The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7906, 23 August 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

t The Foolishness of borne People t ; "I can't think," said her deadly-in-eantest romantic friend; "I can't think how you can sit there calmly Branching marroos glares just as if nothing bad happened, nothing at ! «ll." * "I don't see why I should deny myself food," Lady Betty remarked, •till mupching, "just because my mother's found a man to take me oO her hands." "Ob, Betty, what a dreadful way to put- it! The most solemn and , sacred event of a woman's life is—" "Buying a new hat." "M I didn't know yon well, Betty, 1 should think you had no heart." Her friend, whose own mother called her "poor dear Joanna," flung • herself upon Jterjknees beside the ' pretty gourmand. ( "Don't eat any more," she implored ; "you'll be sick. Besides, I want r ■ you to talk to me, to tell me all : about it; how it happened, and what It mains you feel like. Oh, Betty, ; II I were in your place, I shouldn't t be able to eat at all. I shouldn't be awe to sleep. Don't you feel it's a dreadful waste of time to sleep when < J 0 " might be saying over and over ■i ' ' ov e him, I love bin, I love Mm?'"

Joanna, yon re a dear good girl, but I • can't stand you this afterboob.v

"I was only saying—" "You weren't. You were twad- : dl j»8"I can't help being as I am," said . Joanna in her gentlest cut-me-to- ' thequick tone. S -Ji • • don t Early Victorian ortr- me-you know it rouses my worst nature." I /.T'i, ** ***7. d e»f- But—" And do, do answer back some- , tunes when I'm Abominably rude to you. One day I know I shall slap you, Joanna." , "I h * t „ wouWn 't hurt me half as much, Betty, darling, is it does when you dont take any notice of me." ' ' ?" mc sbe Pleaded, «Uing, intensely expectant, on her pel; every little bit, won't you I , ■*** yearned to know what WW" peop,e sa y aofl feel, and wink. £•'J7& something like this.' r STL'S® ° J of Vanbery's faek. trothed. You go to bed perfectly k °Sf D 'Eht *Hh a plait down k l»»«k. and.. the next morning ' mother comes in and says J r i'.f," P i anll P ut yoursim- ' J'* 51 ai » shortest frock, and be in f. ™ raorning-room by twelve, tenderr" ®°* ers in ">c vases. ■ !i?V u,!h j * ?*? 1 little chat With I ine dear duke. " i J ,»«» began to breathe heavily. • At twelve o'clock," Lady Bettv | continued, getting interested herself, nejeomes in just as you are sucking a thorn-scratched finger, and he has- '. t tots forward as fast as his old leg;; • will carry him, and he says 'My dear child, allow me?' And, you will allow bim. After that you're eneae- .

| Without any—you know ?" Joanna L gasped shyly, f "I forget." |. "Oh, Betty, you couldn't forget t, **h a thing as that." $ "I shut mv eves and thought, about | . something else." | "Oh, Betty, what couH you think % Of more beautiful ? A good man's lore is—"

* w C°ine oil that, Joanna. . . When F. "*•&' over y m sha'l stay with me. J • «w I" give you a good time. I've j. got to get all my sisters off; bui k you won't be in anyone's way." f Joanna expressed her gratitude in ?. » hug. f "And when did you say it was to i' I*. darling?" she asked tenderly, r "'ln the spring, gentle Annie." ' I "You must be counting the days." : "I am. His rent-roll is thirty thouf sand a year." v Joanna burst into tears. ! "Never mind, old girl," said Lady Betty, patting her vigorously. "It t is a bit sickening for you. But you jf would make me talk about it. you | know."

V thai," Joanna sobbed. K Bat I don't know how to explain my—my innermost feelings." "Well, don't try if you'd rather ; not. The doctors say I'm not t • » be depressed. . . . And by the | *»T." L*iy Betty remarked in' r. L smaller voice, while llic other stifln! f, her emotion ; "if you should happen i, to ran against Jim Cochrane—l do f not mean the little red-haired Cochr »nc who's got all the cash, I mean f his cousin with the rather J nice eyes who's got all the debts an I > nothing to speak of to pay 'em—" ''„ now - He always Reminds mc of * !>t. ueorgc and the Dragon." f "He's nothing like either. But i> you happen to run against him, you 5'% ®ention, among other things, i . ~ 01 "*ed up, and—and very happy." r * "I will. But he's sure to see it or near about it." mind. You may just as » * e *umw- |0n it. And don't forget to : K a *[ U " y I am—in" * you m, ? ht say desperately hap- * j'Might I?" ''What do you mean by that i 1 1 only asked,' Betty, dear"' You always were a fool." i « w»s—l am." J'S"} so meek. Joanna. There , is Wood in my eye." ty , 'darihi.» hoaKtft U WSS 4 ,W ' Bet " •quad " 80 aWay ' you awlrWar<i It crept to the window, cut to the more ' A » twnb -'' k f silence held the room. * ..^ resen "y a ' re blc whisper reached f the girl crouching over the fire. 'Betty, there is someone standing ob the pavement opposite. . . .It's . * man. . . . He's a six-footer. .

And bis eves arc rather nice—onl they're glaring, glaring horribly a. me ; no, through ir.c. Don't be angrv with me, Belly, but can't you Feul them burning into your back ?" "No, I can't—don't snivel, Joanna 1 can't stand it." "Very well, Betty. But won't you come and give him one little smile?" "No !" "But why ?" "Because—he'd rush across, stupid, and—you know Jim's a man who always gets bis own way." "If you could only sec his face.' 1 "Wbat's the matter with it ?"

"He's not shaved for a week. And he looks—"

"111, Joanna?" "Unto death."

The raarrons, what were left o[ them, slipped trom Lady Betty's lap, and scattered. Merlianically she picked one up, and mechanically put it in hei mouth.

"I don't believe you," she said, her speech a little choked by the confiture. "You alwats were a sentimental ass. Pull down the blind, please."

"Oh, Betty, it would hurt his feel inps so." ! "Pull it down, 1 say. I can't put up with it any longer, .icing stare,l ,at through and through me." ; "Oh, Betty, wait a minute He's I just seen me. And I'm bowing May 1 just smile a little pityingly ?" I "No, no."

"Very well. But he doesn't move on." "Frown." "Oh, Betty, dear " "Frown—l tell you—hard." I've done it. But he's smiling back. Oh, such a beautiful brave smile."

"You couldn't have trowned properly. Pull down that blind, Joanna —quick." "Yes, Hetty, yes—l'm putting up my hand to it. . . . Oh, Betty, tir must have misunderstood. He's tearing across the road—now he's on the step. He must have thought I was beckoning him." "Joanna ! You did it on purpose, Joanna."

"Korpve me, Betty, dearest, dar-. ling Hetty,"; she whimpered. "I could not help myself. He looked so much nicer than the duke." "Oh, he is ! He is !"

The door opened. The much nicer bur came in. And Joanna crept out unnoticed

TTiey forgot to thank her before thn wedding. And afterwards, she supposed that they forgot again.