The Storyteller.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7967, 2 November 1905, Page 4

The Storyteller.

' I l M J.Y MISCONSTKUI-D ~-.nce yim ask i-.r my litolVriy i o ion winch nubudy had—'"Til 1 11 J our possible fears by telling jo 1 that you don't look half had in the thin;;." said Tommy-rut, cvuic Iy sunrviii£ Juliet, who was trying ou a new gown. "The fit is s'.i- . pt i It couldn't lit belter if it * to—an ipiU'ptu-. Honest, sis, don't >ou utsli it were tor your wedding ' insKad of Ivr Madge's swollen dinner" Wouldn't a black velvet bow look 1 .Well on Hie shoulder, Madge '!" asked Juliet ignoring!).. So dear," said Mrs Wrexam. '•You are at your best in unrelieved * *ltU % ' .ti Aren't you and Jim ever lo le married?" pursued Totutny-rot "It i 6. 111s to me that your tngagvuicnt [ was announced «lien I was a mere . llllant ' What more are yon now .'".scorn- , fully asked Juliet. ''Tr.ie, I'm not, like yourself. in str.. and yellow, which brings me tai» to the point—hadn't you belter h sU» your nuptials lest ye witlur k 011 our hands '.'" Oh run away and play," rcconin iided Madge. tharmrd to seek belter eomp u sa»l the lad, stridl/ng off. Catlicr a conscious silence fcllii|>- < n the siiiers—then "Between ours I cs Juliet," mildly aski.l Mis »■ V \am, ' I am as suif.r.st.l Tommy that you aid Jim hold off s,, I ~ Is there i<iiy reason '" Sot he shadow r.I one." clmli f r I c I Juliet, nrepai to resent ' and inipaii-ally anything .. d everything. 5 \ . u have been sewing for ages ' il\ 1 our things are ready :" g- iirliais," * l nl Jim is making more money 1 i is good frr him—" xtillent." Hid lou love each other—" phases us so lo llmik !" s a i.| i i.l htavily sarcastic. [. Ob till a' feller, .Iu !" coaxed falling into Touimvism" Jul r.I nl dy - Iruly Madge, ihir,- is noihin-j I. t. ; l. I hardlv know myself why »-, J <l :.T marry;' and have' il over |t i' weren't so silly. Id sav it Was lilse We Were 1.0 la'V." 'j l'»i 'a/r to he im.rried r" '.Veil, it s this way : .Mm h.n,.. s and exertion. I hale hiss ~|.i| 1 11 in fhe qiiielesl sort ..i .1 w.-.1-1 1 1 rrraiis nonsensical prepar.iii.in I troulde and display and wiariii . .jid ami..;.:iig pihlieiiy. If our ! MS al il frieii.ls «..i;',T a:i| r-.ve, 1 and I would tioi around ;.. .■ 1 .lice of the Teaee any day and i, uoue with it—" Our name —our iamilv—our po.si I 11 in life—" gas|»-.l Madge, aghast. \ 011 IK', you are as had as the 1 11s Weil. Jim and I ai,- in no t \ When we get keved up ;,, 11 1..-.H.T .:n! ail th.' 1.-: a' \ 1 Tl •. N.i ..'it ih.- auaitcl inv iiis Hid make martyrs of ourf«r ih.- sake of 'o'ii name. 0111 V (ill position in life." In lie. .lilne We want to he let al"ii.'.'' I 1 eo philandi ling along through 111 r llirce years '" 'ussiblv toni.'' You pre two ~1 the ino ' o">..i;iij pi, huiM—" We are. Now let's talk ..f -iin.,- ' , else. The dinner, ios ii.stai.ee. I. 1 will do." ■Oh, dear me." exclaimed Madge, v nkling lur young forehead. -,.•.. 1 well to remind me of ili.u dm 1 II !> driving me distiactcil 1 Ih ugltl it promised In go off -. tuwfulli," sanl Juliet, glancing 111 t „lass al her dress. That was itilul anyhow. It dd. 'Hut tiMlay I've heard n s to disarrange a'l my plansid tin Ihing's coming off to-mur--1 'v nighl " let me help you," urged Juliet. \ou ran'l, bill Tommy-rot can. f~ I'o send him lo me." Jmlct left the room with surprise

wnitm lav.;.- nut her pretty face; I it was si-lilimi Toiiimy-ioi was considered mjuisitc for ili.- iiseiiil. | lie and Madge, hoWcur, i'.umidl.lh'll IniMIU.- '' li ":■ -" l,us V l '' l '" Juilei li.'.i il> >'..'■' saw H»'"i J' Hi l '"' .■ a s>- untT li..- 'Uiii.il party was actually wild, r A..v , and In Ik- irutliittl. ;!i.\ w, i.- a.l .il H.iiv ...isc iv--111 '.1.c11, i.l -\m.11..- il.d il'.' honours iii i:..| kv.'li table with cheeks ;.,<> pink and ~ji- 1.... dat.c n.; r,,r .1 n\...1,-l li..si .-». and i.ilii iy Toiiiwyr,.i was i.nrli buist.i.g will. sii(>i>icss,d e\Cll,',:'.ll,. Hllll big. illol.de Wrexam. Madge's pl.hg.n lit- young husi..ii.d, was suspiciously aim. .Juili-i c.i.liln'i gn. ss what it was .1. *Vii. Mi,- .li.l in.l much cati'. She knew thai she hci-cli looked as lovely as sii,- .land, .u.'l !»-.-iie iai sai.l mi com-imiallv Willi his ,v,s. 11.- vm. In. usual res. lied ~i-..l Uiii.i !i.0.g1.;y self, and >llador, d i.im (>•; .;. dice u Iwav sli -l.iiif. d at tablo

and gui-sts ;.. :,,■■■ i[ Sb,. cnhl 11.1t ace aa> .bin i..i:c. s ;r,.m what lia.il 1. n; V n i'Ui.n.'.l. ami sh.' rather lam-i.-d ili.it ih. i<- were more people (.resent 1 hah had hum til in the original list—ni.isiiy relatives. It W..S a big stncss, anyhow—iliat dinar, li came In a bri'liant ml al about t.-u o'clock. T'luii the •ilh.-r things c.minei.cil. \\h a Madge arose and gave the signal lot general dis|.i-r3iiikii! into the drawing-room. Juliet naturally look .Inn's aim, or surtul '.»- Hut Toiiiuiv-rot was at 'icr ell.ovi. ''Mini- is tin- liiiimui', ' lie said, bowing grau-iy. She took hi.s aim n woi.uVi mi nt. J !iu glaiid ami started to go Willi ln-r. "Come with mo, old man,'' .said Wrexam. "Think I'd (Its, re yon in scch an hour '.'" Her.- tin- do is Ivlwccn tin- djn-irr(r-hal] and drawing-room were thrown open and a Rasp of delight broke unrestrainedly from everyone, or Ihe drawing. 100:11 during its two hours desertion had burst into miraculous white ffo>sun .-n.l the aitwas .is heavy wiih rose ;>irf.iijie as a cuiservat.ry.

Now a si coral gasp, more amazed I han !h.- first, lieiahl.d the fact that the iass.ii;bltd guests and ii.-wlly re olvcd that the mass of white into •its ci,iii|.onctii pans ani ha.i discov.Tcd Rev. Mr Steadman standing staliu~i|uelv beneath ;. loral w, d.-iiiig-ft-11. Oth'.-r gi:c>ts, n 4 at ll.e d j;iiei. were l.ldig in e ntinu.,u.,ly. - "Pear :T lends," said Ma-lg-, r'cii ;.. and her voice brought a magic Illl.ee. "You are invii d l-eie li. iL.ht l:y my sister and inyself to .1:11 ss her ii.aniage to 'ir James Anlier. '<dl. ;<•! out V 5.11,1 .lii,,. Sicily to .ha' iiehg.uni. "No .ica lloii.i '" Cud .llll.it. i.-aiing her head. Each was s„ -.,,,„■!>, ;„ ; ,| ,-.,,i,.t t at. niid.ei he'.r.l tl: • . n ! "It w.s •!„•.!■ v :, !., ;.',., li;;. novel s'iij.iise." ..... d Male pietlilv. -lluirj up 01 -t. -II Ir.-ak away." t.eggvil Tommy -int. clinging to .luiet's iclilliocs arm. "This is a faice •" Ham. d Jim. ■'Tht> is a sacrilidge :'' declared Juliet. ' "1.1-1 h-r m. '" slid I'.Tvv.in. :i .epiilelial i.r.liis In some one 1111->e-n. an-l the tr..m. ..f ■' ' ~ | a i.iu '.iar h p.al d icli.-i.aislv lorth. Ti'ii ii,-.--i-..l anl Wl■■ 5..111 .;,.>.. ra ; .l hauhd Ih.-il victims foiwaid. .lllllel. I'mikiiig the pl.ol ::>.\-\ p. I •ore- I-..- .lim'i.. all unl.olv ihi.ugh 1 w.'.-.. -.r.e m with i'e.ii't '.'.Co e. lev dtv. „i: I -: -e.i hei le !h • iii'niso-r 1i...,p:;;g ani -h L;n.-.n.cv ; Se.-Jig ties. .ii..l lm 1...-.1. g .1 1..1 11. a'm.s-i. n t!..,l sia- -.-a . |..-,r|i ... ;i- V.li i- .-I . nbi- il.'.itii..; ...sii,-., .lon 1...1. I.e. ihsciisolal. III.,;,- !.,-:de hi lie 1,. II!:,U.. si VI e. ~!|.,i1.V S' of -allep '."ion:.-. ' ■ Wiih ' ..- :.n.' I :l.v w, .1 ' r, innf'S ihe not. -or. i.e i11,,l li, .i.l. (I;, "C, pa.-sage upwaids it was" .ktMfu'l-. (ai;.-!.' 1 Wr.v„u, -.v-.i. :h .ugh'-all; ;e,.,.,d in- '" ''- 1 -' l'-' ! '" " '■■ - i;n-- —:•. 1 - I'.-. "With til :- 1:.;..- ; ,1,,,. v .-ed." uiu.|.:i;.t -J.r.i. u::;-|i." it ,:„ Julie; : . iiciiihlii.g lit;!.- hand. 'Hi-ii ill v I"-!. s!>i:,,h!ei ..nifitsg gel, 1 i!.i-- n.,1. With 1!, .1 \i..r.U an.: ■el-ue I. ug. 1.-u-.l :h. -us Ins km,d ug an! "being piaj.il ov ,-r to t,i. al lb.- lan-!." as Toiiim, 1,,;,. ,-. "—live t'.gftl.er in this life evcilas;,i,^." It was over. The muds! r 5:,,0. smiling _l.:'.rll ..;,,: ielil ;,..■ l,i pains as 1: v, u .s!i;ng his hand's 1. everyiliing. "(in him .an out 111 ■ v...v ' Oui.llv •" hlsS-d Madge. ,„,,i V.'iey..,, idaiidiy si,.end | ilm ,;,.,, ;lh . | la || iiir.ii. to siin ihe cetiifiuate. "Cr-al :" ' ('. ngratulatnus •"' "A long lite •" "And a happy ,ne • ' This- iVJit-it.iTii i,v , n „ ;r ~,,„, ,]., oiil.t-ii.'is. The |ir:iic; r .-;|, we,-,. ~ ,- v.ying ivdi ~;|„,- w -iili .lashing eyes •■-\ie»v.- 111.11; j I ■-•• d. tti.ii.il.'d Jim "Il lads lii.,- it • I, .0. whe-' v coiint,r,d Juli,-t.

"(Hi. nonsense, deal's," murmuredMrs Wi.xaiu, as if chidmgly, "you are carrying to" iar this iiretence of iiuprcparidiic.s. Look." Mil- touched a hell, and ai one door of the drawing-mom appearul ■Juliet V: stolid maid, booted and spur--11 d lot a journey and burdened os- | tent.Uioii.sly with the hoots anil .spins of her mistress ; while at the opposite door appeared Jim's vvood-oii-iaccd valet similarly a'.tiltd. '•VWi re al'.' we supposed to lie going -.'■' demanded .Jim, hiding tli.n his jiraelie.l ipie.stion would put an end to the whole foolish business.

"Tickets !" said Tommy-rot, stepping ivspu-ilu'ly forward and stufJim's pocket with all necessary transportation.

"llinv aii' we supposed lo be going— truiikhs- Hand -1 ulu-l scm.iingly. ■Murk, si.-," sa.d l'i>; Wrexam, -Kili'-l "Hi l a '»"^ s ,a =' "your 11inik is on the v. a\. ''l/li.ck, olil man," s.iiil Wrexam, roapp>ar.ng i<>' perform a like kindly oilier lor Jim. "Come, Juliet," said Jim lurious l.ut protect inglv, us t* these -liiesi —idiots ! (_U''l'okee Idiots . lie [:ut Ins aim around her and bewail to I 'ad her away. "A pretty wedding !" stormed Juliet, Hashing Jire a' Madge. "1 did my lust." admitted Madge, smirking allechdly around upon Ik 1 ditoi'ations. "Another minute and you'll lose iour train!" cliorusid the assembly 'and under an avalanche of bye's the Still protesting pair were swept rrsfetjl'ssly nut of the iniusV md into the waiting carriage. Kind bands even slammed the dour. "I compliment you !" raved Jim, shaking his list at his new sisler-im-law out of tin! carriage window, •'but there's just one thing you forgot !" "What ■['' cried Madge, in a panic. "Rice!" yelhd Jim, triumphantly, as the carriage rolled safely away. "He scored !" whimpered M..dge, horrified at her oversight. "No; on your life !" sang out rommy-rot. "I lilleil the inside lining if bis overcoat with il, pniiche.l few hides, kind of keei'lcss-like, ii '.he hem, and he'll percolate grain for many a day. Next !" And he Hulled around invitingf>. matrimonially, upon his •dclighkd listeners.