The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-05-01

there. No one knows us in the place,
and will take none Of the servants with
me-"
"WellP"
"Then, Clementine, you are TO be the
widow Glare, and I your poor friend and
companion"
Good very goodi The Fair De-
ceivers'-an excellent comedy. How
shall snub you, Fanl And for once I
shall have the pleasure of undressing
you. But has not Mr.. Selden seen
your"
"No; l was married in Maryland, and
went Immediately to Europe. came
back widow two years ago, but Mr..
Selden has never remembered me until
now. wonder who this friend is that
he proposes to bring with him ?"
ooh, men always think in pairs, Fan.
They never decide on anything until
their particular friend approves. Idare
say they wrote the letter together. What
is the gentleman's nameP"
The widow examined the note. MY
friend Mr. Cleve Sullivan.' Do you
know him, Clementine ?"
mo; am quite sure that 1 never
saw Mr.. Cleve Sullivan. 1 don't fall in
love with the name-do your But pray
accept the offer for both gentlemen, Fan,
and write this morning, DEAR" Then
Clementine returned to the considera-
ton of the lace in coquilIeS for her new
evening dress.
The plan 80 hastily sketched was SUBJ
sequently thoroughly discussed, and
carried out. The cottage at Ryebank
was taken, and one evening at the end
of June the two ladies took possession
of it. The new widow Glare had engaged
a maid in New York, and fell into her
part with charming ease and very
pretty assumption of authority; and the
real widow, in her plain dress and
pensive, quiet manners, realized effect
lively the idea of cultivated but de-
pendent companion. They had two days
in which to rehearse their parts and get
all the household machinery in order,
and then the gentlemen arrived at Rye
bank.
Fan and Clementine we're quite ready
for their first call the latter in a rich
and exquisite morning costume, the
former in simple dress of spotted lawn.
Clementine went through the introduc-
tions with consummate ease of manner,
and in half an hour they were very
pleasant party. Johns cousinship "
afforded an excellent basis for informal
companionship, and Clementine gave it
full prominence. Indeed, in few days
John began to find the relationship tire
some it had been, "Cousin John, do
this" and "Cousin John, come here, u
continually; and one night when Oieve
and he sat down to smoke their final
cigar, he was irritable enough to give
his objections the form of speech.
"Cleve, to tell you the honest truth,
do not like Mrs. Clare"
81 think she is a very lovely woman,
john"
81 say nothing against her beauty,
Cleve I don't like her, and L have nc
mind to occupy the place that beautiful
ill-used Miss Marat fills. The way
Cousin Glare ignores or snubs woman
to whom she is every way inferior makes
me angry enough, assure you."
Don't fall in love with the wrong
woman, john"
"Your advice is too late, Cleve; l am
in love. There is no use in us deceiving
ourselves or each other. You seem to
like the widow-why not marry her? ]
am quite willing you should"
"Thank you, John; have already
made some advances that way. They
have beeu favorably received, think. u
"You are so handsome, q fellow has nc
chance against you. But we shall hardly
quarrel, if you do not interfere between
lovely little Clement and myself"
"I could not afford to smile on her
John she is too poor. And what OF
earth are you going to do with a poor
wife Nothing added to nothing will moi
make decent living.
81 am going to ask her to be my wife
and if she does me the honor to say
Yes will make decent living out o.
my profession"
From this time forth John devoted
himself with some ostentation to hit
supposed cousins companion, He was
determined to let the widow perceive
that he had made his choice, and thai
he could not be bought with her money
Mr.. Selden and Miss Marat were always
together, and the widow did not interfere
between her companion and her cousin
Perhaps she was rather glad of their clos'
friendship, for the handsome Cleve made
much more delightful attendant. Thu
the party fell quite naturally intt
couples, and the two weeks that th,
gentlemen had first fixed as the limit O
their stay heightened into two months
1t was noticeable that as the ladie'
became more confidential with thei
lovers, they had less to say to eacl
other; and it began at last to be quit
evident to the real widow that the pla.
must end for the present, or the denoue
n,ent would come prematurely. Circum
stances favored her determination. On
night Clementine, with radiant face
came into her friends room, and said
"Fan, have something to tell you
Cleve has asked me to marry him."
"Now, Clement. you have told hin