| OCR Text |
Show J PRIDE AND"PREJUDICE. 1(Tliu Xinas .story a wauled second piifce. ) "What are you doing for Christmas, girls?" asked Mr. Aimcs of 1ih two" daughters ahonj a week before Christmas. "I'm embroidering a handker- chief for Mrs. Clyde. She is so kind, I'm sure she's going to give mc something," said Anna, the Jj older. v "' 9 "')h; and what is my little u t . a doing?" asked the father. "Nothing much, papa," said the little eighteen-year-old Lctta. "I just hate to give anything when1 I know I'm gping to get a return, so I'm just helping to make a few things for charity s sake." I "You're a good child; indeed, you're both good children," said the father. "But I was going to ask if you conhr entertain youq cousin during the holidays? She has never been in the country in the winter ycW and I thiijk it, woilld'ljc nice loiivc her here (oiJ Christinas -Could you find time-to time-to visit with her, my dears?" "Oh. pop," broke out the angr Anna, "to think we have time to visit at such a busy time. It' leally cruel of you. No, indeed, '-, we won't have her. We couldjiM possibly fix for. her. Shc's so much work; can't do a thing for herself. It's bad enough to have her in the summer. No, no; don'i mention it again." ' "Very well, my dear. Only 1 thought she -would 'help -to make Chiistmas jolly. I think she u really clever. I never had tlu feJf U-Jist idea she was so much trouJ n '' 1)1l. Your mother said she would V be pleased to have her, but if yor fp' girls don't want her we'll say ni, 1 ' more about it." But just then I noticing a frown pass over hij 1 favorite's face, the father broke his promise imt to say any more. by askin," vhut his little Letts j thought about it. "Why, papa," said Letta, "1 j don't like to dispute my sister's word, but I think that Alice i one of the t-wcetest gills in tlu i world. 1 would do everything ii i my power to make 'Iter vclcomc I'm sure I don't think" she's much i trouble." f "Oh. smarty!" returned her sis tcr. "But. thank goodness, you're not boss. Sh "1 not get to come for Mrs. Clyde is going to spend Christinas with us, and she can't tolerate Alice." "Mrs. Clyde alwavs treats Alice well," said Lctta. "and once 1 heard her tell Alice .that she wished her Foster were at home." "Heavens sake, listen to that!" I answered Anna ; "as if Mrs. Civil" wanted Alice for a daughter . You'd better be still, you sill little thing." "I will; but Mrs. Clyde said it an vway," 'returned Letta. "She didn't," snapped Anna, and then almost in the same breath she continued: "Youma invite her if you wish. I do not care." "Oh, papa, if Anna doesn't care let's invite her, please!" cried Letta. "You may write to her. Lctta asking her to come. And state that we all want her," said Mr Aimcs, as he rose and left the room. The hole was sent, and a few days before Christmas Alice arr lived at the farm. She was .a i pretty girl, with wavy ligUl ) brown hair, a fair complexion. , and a perfect form. Her father was a well-to-do merchant of town, and she had a goodly pack of clothes. On her arrival Ann; threw her arms around her cousin's cou-sin's neck and amid kisses and , tears declared that she was over- Iioved tcTsce her sweet cousin, and that no mortal could hem lovijijr this, the dearest, dearest! girl in the world. Letta simplv kissed her cousin and said that she should do everything in her power' pow-er' to make her haprjy-The haprjy-The same night thnt Ajcc ar-rlver. ar-rlver. Foster Clyde called to sec the girls, and was delighted with their cousin, whom he' said, his, motliur would he pleased to sec, for she had talked so much about Anna's cousin. lie talked a great deal to Alice and cast many admiring ad-miring glances in her direction. Of course Anna was not at all pleased with his conduct, for she wanted him to pay all his attentions atten-tions to her. The Aimcs girls were going to have a party on Christmas, and so, of course, the inmates of. the house were for several days very busy. The day before Christmas Ada, one of Anna's friends, came to-help her decorate the parlor, and during the day each told the other all her secrets. After the parlor was satisfactorily arranged they sat down and began to tall? about something of seeminglv great interest. At last Anna said. "Yuu may be sure I shall not lei her get the best of me withoift ni)x making one strike." "Neither would 1," returned her friend. "But do not fear. Foster" Fos-ter" never loved anyone except you, and she's so simple she'll never captivate him so soon." "Well, I'm quite sure tiiat you speak truly, Ada," said Anna. "But do you know, I'd just like to have a little fun with her. Foster' Fos-ter' mother thinks that she's all there is; J ""wish I could make a fopl of her' "Oh, if there's any fun in it, let mc help, please. What are you going to do? Tell mc quickly. I'm flying to know," cried Ada. , "Well, 'listen; this is my plan-You plan-You sec. Foster told her that she 'yoked pretty in her white dress, mil I really believe she thinks; hi 'oves her. Now, I was thinking h.it I could write a note to her. "clling her to wear that dress on 'he night of the part. Yon sec t's such a pretty thing that l'ir OjiLost Jealous of it; but fT 1 aSuM Ally laugh at her for weir rrg it, I would fcej fine." ' "You've got a good brain una. You can think of a grcit many good schemes. But don' von think it would be well to as' her to wear a large single lei' over her heart?" Both the girls laughed at this Yes, indeed, that would be greV fun to sec her running around with a large green leaf pinned U 'ier pretty white dress; and o' "oursc she would wear it ; o' course she would. "I have a good masculine hand 3o you dictate the note and I'l write it," said Ada. "Very well, write; 'Swcc maiden, you have set my hear' on fire. 1 knew not what lovi was until 1 saw you. and 1 know from your glance that you love mc. Tomorrow night wear that pretty white dress, with a large green fern leaf over your heart to let me know that you love mc Trusting that I shall sec your sweet face early on the morrow I remain, " 'Your loving f " 'FOSTER.' " TJic above note was sealed and iddresscd, placed in a bouquet of (lowers and sent up to Alice. When all was done, how the girN laughed. They had such a good time about it that one would scarcely believe they could have a better; but still, when they parted they promised each other that they should have great sport watching the "City 'un" sport her fern leaf. Even after Ada left. Anna continued to laugh and could hardly keep a straight face even at the supper table. ,. L is. well that the girls had their laugh out first, for at the narty Alice appeared in a pale blue dress with a few modest violets vio-lets pinned on (her bosom. Anna and Ada looked wondciingly 'at each other. "What can be the matter?" they asked. "She must not ha received the note." At Jast, bfiing able to stand it no longer, Anna sought the waiting tuaid and asked if she had given the (lowers 'to Miss Alice. "Sure." She had dojie exactly as she had been told, and, what was more, "Miss found a note in the bouquet, bou-quet, which made her blush very much." Now the girls were more perplexed per-plexed than ever. They watched Alice very closely, but they did not see her sjjp from behind a curtain and pla'cc a note in Foster's Fos-ter's hand. J tyor did they sec the young man's face' as he" read the following: "Mr. Clyde: "Dear Sir I do not love you and am sorry- you think so. I had no idea you, loved me, and would npt have believed it if you h:yl not scntthc note. I do not w'ar the dres because I do not want to let you think I love you. I shall go home at once. Hoping you will not be angry, I still remain re-main a friend, . "ALICE AIMES." No, Anna and Aria? did not even sec Fostor ask Alice for the note sjic had received. Tljey did not see her go upstairs and return with that note. Nevertheless all this happened, and the next day, when Foster called, it' was to take Miss Alice sleighriding. She did not return to the city for some time, but when she did Foster Clyde accompanied her. Maky Okay. |
