Short Story

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 368, 28 May 1903, Page 7

Short Story

Wx are a flippant tamily. Whatever else has been said for and against us—and it is much—popular opinion has come to this solitary unanimous conclusion—we are hopelessly and incurably flippant. It is a taint which appears in every, member of the family as inevitably as the family nose, which is snub. _ In the reigning generation—l mean mine—both aggressively en evidence; and the presence of Theodora, the immaculate embodiment of. all we should be and are not, is aa ever-present reminder and reproach. Theodora is our learned sister. She is really dreadfully clever, and very im- " proving and instructive, though just a little ixhaurting. Sbe wears funny, floppy frocks, generally of tbe depressing shade of brown, and unnecessary eyeglasses. W j are all just the least bit afraid or Theodora, even • mamma. Mamma is a darling, but not, strictly spearing, intellectual, and Theodora is juat the least bit too fond of talking about tfcings that mamma is not particularly interested in—l been and anthropology, and things like that that don't -really • matter. She in trie "sort of temperament that can't help having opinions, and it sometimes makes things a little difficult. • It for| Christmas (Tom ia my iuabasdX-vthat-I - first noticed a change in Theodora. I couldn't make up my mind .quite why I thought her altered r she dressed in the - same way and talked in the same way—in fact, she was altogether the same, onlydifferent. • I spoke to Tom about it - s ** t •Changed?' said Tom. 'Yes, I think she is, now you mention it—less of a prig. And she's prettier, too, if she wouldn't wear those abominable dressed. What's up** !?*—'* • • ; "'* --' 'Thafs what I want to know. Seriously, Tom, I can't make -her out. She doesn't talk half as much, and isn't nearly so certain about things as she used fobe, And-that reminds me, Tom, I wish {-on wouldn't chaff her so. Ton hurt her eelings dreadfully, to-day about .her a frock.' ' Serve her right—no woman's got any business to dress herself like a lay-figure. Besides, it nukes me. sick to see her. dangling round that bounding professor with his beastly hair—sickening beast! I wonder at yoar people having, him;' *«** 'They weren't asked—he came. He's been giving lectures in theVvillage 'about something or other, and Theodora fore off and secured him. Sheaa-ye-he's agenius.' ' Let him wash himself then and get his hair out,' said Tom gruffly. 'Hell be your brother-in-law before you can * Heaven Mforbfl I* ' said I * ierventlyr What a perfectly ghastly idea 1' * Well, you rememberwhat'l say,' said Tom impressively. -*They"s as like as two pea*, -and they're both making that way, or I'm mistakes.' * Nonsense I*. said.l.. .;.. , .-**<,* But I had misgivings. I watched them rather closely after that, and I couldn't help owning it looked dreadfully like it... There was no doubt the proEeesor paid ' Theodora marked attention, but that might be because no one else was much interested in his lectures. They didn't seem to talk nonsense—l mean the sort of nonsense going-to-be-engaged people are supposed to talk—and that was 'comi t foiting. For instance, one day I came upon them (aceidasSally onpurpOßft becausel did so ' want to. kaowl sifting, in.*jEr window-seat, chattering like two star-. lings building a nest. Theodora was talking very.fast, with .a forefinger on* s large book on her knee'. (They were always hunting out references to back up what they said). «I deajj, saying. and its app"3 cation to the'ordinary •uses of jet undefined. Bat the . appalling responsibility incurred by .all. those WWWpWIrto foster and educate the inn*r. pehjchk lorcea which" every thinking person is now being brought to . admit——* ' I don't agree with you at all!' interrupted the professor, 'The late-. «ThSreT thuxk you* are * wrong, rejoined Theodora. And bo on, and so on. of quarrelling they did' was dreadful; but, as mamma said, it did no harm to any one, and kept them good while the anow lasted. I did not ieel so sure. I used to quarrel a great deal with Tom when I first knew him, and. look at the result. ' ■*-:'■' l ***** At last I made ap my mind to have a serious talk with Theodora, bo one e venirfir jest before dinner I Went to the stndy (Thsodora'sr room is always called the 6tudj) and sat down in the only armchair with my best elder-mariied-sisterly manner .-. i .-. ~ •Taeodora,' I began, 'where did you gtt that professor ?' < Get him ?' said Theodora.' •Yes. Where did you pick him upP what arahia antecedents? where did he come fibril r

' Beafly, Kitty, 1 dont know I I've met him he&pa of times at the Browns'. He's a very distinguished man in the scientific world. Let me see.' Theodora seized * Who's Who.' ■ Oh, yon donkey!' said L' " Wh6's Who* won't tell me what I want to know. I don't care »hat his recreations are, if' he aver recreates, which I don't believe. The fact is, Theodora, Tom has been—at least, it has etruok ma . Now, do yon really and truly mean ' 'Mean what?' asked Theodora, as I stopped short. It is not easy to lecture my younger sister. •Ob, nothing!' I said, poking the fire. * Only it seems to me a trifle odd, to say the least of it, to have a man, you know so liJw 6[, and with snch an extremely nnprepoßEeseing appearance, staying in the house, dangling around, and openly paying you the greatest attention.' I got this out with a roaH.' ' J|y.dear Kitty 1' Theodora's voice was dignified and, compassionate, * perfectly true. Theodora, and yon kaow.it is.'.l said,'getting cn-a little. ' You forget that people—ordinary people —notice things, and talk. And oh, Theodora, can't youflnd anyone nicer than the professor to dirt with P Bob, or Jack—or

The of Theodora.

Jim Bale, now; he's a really nice man.' • I turned "round in my chair, and looked appealingly at Theodora. To my amazement —it seems an extraordinary thing to say of her, but I am perfectly, certain it did happen—Theodora was blueing—really blushing—not the slight deepening of the colour on her cheek that you read of in some novels, Taut a good, old-fashioned, all-over crimson. I was so surprised I forgot to tell her about it; but just looked away, and went on talking about Jim; to relieve. -"-'" •He's so jolly and good-looking, and altogether so—so adapted to -a - flirtation; and if you must flirt with someone, why you don't do it with, him, I can't imagine. Only, you never seem to speak to one another nowadays, thocge you used to be good friends. If it weren't for Tom, I'd fall in love with him myself, especially he sings—it gives me a creep all down my spine.' ' "■** - '"' " Theodora got up suddenly, and stood beside my chair, looking down at the fire. * I—can't—flirt with Jim,' she said. ' Why not ?' I demanded sharply. \. : 'Because—because—-* Tbe reason was a long' time coming. I waited in disgusted silence. And then—and then Theodora the learned, the superior, suddenly knelt down by me and hid her face on my arm, and laughed a little and cried a little, for.all.,the. world, like any ordinary, ignorant girl, who has found out that "she cares for a man'and cares for nothing else. . :. ' Oh, dear! oh, dear 2' I said. 1 couldn't help it I had known all along what would happen, what Would come of all this "'ridiculous education. And here it was, worse—much worse—than I had ever thought it wouldbe. Theodora—clever, pretty Theodora—had lost her heart,. and was going' lo"* loße everything else to a dull, ugly, spectacled, mop-headed professor o" nothing in particular, who was twice her age, and looked it. £'«*" But, of course, 1 wasn't going to be horrid to her,-whatever I thought. I xnow what it is to be in love, and exactly how much use it is to be told you aren't. I patted her poor little learned heid and told her I understood all about it, and aha needn't tell me any more, and promised to help her all I could. I Had promised poor, dear Theodora to do what I oould fer her,and I Bet to work. the next day. . The professor made, a phlegmatic lover, to say the least, of: it, and I wasn't aur prised that Theodora looked unhappy. Whenever I could arrange it they were together. And then the frost came.- - ; It was Christmas Eve when the ice was pronounced eafetj. and welgot together a scratch collection of skates, and spent] most of the morning in sand-papering them and finding everyone a pair to fit. And in the afternoon we all turned out. It was late in the afternoon, and the less enthusiastic ones ;had. taken! off) their skates and were clamouring to go home.to tea;- when "it. occurred tometo wonder what had become of Theodora and the professor. I .was. skating with: Jim at the time. 'Your sister's been skating all the afternoon with Professor Lane,'said he quietly' ' I'm surprised you haven't noticed them. I laughed. The idea, of the professor skating was funny:' 1 stopped and look'ed about me, and there, sure enough, at the other; end of .the. big pond-was the pro fessor—-skating i His spectacles were off; his wideawake firmly fixed on over his ears, and bis ulster'napped' in tbe wind at each 'fresh convulsion of its wearer. It was so funny, that I felt quite sorry for Theodora. 'There's no accounting for Theodora,' said I; quite crossly. 'Beally, if s ridiculous V She can't skate -much herself, but to bother with a; duffer like the professor, when there are plenty of decent skaters—' ' He's only pulled her down three times,' said Jim. 'Good Lord! what's the fool ttiinkingof? He'll Jtill her V Theodora had been coming down the pond with her. feet together and her bacx to the wind. The professor, scrambling along imme- < diately in front of her, took it into his

head to turn round withoutjwarnjng.. ..As a natural consequence he turned into Theodora. --/;-. i At any otSer timal gh6|id have ladgheS heartily- »' tbie mishap. %. But something fn' JimTs "s4ce and" in fl& way Theodora fell frightened me. .Theodora \ rJirn knelt down by her. sHernat Vai off, 'and hor fell back on his arm as he raised her. 'We'd better get her home.' "Til carry her if you'll hold her till I get my skates off.' * % &&& He did it all in a mbment'T *His face was as white as Theodora's as he picked her np and strode away through the snow. We had laid her on her bed and sent for the doctor.'and driven poor mamma almost out of her mind before we found out wasn't- really hurtronlj .badly shaken, and that the professor'E skates bad cut her arm a wee bit. She was very cross when she came to, especially with the professor. And'when I told hei how Jim had carried her all the way from the pond to the house, and how-awfully nice and"cntup"he'd been,- she turned over on the pillow land she wanted to gc to sleep. ' ; , -

She didn't come down to dinner that night; mamma wouldn't hear of it, be. cause we were going to have.a dance afterwards.. * Of course there's no hope for either of them now,' I said to Tom, as we were dancingjfcgethtx. TMb will. cement the business. , The professor will feel obliged to propose; and there'B ho question about Theodora, I'm afraid!' ■ '■* Bum idea—to marry a fellow directly he's proved he can't take care of you,' said Tom. 1 Theodora is rum!' I said, with a sigh. ■ And this is the culmination of her ruraneas. Where's my future brother-in-law by the way ?' ' ' He was in the smoking-room ten minutes ago. Where's his lady-love'' ' Fast asleep!' said I; «and I think I'll just run and peep at her to see she'B all right.' .-..., It did not surprise me to find Theodora's room empty. - •: ■ -'. > . I Bupposed Bhe had gone to her studj to be quiet, and I thought I would go anc talk to her. So I went down the littli . side ptaircase aHd got into the quie! lobby on to which Theodora's roon opened, and got no farther.' The maids .had forgotten to light tha particular lobby, and all the light then was came through the open door of thi 'itndy.' And in the square of it tw<

ebadowy figures were shadowy voices were distinctly aadible. One (slightly smothered) was sayingj: - 1 Oh, how-could yon. be so stupid as ever to believe for a single instant-—' | ' Well, darling, you know you did ' ' Well, really—-you two"!' They jumped round as if they had been shot. 1 .suppose. I did say it pretty loudly, and I switched on the electriclight at the same time. And there they stood, Theodora and Jim Dale. 'lt is rather sudden, isn't it ?' said I weakly. *.My dear Kitty,' cried Theodora, laughing, 'why, yon knew all along! And, Kitty darling, if you conld break it, just break it. you know, very gently to msmma ! I'm dreadfully afraid ' 'My dear Theodora,' said I in a dignified manner, ' when people have been led to expect an entirely different ' ' They're asses, and deserve a surprise!' said Jim. ' Nothing nncompliiH- ntary to Mrs Leigh,'he added hastily. . 'Of coarse not,' said Theodora. ' Only to me, I suppose ?' said I boldly. *To you P' cried Theodora, hugging me. 'lf it hadn't been for you, I don't believe—no, I really, don't believe it would ever have come off. There!' —Githa Sowbbby.