| Show the h e PC Persi r S i s an aLii alg U 9 that rug was a perfect aulener aUl ati inner ell all gorgeous rich blues and greens ith a background of a moat most beautiful ter nc ra cottar ottar crimson it had been made expressly for us ns as nita explained proud proudly y to the greasy oriental who however did not seem a bit impressed with the information but persisted in the extremely low price he had offered us ns at the tha beginning an absurdly low price yet one to which wo we finally lad to agree for both nita and I 1 I 1 were firmly resolved on one ono fhlug we e would go to sirs birs stephensons Stophen sone house party arty it would probably be our last bit of fun with the old crowd henceforth we would have to forego society and earn our own livings U 7 we hated the idea ideal for mis st in tons sons house party one of course bied cd ed new now gowns etc and in quence iu enco money now since sirce a most afkind guardian cousin not angel had invested our email small fortune in such a way that it cot not only became smaller but tut was finally lost act to view ea entirely we were penniless and when we e decided we must sell something at once the discovery was made that no one thing in the house would bring more than tho the rug 1 having the better business head of us two dl 1 tho the most of the bargaining I 1 argued the oriental stood firm I 1 argued again and sue succumbed nita boro bare up brave 17 until the man maa began counting tho the money out to cue me then with one ono he howl tle he flew from the room slamming the door after her well we went to the hauso party I 1 would have had a good time it if 11 aa BOI rot been for nita she spelled everything each evening while wo we dressed for dinner she would scold mightily each night she would sob herself to leep sleep and me to wakefulness and through all the scold hals and the tears wept the refrain our rug our dear beautiful bugl then one evening some little timo time after the dressing bell tad lad rung nita carne in fromi from I 1 dont know where she had bad a fearful sunburn on and was to 80 mussy and on my timidly suggesting her hurrying a bit she was aimlessly gazing into the mirror ehe she turned to me with tho the see sweetest test geu gen blest mt smile stalle and said I 1 know it dear I 1 nearly fainted not being as acquainted with nita as I 1 am you yau may not lot appreciate this I 1 can say ay it 11 bent like her of course I 1 was lied led by the change but thought sho night inight hae hane realized there time to scold then that I 1 would hi re ye double measure at the next opportune FF V f W jav w JL A perfect stunner tun ncr fly ty I 1 had no doubt but no bedtime ful came aai and no or tear tea such a relief I 1 yet hours after was asleep beep I 1 lay aalke thinking what could tt it mean alag alas no licht jawnyj on me the next morning nita being late the rug was men ly boned the first biting but ao so different dear old nig rug she eald said gaspingly she war being hooked into her go that perhaps at it 0 ig Is just si na as wel el henrietta I 1 started that we keep it L A house i party Is reihe good fun bhe continued yacht jhb 6 next day we e didd on board a and I 1 til 1 bedtime see nita alone uni rt bat lual oble 1111 she exclaimed 8 a bally time ume hen ilen h I 1 felt hurt so would I 1 have had from tho the start if yes klow you yon poor dear she eald said it if I 1 bean boon so very horrid about the rug but now im not am I 1 for im really awfully glad about it idill but the next day was the strangest of all nita speak to me once while we were dressing 1 I was rather glad being late myself that day sue she speak but her face fairly beamed at bed time she was still beaming 4 C V 1 I know it dear and still silent she may have said sald good night but I 1 doubt it tl I 1 was awakened from such a nice dream by somo some vague tague thing abw th WM mas I 1 fancy similar to being murdered I 1 sat up in bed and ceilea oiled oh glory henrietta keep q quiet ulet eald said my sweet sister trying to do d the othello act acl nothings the matter I 1 only wanted to talk to you she had wakened mo me by pulling my hair out one hair at a time seems to me you might wait until jr I 1 spid slee sleekly ply no I 1 cant nita waa was sulky ob oh henretta henrietta she shook me this time really nita Is very strong for a little thing do be a dar dear and wako wake up I 1 have something to tell you she yelled this last in my car evidently forgetful of her warning to me a while awhile before I 1 got cot cross ob oh nita what Is the mutter matter im so clocy nita wept oh dear ob dcarl dearl I 1 have bave no one to tell but you and youre so to apathetic mpa tell me dear I 1 eald said sitting up alas alast I 1 must hare have shown chown too much alacrity and aud eagerness for manner changed immediately 1 I dont know hy by I 1 should said my lady you dont want to know 1 I enow I 1 dont dear said 1 I trying to sound bound rell relieved eved good night and in a few moments I 1 snored snared a thing I 1 never do really nita suspect though A long pause I 1 had bad ceased my snoring but sleep was really begin ning to get the best of me though I 1 was pinching myself black and blue then are you awake henrietta came cam in a very subdued voice from the darkness I 1 almost said no so anxious was I 1 abat ab at jt my diplomacy 1 11 I 1 I would like to tell you henri etta but my heart sank but I 1 don t know how to begin here I 1 heard something very like a giggle smothered in a pillow now even as a schoolgirl l nita had never been guilty of giggling t Hor Is 1 it an anything thing about the rug dear I 1 suggested I 1 IlE indeed deed nol no camo came the indignant answer another silence then perhaps it Is about tae toe rug after all Il henrietta enrietta yes this very sleepily mi m I 1 mean if I 1 we sold it we hava come and if it we come why then 0 0 Il henrietta enrietta bes ho awfully fond of me and I 1 guess I 1 like him 11 lies les they were giggles I 1 never would hare have believed it of her never I 1 waa was evidently supposed to be sympathetic which under the circumstances was bird I 1 me least idea who aboe ue was wast I 1 to tell tha anith 1 noticed nita bucl at the tha bouse I 1 party being but never mind hea iles so nico nice and tull this was merely to say something som thing anything all ot of tho the bait half dozen men were tall four of them unmarried and only one ono of them ena enraged aged to my knowledge ha ile was ono of 0 the other three then I 1 tried in vain to remember the colors ot of their eyes lant her be acquiesced nita joyfully ho he has a lovely name I 1 ven aured such a lovely name said bald nita and then I 1 thought I 1 knew for one on a mid the first name of at john another the last name of at smith nita had nl al ways avs hated the first name of 0 john and the last name ot of smith smitha 1 vms as quite sure nf myself now 1 grew grow very bold A stunning name reginald eginald It haugh ton henrietta what hat are you about you dont glinik you can t think im engaged to that foell how could yon ob oh but you poor dear I 1 tn sant blame you how coul aoud you have eyes for 1 I tell what she said such a foolish child well tell you im engaged to howland smith and I 1 im ro very glad good night the next morning they went up to town to buy some cotillon favors nita told mo me they were alao also going to buy the rug bac kIve told him all about it and he says we must have it for our house it was as spoken with a capital airl they came bade back on an afternoon train I 1 went across tho the lawn to meet them the rue rug was bought by whom do you think thick that horrid mra alra Ard bid but I 1 dont care said nita smiling sweetly nt at us one of us especially as she turned toward the house she has the most beautiful disposition in the world said the lucky man looking alter attar her fondly 0 0 0 tonight to night the last one of tho the house party nita told me with glee 1 I bavo have made a discovery his whole name Is 13 john howland smith and as I 1 dont want v ant to call him what every one elgo also does im going to call him john johnt I 1 maud virginia thompson in boston herald |
