Show the ir persian e rs ian BIL itsu u that rug was a perfect stunner all gorgeous rich blues and greens with a background of a most beautiful ter ra bottary crimson it had been made expressly for us as nita explained proudly 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 at the beginning an absurdly low price yet one to which we finally had to agree for both nita and I 1 were firmly resolved on one thing we would go to mrs stephenson s house party it would probably be our last bit of 0 fun with the old crowd hence forth we would have to forego society and earn our own livings how we hated the idea for mrs stephen son s house party one of course need ed new gowns etc and in conse quence money now since a most unkind guardian cousin not angel had invested our small fortune in such a way that it not only became smaller but was finally lost to view entirely gewere we were penniless and when we de aided we must sell something at once the discovery was made that no one thing in the house would bring more than the rug I 1 having the better business head of us two did the most of the bargaining I 1 argued the oriental stood firm I 1 argued again and succumbed nita bore up brave ly until the man began counting the money out to me then with one howl she flew from the room slamming the door after her well we went to the house party I 1 would have had a good time it if it had noi not been for nita she spoiled every thing each evening while we dressed for dinner she would scold mightily each night she would sob herself to sleep and me to wakefulness and through all the scold ings and the tears swept the refrain our rug our dear beautiful rug then one evening some little time after the dressing bell had rung nita came in from I 1 don dont t know where she had a fearful sunburn on and was so 60 mussy and on my timidly suggest ing her hurrying a bit she was aim lessly gazing into the mirror she turned to me with the sweetest gen blest smile and said I 1 know it dear I 1 nearly fainted not being as well acquainted with nita as I 1 am you may not appreciate this I 1 can only say it aan t like her of course I 1 was aled by the change but thought she might have realized there wasn gasn t time to scold then that I 1 would have double measure at the next opportune opp ity I 1 had no doubt but no bedtime came and no or tear ful such a relief yet hours after nita was asleep I 1 lay awake thinking what could it mcana mean alas no light dawned on me the next morning nita being late the rug was men the first thing but so different ly 1 dear old rug she said gaspingly she was being hooked into her gown perhaps it Is just as we I 1 henrietta that that we didn dian t keep it I 1 started A house party is rather good fun isn t it she continued the next day we dined on board a yacht and I 1 didn dian t see nita alane un til bedtime oh I 1 in having a bully time hen she exclaimed I 1 felt hurt so would I 1 have had from the start it if yes I 1 know you poor dear she said if I 1 hadn haan t been so very horrid about the rug but now I 1 in not am ta te perfect stunner I 1 for im I 1 m really awfully glad about it but the next day was the strangest of all nita didn dian t speak to me once while we were dressing 1 I was raer rather glad being late myself that day she speak but her face fairly beamed at b bed ed time she was still beaming V and still silent she may have said good night but I 1 doubt it I 1 was awakened from such a nce dream by some vague thing that was I 1 fancy similar to being murdered I 1 sat up in bed an I 1 yelled oh glory henrietta keep quiet said my sweet sister trying to do the othello act nothings the matter I 1 only wanted to talk to you she had wakened me by pulling my hair out one hair at a time seems to me you might wait until morning I 1 said sleekly no I 1 cant can t nita was sulky oh henrietta she shook me thi this time really nita Is very strong tor for a little thing do be a dear and wake up I 1 have something to tell you she N 01 I 1 know it dear yelled this last in my ear evidently forgetful of her warning to me a while awhile before I 1 got cross oh nita what Is 1 the mattera I 1 ira in so sleepy nita wept oh dear dearl oh dear I 1 have no one to tell but you and youre you re so unsympathetic tell me dear I 1 said sitting up alas I 1 must have shown too much alacrity and eagerness for nita s man ner changed immediately I 1 don t know why I 1 should said my lady you don t want to know I 1 know I 1 don t dead dea said I 1 trying to aund bound relieved good night and in a few moments I 1 snored a thin thing I 1 never do really nita t suspect though A long pause I 1 had 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 7 9 came in a very subdued voice from the darkness I 1 almost said no so anxious was I 1 about my diplomacy 1 I 1 I would like to tell you ou 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 nita had never been guilty of giggling horrors Is it anything about the rug dear I 1 suggested kindly indeed no came the indignant answer another silence then perhaps it is about the rug after all Henr henrietta reetta yesa this very sleepily he I 1 mean if we haan t sold it we couldn coulden t have come and it if we hadn haan t come why then 0 O Il henrietta enrietta hes he s awfully fond of me and I 1 guess I 1 like him yes they were giggles I 1 never would have believed it of her never I 1 was evidently supposed to be sym pathetic which under the circum stances vas v as hard I 1 hadn haan t the least idea who he was to tell the truth I 1 nadu t noticed nita much at the house party being but never mind he s so nice and tall this was merely to say something anything all of the half dozen men were tall tour four of them unmarried and only one of them engaged to my knowledge he was one of the other three then I 1 tried in vain vaia to remember the colors of their eyes hea acquiesced nita joyfully he has a lovely name I 1 yen ven aured such a lovely name said nita and then I 1 thought I 1 knew for for one on had nad the first name of john another the last name of smith nita had al ways hated the first name ot of john and the last nime name of smith I 1 was quite sure of myself now I 1 grew very bold A stunning name reginald haugh ton henrietta what are you talking about you don t think you can t think I 1 rn engaged to that tool fool I 1 how could you oh but you poor dear I 1 t blame you how could you have eyes for 1 I t tall what she said such a foolish chil childe dl well tell you I 1 im in engaged ta to howland smith and I 1 im in very slad clad good night the next morning they went up to town to buy some cotillon favors nita told me they were also going to buy the rug back I 1 ve told him all about it and he ays cays we must havo have it tor for our house it was spoken with a capital air they came back on an afternoon train I 1 went across the lawn to meet them the rug was bought by whom do you think that horrid mrs ardsley but I 1 dont don t care said nita smiling sweetly at us one of us especially as she turned toward the house she has the most beautiful dispost tion in the world said the lucky man looking after her fondly tonight to night the last one of tho the house b use eave party nita told me with glee I 1 bave made a discovery his whole name la Is john howland smith and as I 1 don dont t want to call him what every one else does I 1 im m going to call him johni I 1 maud virginia thompson la boston herald |