Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-02-12


her hundreds of thousands at the feet
of her cousin, Walter Hazeldean!
Oh, horror! horror! and the house
just about to receive its second sum
mer cleaning = the guest-chambel
with its carpets taken up and its cur
tains taken down, in preparation fol
the woman who was to come on the
morrow to scrub and purify; the cold
bread and fruit for tea, according to
Walters simple tastes; the impossi
bility of adding anything more, eN-
capt cold meat and Il salad, which
there was scarcely time to prepare:
her own unfinished toilet, when the
kitchen and pantry demanded hel
presence on the instant ii the credit
Of her tea-table WAS to be saved; hel
eyes still red from tears, and that
hateful, hateful stripe Of gray hair on
either side Of her temples, while
blonde hair seldom changed its hue
all these troubles massed them
selves together in one vast heap il
poor Mrs. Hazlcdean's mind, driving
her nearly distracted, us her husband
knocked at her bedroom door.
"We have an unexpected guest tc
tea, darling" he said, in a low tone
for she had not unlocked the door
"On the boat | met Miss Pontitex-
my cousin Mildred, you know, my
dear. She is going to Hyde Park OF
u visit, and her luggage is there by
this time. But | persuaded her tc
stop Il few hours with us and take
tea, and afterwards you and | will
see her to Hyde Park by the nine
O'Clock train, if you like, love"
Mrs Hazledean Ii tened to this
agreeable programme in silence, com
handing herself at its end sufficiently
to say:
Every well, Walter, l am not
quite dressed. You must entertain
your cousin till tea is ready, and
after tea we will consult together
about your plan "
"All right, love. Don't be long,
replied her husband, gayly, as he
went down stairs.
Mrs. Hazledcan gave herself nc
further time for thought. Dashing
down into the kitchen by the back
stairs, she concocted Il salad rs speed
lily as possible, cut thin slices Of cod
meat, and thicker slices Of fruit and
sponge-cake, sent Bridget flying into
the darkest rcccsseS Of the store-roonl
for choice preserves, and with last
order or two to the bowildered girl.
hurried back to her toilet.
The waving, curling tresscs were
speedily brushed and fastened up il
mass at the back Of her head
white muslin dress, dotted with points
and trimmed with pink ribbons under
lace, was quickly assumed; and after
bathing her eyes in rose-water till tn.
trace of tears was entirely washeo
away, the little wife tripped down
into the cool parlor TO welcome hen
unwclcome guest.
\ few moments afterwards they
were seated around the tca-table, auo
in the duties the devolved upon hel
there Lizzie had ample excuse fol
silence.
But her husband and his guest con
versed constantly, their talk going
back to the days Of old, of which she
knew nothing-to persons and place,
unknown to her, but familiar to THEN
earlier lives rs household words.
She felt shut out from their yer.
existence, and sat i'll her place, grow
inc paler and palcr with every wore
that exchanged between the two.
Once or twice She saw her husband
looking at her, with an overcast an,
troubled face.
Then he would turn once more t
the beautif guest, and his eyes ne
smile would brighten again; his voice
would take a livclicr and gaycr tone
she could not blame him; and, yet
it cut her to the very heart.
Tea was over at last, and they al
journcd to the patlor. Cnbidden
Mildred sat down to the piano. Sh'
touched the keys with masterl,
skill, and let her rich, full soprano
voice float out upon the evening al
in opcratic love songs, canzonetS
ballads, and old familiar meIodie
known only to our eager days o
youth.
Walter leaned over the piano lik'
one cntranced. Mildred would say
s'Do YOU remember this?" ''Hav'
YOU forgotten tliat:" and then woul(
come another old-timc song, to whicl
the lawyer seemed to listen with al
his heart and soul.
+ "llark. what is that" said he a
/ length, starting from the piano t
listen.
"The whistle Of the last city train
| fear" said Mildred, glancing at th'
toy watch at her glrdle. 'My train
will be here in very few minutes
What a happy, happy evening thi
has been, and what a dear little home
you have here, Cousin Walter! An'
Il dear little wife too, if she will ALLOW
me TO say so in her presence" addec
the siren, approaching the cornc
where poor Lizzie had sat alone, be
lieving herself quite neglected an'
! forgotten.
/ Lizzie rose and received the com
pliment, and made her adieu viii
rather a ghastly smile.
No, she would not 90 with them il
the train to Hyde Park, if she woulC
excuse her. She had a bad headach,
it had been coming on all day
and she would be the best in bed.
So the siren pared from Mrs
Hazlcdean with a wcll-cxpressed re
gret and Il light perfumery kiss, an1
Walter went with her to the station
and thence to Hyde Park, where Ii,
was to place her safely i'll the care o
expectant friends.
Nearly an hour passed before h'
lifted the latch ,f his garden gat'
again.
Glancing up at Lizzie's bedroom
window, he saw that ii was dark.
"Poor child! hope she is sounC
asleep by this time," he said, aloud
as he halted in the porch to light hi
last cigar.