The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-07-23
Smooth ". aterS.

IF only Dorothy might like Bid
And Martin Lorford paced hi
library. back and forth peevishly
his white, slender hands thrust be
hind him now and again, the supple
fingers twirIing restlessly one ovel
the other, a curious bunch o
wrinkles gathered on his usually
placid brow.
'I'll be hanged if I like to coerct
the child - 1t seems a heartless
soulless way to provide for her
marrying her to a man double bel
own age, because of his bank &C
count, and a ponderous, great
house, with antiquated sideboards
whose carved legs are a score o.
years older than Dolly
Girls at Dorothy's age never
know particularly what they dc
want said Martin Lorford's ole
friend, adviser. and housekeeper
Jane Bowles, turning the heel Of
the gray stocking she had knitted
on every night for ten years, al
least, 30 it seemed to the master o.
the sCrofts,' doubtless because Mrs
Bowles stockings were marvellous
ly alike-the gray yarn being surely
spun from an enchanted wheel
since there was no giving out to it
"A pretty thing it would be, upon
my word Here, then, was 9
worrysome snarl and frown going
fretfdlly together.) "A pretty thing
"a fine state of affairs we should
have presently if all the young
noodles. were allowed their own
pick and choice. I am quite sure
of one thing; in that case our Dol
ly, as you call her, would certainly
make mess of it; she may love as
many times as you let her. Girls
take to it naturally, as they do some
years further back to the mumps
and the measles. But what kind
of man do you suppose Dorothy
would pick out as her future mas
ter-her husband - come, don't
talk of coercing, Martin; that's
sheer nonsecce; the girl was left
with you>to do with as you see fit,
always supposing you treat her
Justly. Don't put any such non
sense into her head as that she
ought to have one word to say upon
the subject. You like Lawyer
Biddleford-well and good; I've
no doubt Dorothy will come to it
in time
Mrs. Bowles smiled grimly al
the top of her starched .cap-frill.
reflected from the old fashioned
mirror with a curious gilt frame,
which had occupied the library
mantel at the Crofts ever so many
years before this Martins day.
She remembered times when first
she came to the Crofts as maid to
it's gentle mistress--when they both
we're in the first flush of woman
hood - coquetting with this self
same glass, in which she ther
might see youthful, happy face
with laughing eyes and bonny
brown curls.
And now she might look back or
those days. when she had stoler
into the dim library on tip-toe
tying up those curls in cherry rib
bons to please Robert-poor Rob
ert Bowles-dead now these thirty
gears, and raising the pale blue
eyes, washed out by chrnce tears
here and there, meet this THU
wrinkled face with its white cap
frill and ,pretentious ribbons -
Notwithstanding.
'Heighho!'
sEh!'
And Dorothy's guardian turne'
away from blandly staring at
shelf Of .musty books, fretfull.
thinking of handsome Dorothy
and the absurdity Of any ones no
ping that she would regard then
in the light of master.
lmperious, queenly Dorothy!
you spoke, Mrs. Bowles
Not that I remember said Mrs
Bowles, stretching her neck littl
to gaze through the south window
away to the dismal clump Of lar
rels and spiky pines, beneath who's
dusky arches,, and under the ,shaC
ow of which lay her first love