The Rich Mrs. Burgoyne

he place, affecting everybody from the fat, spoiled office cat, who found himself pushed out of chairs, and bounced off of folded

lubs, public dinners, "dramatic," and "hotels," cleaned out her desk, and took her fancy-work home, and "Fergy," a freckled youth who delighted in calling himself a "cub," although he d

d she offered through its columns a weekly cash prize for contributions on household topics. An exquisite doll appeared in the window of the Mail office, a doll with a flower-wreathed hat, and a ruffled dress, and a little parasol to match the dress, and loitering little girls, drawn from all over the village to study this dream of beauty, learned that they had only to enter a loaf of bread of their own mak

itor of the "Women's Page" busy at her desk, with the sunlight lying in a bright bar across her

and leaning back in her chair as if glad of a moment's rest. "Why, Billy!"

a full size too large for him, his wild mop had been cut far too

anxious wistfulness that went straight to her heart.

ngs, and nighties," supplemented Bi

g the collar of his waist, and taking an inch or two off the trousers. She lifted th

g chair and busily opening and shutting the drawers of his desk, "but we appreciate the inte

eir paint-boxes!" And she put her warm hand on his shoulder, and said, "Don't be a goose, Barry!" as unself

," Bil

I ought to finish here," Barry supplemented. "I'll take y

?" asked the lady a few minutes late

ers' face when he opens his paper every morning does me good, I'm writing this

oing to start a crusade for a girls' clubhouse in Old Paloma. Conditions over there for the girls are something

into town. We'll have nearly a hundred carriages in the parade, simply covered

lly, turning back to her exchanges, "I'll begin my

s came a pleasant blending of many noises, passing wagons, the low talk of chickens, the slamming of gates, and now and then the not unmusi

ant," said Barry pres

r of the "Women's Page," a

at breath, and, leaning back in his chair, whee

ng too hard?" said sh

re that was familiar to Sidney now-"I guess work agrees with me. By George, I hate to eat, and I

dship, curiously inclined to keep the conversation personal, this warm June morning. It was a

y, off guard. A second later he changed the t

schief in the air, but led on by some inexplicable whim, she pursued,

ides of a clipping with

book and laid it aside, and stuck the brush into his glue-pot.

eminds me: I am giving two dinners for the Von Praags, you know. I can't manage every

uch to dinner

ne," said Sidney. "You'll love old Mr. von Praag. A

isn't he?" said Barr

putting her a little at a loss. "Yes; and he's ve

er a moment he said, scowling

ng. Rich, the son of a big man, traveling a

little girl... Are you angry with me about anything, Barry?" she broke off, puzzled and distr

urned toward her with h

ay so before?" he

n, with a sudden rush of enlightenme

the words unsaid. They faced each other in sile

ly; "I meant of everything. I thought-but it was

er squarely. Sidney stood up, opposite him, her heart beating wildly. "And I don't know why I shouldn't be jealous," he went on steadily, "at the ide

ted Sidney, scarle

y own master; you showed you had faith in me; you reminded me of the ambition I had as a kid, before Hetty and all that trouble had crushed it out of me; you came down here to the office and talked and planned, and took it for granted that I was going to pull myself together and stop idling, and kicking, and fooling away my time; and all through these six weeks of rough sailing, you've let

ested themselves to her. She knew she was to blame, and she longed to undo the mischief, and put their friendship back where it had been only an hour ago. But the right word

ture, when Ellen Burgoyne burst noisily into the room. Ellen was a square, sple

en would not send any more dogs our way for a long while, but Jo and Jeanette and I found one by the school fence. Mother, you will say it has the most pathetic face you ever sa

gh, and Mrs. Burgoyne, laughing too, st

must certainly have