The Washington herald., 1914-05-31
DAILY SHORT STORY.
MADn6omE11z z1lErTE.
By ELLA RANDALL PnAnCE.

when am not here, directed Nine.
Fiateau. lofty. you may iesve the
flowers with Mile. EAsefte- s.
The new delivery man for Hailock Z
Co.. florists. bowed civflly enough. but
his eyes royed arotind the luxurious In
terror Of the littis chop IN . way that
could scarcely be called humble. He
was slightiy awed but also amused By
the pretentious veneer OF both the shop
and its mistress
Nine. Flatead-um! more like Fia-
herty. II the truth were known" he was-
saying. to himself. Gee! the way folks
spend money in pisces like this. No
wonder We can have flowers on our Ia
bles every day"
For. early every day. the imposing
black and geld delivery vehicle Of Hal
lock q Co. stopped before the door OF
the white and silver millinery shop OF
Nine. Plateau, and the natural bloom OF
roses, carnations and other products OF
the garden ana greenhouse We'd with
the artificial posies that glowed behind
the plate glass doors OF the showcases.
Tom Boyd was not accustomed 10
aristocratic surroundings. He feft nig
and clumsy and somehow uncomferf-
able in the seemed atmosphere OF Nine.
Flateau's shop. Deep-piled. pale gray
carpets yielded to his steps: mirrored
panels rejected the many rose-shaded
figures in marble. curved upward TO-
ward mysterious. tapestry-curtained
lights; deiicately upholstered chairs
were drawn before siik-hung recesses;
rear stairway. danked by classic
regions. And. while Tom stood awed
by the pink and white and silver spien-
dor. aiyision appeared at the stairway's
head and drifted gracefully toward
him.
II was a young figure. but the fash
ionable veneer Of madame herself was
set at naught by the fashionable veneer
that cverlaid the youthful person Of this
new arrival A siiken gown made In
an extreme style draped the tall, slight
form. A wonderful auburn coiffure crown
ed the small head. Her immobiie face
suggested the pink and white wax lady
that graced the front window. With slow,
automatic steps she approached. and her
voice sounded sweetly chilly.
You may leave the boxes. here. boy.
Boy. Tom gigsied In his throat and
bowed civiIiy again. So this was Mile.
Lisette. She certainly looked as II she
had been made to order for the wonderful
pink, and white and silver shop He
fingered, 10th to go. Such magnificent.
regaliy poised youth fascinated him. She
reminded him of fairy princess In a
book.
'.Do-do you want me to help you un-
pack them. Mile LisetteT- he stammer-
ed.
NO; II is nothing. will attend to
them myself" replied the fairy princess.
grandly.
Tom backed away and shut the lace
paneled door softly. Gee, What nerve
~ Cd
Lisette coulc give lessons In department
to the Four Hundred"
The next morning Tom Boyd approach
ed the millinery shop eagerly. Yes: there
she was, trailing her silken draperies
over the pale gray carpet: but, beyond
a precisely given order for the morrow.
there were no words spoken. 1t was
week later before Mile Lisette seemed
TO be conscious of the frank. wondering
stare Of the young man from Hallock &
Co.
You're new on this route. aren't your
she said graciously., as II she had just
realized that fact.
"Yesm, I'm the new boy Tom grin
ned and as his companion looked up
quickly, he saw that her eyes were very
blue and very soft They did not seem
to belong to her. they were SO human.
They made Tom feel suddenly embold-
ened.
Say. mam'selle. do you like II here?"
why. certainly" Her eyes widened-
at Is beautiful Why not?''
II don't know" Tom glanced help
lessly around 1T strikes me as sorter
unreal-like a show. you know. I'd
choke II I had to stay in here all day."
He often thought of Mile. Lisette after
that He could see her bowing and
smiling. to the naughty patrons OF the
little shop, and trying on hats-all day
long trying on hats, and walking up and
beside the fiower-decorated tables.
Some times when he made his early
morning calls. he fancied that her blue
eyes wore a more friendly expression:
but II he tried to begin e conversation
she discouraged him with languid re-
sponses or a faint aioof smile
Boyd" said his employer. late one
afternoon. here's a wreath to be de-
livered in Pine street; an order left
by a settlement worker. for child's
funeral Our wagons never go down
there: but it's on your way home"
Sure; I'll take 1t along" agreed
Tom.
He was hungry. so he went home first
to dinner and started out TO deliver
the wreath in the early evening. The
house was a tall. plain tenement dwell
ling in a humble street At the first
door Tom stopped to inquire his way.
I'm looking for" he began: then |
paused with eyes and mouth open. A |
young girl had responded to his knock |
ing, and she was gazing at him with |
eyes that were very blue and very soft |
He saw a tumbled mass of auburn hair |
and a smile that widened as he stared. A |
simple dress of checked lawn and a
ruffied white apron completed his bewild- |
erment
Yes: it's me. Mr.. Boyd" announced
a voice cheerily.
Mr. Boyd. Tom drew up his broad
shoulders importantly. What are you |
doing down here? Oh. l see. Poor little
chap--Miss weatherby was awfully fond
Of him. and he was the pet Of the house.
Upstairs two flights. And stop on your
way out, will you? I've been telling
ma about you: and she wonders IL you're
related to the Boyds of Barnesat."
That I am said Tom, promptly. He
spent the next hour in a daze. With a
a cordial middle-ased woman he was dis
cussing his rural relatives. and all the
time his gaze was SET on the girlish. un-
assuming figure of Mile. Lisette at home.
He noticed how impulsive and unaffect-
ed were her birdlike motions: how full i
and sweet the girlish tones. She sat in
a little rocker before him, with her chin
resting upon aer cupped palms. Her
blithe chatter alternated with the more
practical remarks Of her mother. Be-
meath the sociable influences that per-
meated the cosy room. Tom found him.
new position: his bright prospects for
naf L.