Marion Marlowe in Washington, or, Meeting the President — page 4: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

p 2 Lake City. That was one reason why I urged Mrs. Burnside not to take this trip— She is a delicate woman and there would be too much traveling. I wish my company to remain intact until the end of the season.” “Then we will not lose any money by coming, and I am sure we’ shall enjoy it,” said Marion, as she tried to smooth down the masses Of her beautiful chestnut hair that the wind was tossing in every direction. “As if we cared for a few paltry thou- sands!” laughed Bert, as he started back into the car to look for his sweetheart, the ingénue of the company. ‘Why, we are all bloated bondholders! Just ask our treas- rer |” “We certainly have had a very successful tour. [I shall be sorry when it is over,” said Mr. Temple, looking at Marion. The young girl was as pretty as a picture as she stood clinging to the rail, with her magnificent hair blowing about her face and her great gray eyes shining with enjoyment. . ‘So shall I, Mr. Temple,” said Miss Allyn, quickly, “and yet I ought not to say so, for I am going to be married and, of course, I ex- pect to be very happy. Still.'we have been through so much together that I hate to think of parting. You know, Marion and I are ex- actly like sisters.”’ She wound her arm around her friend’s waist as she spoke, and, just at that moment, the train slowed up at a station and Bert came flying out on the platform with a hand- ful of newspapers, “Oh, what luck to get a paper!” cried Marion, as she took one. Five minutes later they were all back in the car and busily read- ing. “Hello! minute, “Here’s the name of pop’s friend, Colonel Horace Appleby. It says he is engaged to one of the belles of Washington, and hints that a brother officer feels so aggrieved over the affair that it is quite likely there will be a a family feud What’s this?” cried Bert, after a duel or something. There's at the bottom of it, they say, but they can't speak highly enough of ColoneAppleby.” “Oh. but they can’t fight duels in this coun- try,” said Marion, quickly; “the law forbids that sort of nonsense.” MY QUEEN, “Pooh! As if law-makers cared for law! Why, the colonel is a Congressman! The man who knows how to make a law ought certainly to know how to break it. And furthermore, they are both Southerners. Probably they believe in lynching, also!’ I guess it is just a newspaper story,” said Miss Allyn, smilingly. “I’ve been in the business long enough to swallow all reports like that with a grain of salt; but does it give the name of the fortunate lady ?” “No; merely says she is a belle and a daughter of the South,’’ was Bert’s answer! as he ran his eye down the column. “Well, that will surprise pop, for he considered Col- onel Appleby a chronic bachelor. He must be fifty, if he is a day, and -yet the paper speaks of his paying suit to the lady.” - “It’s never too late to mend,” called out a jolly voice, and Dr. Reginald Brookes, the leading man of the company, came up and took a chair near them. “You mean there’s no fool like an old fool,” broke in Miss Ellis, the igénue, who had just waked up from a short nap and smiled at them. “Oh, Miss Ellis! The idea of your saying anything like that! Why shouldn’t a man of fifty get married as well as a boy of eighteen, I’d like to know, and you certainly did not make fun of Bert when he popped the ques- tion,” cried Miss Allyn. “Oh, I’m not sure but what I did,” re- plied the imgénue, loftily. “I’m sure [ told him he was stupid to care for a girl like me, when there were so many rich and beautiful girls floating around the country!” ‘And what did he say to that?” asked Dr. Brookes, merrily. ‘ “T said, ‘Let ‘em float!’ What should | say?” remarked Bert, coolly; “but between you and me, she didn’t make fun of me a bit. On the contrary, she looked as pleased as anything! Why, I had all I could do to keep her from hugging me!” He dodged just in time to miss the book that Miss Ellis tossed at his head, and then bolted out on the platform, so as not to hear what followed. “The Miss Ellis, blushing. How he does fib!” cried “Why, he wanted me wretch! E@RNIELOOOKS (EC)