire.
early, and cried with the aban