The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-24

And so will l. Here, porter get out my
things
Get in please sir;' and so the cousins for such
the young men were, lourneyed apart until
they reached Little Stanford, where their uncle
Mr.. Ralph Mainwaring, resided. lie had been
a,nrosperous stock broker, and having pur
chasNa a very fair estate in the country, retired
snl'nei sn si w, an only daughter to keep house
naphews % at stated his custom to invite his
wIlI him in September to pass lew .s, uayS
! trldges, ind at Christmas time to looShi p1'
pheasants. He did not shoot himself 6D 6p. 'ne Se
preserved after fashion, and invited some of
his tenants to days sport occasionally.
reginald was legacy from dear sister who
sea, leaving her with very scaHty means. But
nU1 GOOD brother Ralph came To her help and
b 1T last hours blythe assurance that her
Wy IveItor snouiu , Va cared for.
Walter was Ls,! u, son of Mr.. Mainwaring's
tures to- all parts Of the the geTchant who had ven
ever to visit Lille stanford bnHd bGHd was too busy
ready to send an ambassador, thnklEs' 10
doubt, that it was highly polite to keep up
! friendly relations with his brother, the more
especially as nearly all Ralphs ready money
was invested in the house of Manwari Wap-
sholl d Company.
Cousin Emily was waiting to give them wei
come in the station, having driven from Stan
tba taaall in her pony carriage, whilst Traps,
the inggaee, Fmbsd brought light cart for
tion Of Little Stanford and were the admira,
her skill in handling them was no less T. anu
of general commendation. There quite
contest between the young men as to who should
sit beside the fair charoteer and as she posi-
lively declined to give the casting vote, Regi-
nald proposed that they should toss for the
honor, and Reginald won.
Emily MaiRwaring was a capital girl to have
rule in country house. Without a particle of
that detestable 'fastness which has so deterior-
ated the charms of English maidens, she had a
happy freedom of manner which made every
one at ease, and considerateness which insured
the comfort and enjoyment of every guest. She
was very fond of her cousins, aud their advent
at the Hall was always looked to with pleasure
| both by her father and herself and this was
made evident the moment the visitors entered
the house. There was the beamng old gentle
man illuminating, as it were, tue doorway,
whilst the background of smiling servants
| seemed delighted at the prospect of increased
duties. There was no make believe in the shake
| of the hand or the ring of the mellow voice
| which told the boys they were welcome, always
| welcome; nor was there any possibility (nor iu-
clnation) to pass by the ttdcon of cherry braudy
| which Botting the butler had received orders to
administer on the instant of arrival.
And then the bonfires in the bedrooms.
Emily had seen TO them before driving to the sta
! ton. No heap OF clnders just snouldering for
| appearance sake, but pile Of cracking wood
! logs on a substratum of glowing Goals the
| gracious heat going at once to the marrow and
! thawing whatever there might be undssovel
! by the cherry brandy. Theu the beds with their
| eider-down coverlids and piled up pillows that
|
| time, had not past experience recalled the
coming savory luncheon, with its honest, home
brewed stngo, and the good dinner which the
| doctor and parson never refused to share when
| invited thereto, and 10 better assurance of the
excellence of the viands aud superiority of the
wine could be desired.
The young men made a brief toilette and
| then joined their host in the diuing-room.
Emily had catered delightfully."-, aud her cousins
| gratlhed her by doing ample justice to the
luncheon. The round pond was in excellent
condition for shaking; SO the whole party ad-
1onrned thither as Emily hG e%celed IN that
but we are warned by the space allotted to us
that however pleasant it would be to us to re-
| count all the cheerful doings at Stanford Hall,
! we must forbear, and proceed as deftly as we
can to the narration of the events which will
constitute our story.
To know Emily Mainwaring was to love her,
especially if the heart CHANGED not to be pre-
! occupied She was not, strictly speaking
beautiful; bat Il nose a little retrOuSSee and a
chin trifle too round and short would not have
satisfied Phidias, yet the rosiest of lips, the
Whiest of teeth, the brightest of hazel eyes,
arched over by the most delicate eyebrows a
| shade darker than her rich chesnut hair made
| ample amends for the classical deficiencies oil
her happy face radiant with health and cheer
fulness. Her figure was faultless, and made all
kinds of exercise acceptable, and consequently
| she was free from all fine ladyish ailments
which are sometimes thought to be interesting,
but are at all times exceedingly Objectionable
|
them. She played and sang moderately well
and she always had the good taste to attempt
nothing that required the education of a primo
donna or the practice and genius of a Benedict
There was more than one eligible young
gentleman in the neighborhood who had the
heartache through Emily Mainwaring, but ri
yet no one had ventured to propose to her. Hell
father made no secret of his confidence in hel
prudence and good sense, and it was generally
known that she would te free to make her OWL
| election should she be ever put to the test.
| Reginald and Walter were more IN love witt
their cousin than any one else, and there wa
little doubt but the young men suspected eacf
other of entertaining this production. She
might not have suspected it also but If she haC
done so her manner was more encouraging tC
Reginald, as he was generally her esquire upon
any trhing emergency. She was freer in speech
with him than with Walter who wanted the
confident bearing of his cousin; and when a
times he was silent and she detected him look
ing at her with 'lack-lustre eyes she woulC
challenge, as IL were, Reginald to talk, as thoagt
to avoid Walters observation. Not that she wa'
ever unkind to Walter; she never refused hi,
cOmpanionsbip in a walk or ride; she sang OF
played anything he requested of her; she reaC
the books he brought to her or sent to her time
by time She bade him goodnight and good
morning with a smile that sent a pleasant pair
into his heart and made him deliciously miser
able for minutes afterwards.
Was she coquette after all?
Christmas has been kept at Stanford Hal
with all the honors, as Mr. Mainwaring haC
been nourished on the milk of human kindness
and believed he was doing Gods work in making
as many of his fellow-creatures as he coul(
happy aud rejoicing. He thought also, tha
he offered the best thanksgiving for the good
bestowed upon him by encouraging In him sci
and others a pleasant cheertulness, and in
dulging at fitting times in becoming mirth,
an6 Christmas was one of those times when ht
and his household and friends made merry, anC
found no better way than in following the OLE