The Hickman courier., 1916-03-16

aible.
"what's come over the girl7" de-
mRnded Mr.. Bllthers. completely non
plussed. "She's never acted like this
before. Lou"
"Some silly notion about being
made laughing stock. gather.
said his wife. "IIeaven knows I've
talked 20 her TIL I'm utterly worn
out. She says she won't be bullied
into even meeting the prince. much
less marrying him. I've never known
her 10 be 40 plgheaded. Usually |
can make her see things in a sensible
way. She would have married the
duke. I'm sure. if-if you hadn't put
a stop 20 II on account Of his 30 called
habits. She
We'll. It's turned out for the best,
hasn't ~ Isn't prince better than
duke3"
You've said all that before. VIII. /
wanted her to run down with me this
morning TO talk the ball over with
Mrs. King And what do you think
hRppened?"
"She wouldn't gof''
Worse than that. She wouldn't let
me 20. Now. things are coming TO a
pretty pass when"-
Never mind. I'll talk TO her" said
Mr.. Blithers somewhat bleakly despite
his confident front "She loves her
old dad can do anything at all with
her"
She's on a irightfully high horse
lately" sighed Mrs. Blithers fretfully.
Tit can't be that young sooville.
can IT."
"If thought II was rd--Td"- There
is no telling what Mr. Blithers would
have done to young scoville at the mo
ment. for he couldn't think Of any.
thing dire enough to inflIct upon the
suspected moddler.
"In any event It's dreadfully upset
ting TO me, win. she-she won't lis.
ten 10 anything. And here's some
thing else-she declares she won't
stay here for the ball on Friday night"
Mr.. Blithers had her repeat II and
then almost missed the chair IN sit.
ting down. he was 30 prccipitous
about Il.
Wont stay for her own BALI" he
beloved.
"she says II ism, her ball." lamented
his wife.
III II isn't hers. in the name of sense
whose Il it?'
ASK her not me" nared Mrs. Blith.
ers. And don't glare at me like that. ["
"See here. Lou. I've got things fixed
10 that the Prince OF Groostuck can't
very well do anything but ask Maud
/ to-
That's just H." she exclaimed.
Maud sees through the whole ar.
rangement. win. She said last night
that she wouldn't be at all surprised II
you offered TO assume Graustarks debt
20 Russia In order to-
That's just what I've done, old girl. >
said he In triumph I'm have EN-
sewed up 80 tight by next week that
they can't move without asking me TO
loosen the strings And you can tell
Maud once more for me that III get
this prince for her if''-
"But she doesn't want him!"
"She doesn't know what she
wRntsl" he roared. "Where is she
toing on the day OF the ball?"
''To New York"
"By gad, Tll-Tll see about that"
BE- grated. "Ill see that she doesn't
cave the grounds N I have 10 nut
guards at every gate. SHE'S got 20 be
reasonable. What does she think I'm
putting sixteen millions into the
GraIstork treasury for? She's got to
stay here for the ball. Why. II would
be a crime for her to-but what's the
use Of talking about ~ She'll be
here. and she'll lead the grand march
with the prince. I've got II ALL
"Well. youll have TO talk 10 her.
I've done all that can do. She
swears she won't marry a man she's
never seen"
In order TO get on with the nara
tive. shall be as brief as possible in
the matter OF the Blltherwood ball.
In the frst place. mere words would
prove TO be not only feeble. but nc
tually out OF place. Any attempt "a
define the sensation OF awe by re-
course 20 a dictionary would put one
in the ridiculous position Of seeking
the unRttainable. The word has itl
meaning. of course. but the sensation
itself Is quite another thing. Az ev-
cry one who attended the ball waf
filled with awe. which he tried TO put
forward as admiration. the attitude
Of the guest was no more limp than
that OF the chronicler. In the second
place. am not qualified by expert.
ence or imagination to describe ball
that stood It's promoter not a penny
short OF one hundred thousand dol.
lars. believe could go as high as q
fifteen or even twenty thousand dol.
lar affair with some sort OF intelli.
gence. but anything beyond those fg-
ures renders me void and useless.
Mr.. Bllthers not only ran q special
train dc luxe from New York city
but another from Washington and
still another from Newport. for IL up
4