Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-10-14

with 50 intense an air, that Clara smiled, and
Mrs. Gray coughed to hide laugh.
81 have a good mind TO stay-I will stay. Not
word. Let me run home one minute, and set
things TO going"
Suiting the action to her word, she few out.
"There. mother"
"There Clara!"
She can make herself useful, and save YOU
some fatigue. Do make the best of it,"
/" The best of il Is, that the whole matter win
be set before all Thornbury."
|" No matter for that; make yourself easy now
clair does?"
Il am not to her manor born. She Is good
humored and lazy-I am cross and industrious.
1 wished loved idleness Why did you train
me TO such perpetual Industry"
My dear, il was necessary once. Isupposed
been very Fortunate"
I" How SOP"
Clara, do you ask? What more could you
have? A better home, more friends? Sur
rounded by every comfort, you forget our dark
days. You astonish mel"
Clara tossed her head and knitted her brovs
want what Kate possesses: heart happi-
mss. was never taught any thing beyond the
material, mother; it seems TO me that IN ad-
yersity and in prosperity my mind has been
Kept upon one dead level 1 don't think my
this good OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES system, per
feet regularity-living in a smooth, round nut
shell, that never had any kernel"
That will do for now; this Is no occasion for
wish you would shake all the mats on the centre
table and stands. Keep calm, Clara"
" III shall all be done to your liking, ma'am."
"She will break ont now and then; wonder
what has touched her this morning." was her
mothers comment.
into the room where Mr.. Rankin was resting,
with a hoe on one side of him and a basket Of
potatoes on the other. He did not raise his eyes
as she entered, but drew little harder on his
pipe.
50 Mr.. Rankin, / have done foolish thing, and
i expect you will blame me-"
He betrayed no surprise at this announce
ment, but mildly asked:
"Well, what is 1t, marm?"
I've concluded to lay hand to Clara Gore
hams tea-party. l have my surmises, there's
bones, and, for the life Of me, can't exactly
find il out"
al dare say; you are too fond OF excitement,
"I'll set your dinner out on the porch table,
Cold comfort, marm."
t'what do you like better than cold beef, and
cold cream on apple pie, with plenty Of dough-
nuts, should like to know?"
don't complain; set 'em out"
She hustled about, talking all the while, and
arranged him = comfortable meal, and van
ished.
Just the usefullest woman in this town.
Good at wedding or a funeral, all the same 10
her, as long as she is in a mess of other peoples
business" With this comment, Mr.. Rankin fell
upon his dinner.
Mrs. Rankin's good-humor and zeal reconciled
Clara to the invasion. Catherine Sinclair was
delighted with the audacity of her remarks to
the dignifed Clara-remarks that scarcely
could be parted.
L am tired of your tea-parties. L want to
help nix for your wedding, Clara. You are
scarcely past twenty-five; there's many a likely
young man ready to step into Captain Goreham's
shoes. Look the world over, and 4, MAY Ran
kin, say it, who knew him from the time he was
knee-high to hop-tOad, you will never find a
wv mr. hat af
matrimony you have had little experience; for
as nigh as can calculate, you and he did not
From the beginning you was a Cape Horn
widow, and, o Lord, what way to livei Cap
tain Ben Giddings had five children, and never
saw one of them till it was nearly three years
Old His Oldest darter was born, married, and
dead, before he had a chance to get acquainted
with her; and with you, Clara, YOU were ALWAYS
getting your mans sea-clothes ready, putting
away the things he wore ashore"
Clara at last told her to hold her tongue, or
things would never be in readiness; there were
cups, napkins, glasses, and ever so many things,
TO count out. With one more shot Mrs Rankin
ceased her clack for the present.
" Have You to count Mr.. Chandos twice? /
hear he Is pretty well divided since your pretty
Miss Sinclair came. They say the light does not
go out in his office all night now; can't be the
law, because he has no case on hand. He is
handsome, but s'pose he hasn't a dollar TO his
name. His father, old Squire Chandos, has
property enough, but he Is mean as get out"
The counting of Mr.. Chandos was the gist of
Clara's tea-party. She hoped by its tactics and
It's cover, as a public farewell entertainment to
hate. to bring about a final account with her
Then every thing would be finished and off her
own mind, her old routine resumed-pickinp
dead leaves from her plants, blind over needle
work, hot with feather-dusti and cake-baking,
to say nothing of feeding the cat, and taking the
dog down to the beach for a swim-which rou-
tine till now had never seemed tedious. Before
Catherine came, six weeks ago, Mr.. Chandos, a
young lawyer, settled a year in Thornbury,
visited Clara and her mother in a friendly way
very often. There was a variety of agreeable
and deluding interests between himself and
CARA, IN which Mrs. Gray took the part of
chorus, Ginning with both as adroitly as her
habits permitted. Clara's flowers was one of
these interests; they watched the growth of bud
and blossom, and dipped into botanical authori-
ties. Mr.. Chandos devised little ladders for the
vines, and ornamental pots for the shrubs, and
many delightful hour was passed in the morn
lngs among the perfumed treasures. Novels
were another; the serials were read together and
discussed. while Mrs. Gray knitted noiselessly
or slipped in and out of the room as silently as a
dead leaf falls. She ventured the mending of
his gloves, and consulted his appetite, and
learned his tastes, which she tried to suit in her
modest, background way, but it was effectual
He soon confded many things to her. With
the Thornbury people she was very omen about
the acquaintance. Mr.. Chandos, she assured
them, came to visit her; the house happened to
be agreeable TO him, and, for her part, she was
dehghted to have II so: 1t was not often that
an intelligent, hberally-educated man came
among them. Conversation meant something
when he conversed. She hoped people wouIi
not be foolish enough to connect his name with
Clara's, because Goreham's armchair suited
him, and he was fond of her pancakes. That
he and Clara had a remarkable passion for
flowers, and were devoted to novels was no rea-
son. But their names were connected, espe-
eially when theyt were met'walkng the quiet
roads by moonlight, and his tall head was much
inclined toward Clara's shoulder, and her face
set toward his. When Catherine came, he was
OF course, introduced to her, and she at once
perceived that he was the great card. She de-
termined TO play game with this card, for she
was a desperate little fiirt, and, moreover, Mrs
Gray's manner suggested it to her. There was
a certain watchfulness and uneasiness which
stirred the young lady to opposition she owed il
10 herself to punish suspicion and an instructive
want OF faith. She at once boldly inquired
whether MIR. Chandos was engaged to ANYBODY
"Dear me. no." replied Clara; she is very
young, and has just commenced the practice of
law. Engagement has not entered his head
yet"
Mrs. Gray looked queerly at Clara'd quiet
face, and said:
"My dear, he is at least twenty-four."
wen, he seems young to me, who am twenty
SIX, and feel as il belonged TO the tribe of Me-
thuselah."
90 Fiddle-stick, Clara,u cried Catherine. al
shall shake YOU out of your old-fashioned rusti-
ness. Twenty-six, indeed! You live in such
quietness and repose that your complexion is as
smooth as cream. am worn out beside Won:
have dreadful anxieties-worried all the time I
must have something TO distract me- and, If Mr.
Chandos is nice, I'll amuse myself with him."
- i would il / were you" Clara answered.
90 How could Won make so foolish n ram RI