Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1916-10-17


little figure makes Have made no ds6-
nite plans, but will write mother tonight
Please give my love to the prince Have
you seen todays Town TRUTH Or. worsa
has be seen II? Your loving daughtss,
MAUD.
A little later on. after he had cooled
of to a quite considerable extent. Mr..
Blithers lighted a cigar and sat down
In the hall outside his wife's bedcham-
Der door. She was having her beauty
nap. Not even he possessed the To-
merity to break in upon that he sat
and listened for the first sound that
would indicate the appeasement Of
beauty, occasionally hitchtng his chair
trife nearer to the door IN the agony
Of impatience. BY the time Jackson
returned from the village with word
that a copy Of Town Truth was not to
be had until the next day he was 80
close to the door that II any one had
happened to stick a hatpin through the
keyhole at precisely the right instant
it would have punctured his left ear
with appalling results.
What are we going to do about itT
he demanded three minutes after en-
tering the chamber. His wife was
PROSTATE on the luxurious couch from
which she had failed to arise when he
burst In upon her with the telegram In
his hand.
"Oh, the foolish child" she moaned.
"If she only knew how adorable he is
she wouldn't be acting in this perfect
ly absurd manner. Every girl who was
here last night is madly in love with
him. Why must Maud be 80 obsti.
nateT
Mr.. Blithers was very careful not to
mention his roadside experience with
the prince, and you may be sure that
he said nothing about his proposition
to the young man. He merely de-
clared, with vast bitterness in his
soul, that the prince was coming to
dinner. But what the deuce was the
use!
"She ought to be soundly-spoken
to-" said he, breaking the sentence
with hasty gulp. Nov, Lou, there's
just one thing to do. I must 90 to New
York on the midnight train and get
her. That woman was all right as a
tutor. but hanged II I like to see q
daughter Of mine traipsing around
New York with a schoolteacher.
She"-
You forget that she has retired on
competence. She is not in active en-
ployment. VIII. You forget that she is
one Of the Van Valkens."
There you 90, talking about good
old families again. Why is It that 30
blamed many Of your fine old blue
stockings are hunting jobs"-
"Now. don't be vulgar. WILL" she
cut In. maud is quite safe with Nj
randa. and you know 1t perfectly
we'll, 80 don't talk like that. I think
1t would be fearful mistake for you
to go to New York. She would never
forgive you and, what Is more to the
point. she wouldn't bulge a step II
you tried to bully her into coming
home with you. You know It quite
as we'll as do"
Maud's continued absence was ex-
planned to Prince Robin that evening.
not by the volcanic Mr.. Blithers. but
by his practiced and adroit better
half, who had no compunction In
ascribing 1t to the alarming condi-
ton of a very dear friend in New
York-one Of the Van Valkens. you
know.
"Maud Is 30 tender hearted, 30
byal. 80 really sweet about her
friends, that nothing in the world
could have induced her to leave this
dear friend, don't you know"
T am extremely sorry not to have
met your daughter" said Robin, very
politely.
"Oh, but she will be here in q day
or two, prince"
Unfortunately, we are leaving to
morrow, Mrs. Blithers."
"Tomorrow?" murmured Mrs. Bltth-
ers. aghast.