The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-08-05

as said before she thoroughly en-
Joys and uses her liberty"
Thoroughly abuses it. rather.
said one.
"A great misfortune when a girl
sets herself up against public opin-
ion" said another.
Even with Herriot Court to be-
stow she will fEd it difficult matter
to get husband, / fancy" said a
third; aud then my sister raised her
hands in depreciation of the storm of
disapproval, and told them that she
would not hear another word against
her favorite.
The next morning, after breakfast,
Lady Valiant started me out of rev.
erie by saying to me:
Walter, want you to come round
the parish with me this morning"
Il am engaged" / said briefly.
My dear Walter, NONSENSE" she
said, with the privilege elder sisters
air that she was wont to assume at
times; 1t is known that you are here,
and that you have accepted the living;
the Holtonites will not like it if they
think you Indifferent about making
their acquaintance. Ring and order
my pony carriage. there's a good
boy"
Il promised TO call at Herriot
Court this morning" then l STAN
mered.
80 you shall call there-with me-"
But, Laura | began protesting,
when she interrupted me.
"Don't be foolish. there's a dear
boy. l love and admire Melanie
Herriot more than / do any other
woman in the world. For that very
reason the little indiscretions that |
won't admit exist before her envious-
detractors, are m 1st painfully appar-
emit to me. She would ask a regiment
to call, if it came into the place; and,
If the within seized her, she would
make each man believe that she was
in love with him. She is a lannon's
firt. Now, want her really to be in
love with you, SO you must not go
down too quickly before her."
"Stoif aud nonsense" l said angri-
ly.
What would be the good of my
going down before her at all? She
would never dream of marrying a
poor country parson."
I'VE shall see" my sister said gay
ly; and then she ordered her ponies;
and soon afterWare L reluctantly fol-
lowed her to the carriage, aud we set
off on our little triumpdal progress
around Holton.
My sister was very popular wo-
man. as it is easy for rich, childless,
good natured widow to be. An un-
mistakable gentleWoman, she never
offended those little below her in
the social scale by holding aloof from
them, or by any airs of superiority, in
fact. On the contrary, the wives and
daughters of the professional men in
Holtoa shared as freely and fully In
all the festivities that ever went on In
Lady Vallant's house, as did the wives
and daughters of the country men
around. Consequently our progress
was a slow one through the place-a
pleasurably slow one to my light
hearted sister, miserably SLOW one
to me, in the first flush of my FIRST
love.
Al last, pretty, merry, laughing La
dy Valiant turned her ponies heads
toward Herriot Court, aud my heart
throbbed wildly, aud more wildly still,
as, with every step took, the tuTreted
summit of the house doomed nearer
and larger upon my vision Your la
| dy fair is well lowered she?" my
sister asked, laughirg'y, as we drove
up the avenue; aud 1, unable to bear
the joke, and unable to parry it, could
only command myself sufficiently to
say:
Her being 50 we'll lowered makes
it extremely improbable that should
ever be pTesumptuous enough to as
pire to her. [ wish you wouldn't say
such things, Laura; they will make
my future relations with Miss Her
riot embarrassing"
My sister laughed cut heartlessly,
| thought.
Don't distress yourself, Walter;
embarrassment and Melanie Herriot
are never 10 company. Don't raise
your expectations too highly, by-the-
way, now, for very likely she will
have forgotten her engagement with
you this morning, and have gone
| out"
This probability being put before
me sobered me a little, carelessly as L
affected to treat it. When. in answer
to Lady Vallant's inquiry, the serv-
sut told US Mss HerrIOt was at home,
| could not refrain from giving one
look of triumph at my sister. She
saw and understood it, and whispered,
as we were being ushered through
the fine old hall to the drawing
room:
CONCLUDED 10 MORROW
i