Year: 1875

piece of ice between us"


IF I have been rude, please forgi,


me, Miss Este. There is nothing
t would not doto keep your friendship
9 Even so much as to give Larry
o beating for telling you he had bee
!, courting Ann" she saucily replied.


Miss Lynn, l believe you deligl
h to recall every unpleasant occurrenc


of the past, he said again stifly.
, "Then you are off again like 20
were going to snap my head off. Yo
, call me Miss Este when you are in
good humor and Miss Lynn when yo
are vexed. lam going to call you MI
Dick all the time, say what you will.
That's bargain. I'll see that yol
do it"


Here is my hand, let us go I,
dinner, / see they are moving in tina
direction; besides l have monito
that teaches me it is that time of day,
Este gaily gave Dick her hand, h,
took it. drew it within his arm and fol
lowed the rest out to the dining room


Este Lynn delighted to play cat anG
mouse with those whom she loved, but
to those whom she had no regard, she
was as proud as if she never engaged
in the pleasant satire of friendship
IF Dick LeMays had studied her tenn
permanent and disposition as closely, as
he had to appear serious and earnest
he would have seen the vein of her
humor; many sharp words and wound
ed feelings would have been spared
him.


As soon as they arrived Maj. Lynn
compelled Dick to bring up his valise
and make his house his stopping place
during his stay. Three days passed Of
their visit. Days to Dick that par
took of the character of May and
March. Este first frightened his way
by the glorious sunlight of hope. and
made itsweet by the fragrant flowers of
expected happiness, only to darken it
by the clouds of vexation and laugh
ing Indifference. Days thatsometimes
were radianly bright, then dismally
gloomy. One day Este told Dick she
was going to introduce him to his fu-
ture destiny, in the person of q most
beautiful young lady who was going to
spend several days with her, and who
lived some miles in the country.


Now, Mr.. Dick, you are to under
stand that you must do precisely as l
tell you"


II am all obedience to your COM
mands, what are they ?"


1.-The first and greatest is, that you
fall desperately in love with her, for l
assure you, you need some one to cure
you of those terrible ugly ways that
you sometimes get into. and | know of
no one more likely to succeed in so
difficult an undertaking as Virginia
Willard"


"Why have you not taken lessons
from her Miss Este? I believe you
need the same kind of treatment" "


THAT shows that you are no judge of
human nature. | am amiability per-
sonifed."


when am 1 to see this paragon of
perfection7 want to see what man
ner of teacher l am to have"


"She will be here tomorrow morn
ing"


Suppose, Miss Este. .theyoung lady
will not fall in love with me, then there
is possibility of my being in love
with some one else"


Este threw up her hands in feigned
horror as she replied. you in love, l
l never heard of the young lady. Pray
tell me is she pretty? is she tall and
stately or is she petite and charming?
Do please tell me all about it; though
if it is so my friend will be broken
hearted, and 1 will pine into a shadow
over the ruin of the grandest
scheme of my life"


Miss Este certainly takes great in
terest in my matrimonial prospects"
said Dick.


II most certainly do. Yet, l don't
believe you thank me for it; but it is
always so with disinterested friend
ship"


"Oh 1 thank you for your consider
ate kindness and / know should be
under obligations, but l want to see
the young lady before | acknowledge
any gratitude"


"Mr. Dick you look at cousin Albert;
when l tell him to do thing he does it
and does not jump at me and say you
little vixen I'd see you hung first.
Pity but every man was just like him."


80 say 1, do you not wish that your
kinship was few degrees further re-
moved?"


why so ?"


"You then could have him entirely
as your own"


but don't intend to do it anyhow.
He is going to be an old bachelor,
good one you know, and l am peculiar
ly adapted to wear the cap and make
prime old maid. Do you not think
SOP"


Yes, very" drily replied Dick.


You are horribly dissagreeable to-
night, Mr.. Dick. join papa and cousin
Albert in a smoke. You will find them
on the porch believe, maybe it will re-
store you to your good humor," said
Este as she arose to leave the room.


"Iassure you, Miss Este, l am in the
best possible humor. How could be
else when am to see so much lowell
ness in the morning?"


You are returning to your senses,
which you reach only by complying
emphatically with my commands"


As Este left the parlor, Dick arose
and said:


What a troublesome, sweet, mean
| L.