Daily globe., 1879-11-02

"The letters are B. II, II. They stand
for Barbara Holdsworthy Hagen,'' said
the girl, coming step nearer.
"Was she relation Of your aunt's?"
"Her grcat-grandmother Allow me,
it seems to be dusty"- taking the plate
from Mrs. Hunters unwilling fingers.
"And was your aunt very fond Of her?"
that lady insinuatingly.
''She never saw her I believe" And
putting the plate back on the shelf, she
closed the door with gentle decision.
"You must think us very impertinent
to meddle with your plate without per-
And indeed Ne are; but please
forgive me. It was all my fault; my
friend Mr.. Freke here had nothing TO do
with it, and the truth is, that am so
foolishly fond of old china that I cannot
keep my hands off 1t wherever it is.''
The tone was very winning, and Raby's
face relaxed in spite of itself. Barbara
Hagen Glenn was my girls mime, but no
one ever called her Barbara, not even
Aunt Marsh, who had little tolerance for
pet names Or nonsense of any kind.
Everybody said "Raby" and the crisp
little title seemed to suit her better than
longer and finer one could. She half
smiled; and when Mrs. Hunter went on
still in the same charming tone-"What
an odd, and curious, and delightful
looking old house this is! 1t seems Just
the place tor story. l am devoted to
these old-tashioned houses, and they are
pulling them down so fast all over the
country, it is quite shocking. DO you
think, if came over some day, your
aunt would let me go over it? it would
be such treat! !''-thc smile flashed into
full, brilliant life, frightening the brown
eyes SO wonderfully that Mr.. Frekc, quite
dazed. said within himself, cit is the
most charming face I ever saw" Raby
was fond Of the old house. It vexed her
often that her aunt cared SO little for it,
and dwelt on its Inconvenience so much
more than on its qua1ntness. No one
save herself had ever seemed alive to it's
merits before. Mrs. Hunter had made
chit"
II think aunt wouldn't mind it, she
said, half to herself, then. If you like I
will show it to you now. But there is
nothing to see but the house itself, that
is really curious. I never met with an
other like it.
"Will you, indeed? How very kind!'
cried Mrs. Hunter, with rapid, raptur-
Gus blink in Mr.. Freke's direction. Her
imagination was already at work cheap
ening the treasures of the attic, as they
followed their young hostess down the
long entry which separated the kitchen
from the front of the house.
A large square room lay on either side
of the entry. But here disappointment
awaited Mrs. Hunter, for these rooms
were altogether unfinished. Up stairs
they met the same experience; in the two
occupied chambers the simplest furni-
ture; dust and bare emptiness everywhere
else. Even the garret held nothing to
reward search-none of the spinning.
wheels, or antique brasses, or eight day
clocks with broken cogs, which Mrs.
Hunters soul coveted. Her taste for old
houses was a simulated one. What she
really cared for was their purchasable
contents, and failing to find these, her in
terest visibly tagged. In vain Raby, with a
pretty graclousness, pointed out the real
ly curious points about the old dwelling
the wainscotings, the high carved chin
ney pieces, the oddly paneled shutters !;
showed the recess under the flooring in
which valuables might be hidden in case
of need, the bedroom in the lean-to ad-
dition, shingled roof descended to form
part of the ceiling; and even told a ghost
story, the story Of lady in rustling
skirt, which skirt, she averred, rllstled
still Of windy nights: she herself had
heard it. Mrs. Hunter listened without
interest. Hc1 thoughts were dwelling on
the old plate, and she did not notice, as
did Mr.. Freke, how excitement had quick
ened Raby's bloom and frightened her
eyes with positive beauty as she led the
way from room with a cordial, simple
grace, from which all stiffness and re-
serve had fled
"And now about that piece of china"
Mrs. Hunter said suddenly, as they re-
gained the kitchen. "Do you think your
aunt will be likely to be in tomorrow? I
must come over and talk with her about
it; or perhaps, Mr.. Freke, you will come
for me if the Holmans arrive and 7 am
detained?"
"With PLEASURE
Raby's face clouded little.
I do not think my aunt will sell the
plate" she said, in rather constrained
voice: ''but she will probably be at
home.'
"We can but try" laughed Mrs. Hun
ter. "Good afternoon, Mlss-Miss Marsh,
and thank you ever so much" She
swept down the walk Mr.. Frekc Daus-
eel.
1T was very good Of you to take so
much trouble for u.s. he said in tone
whose sincerity Raby recognized.
VERY probably your aunt NAV not
care to sell the plate-I should not N.Y.
set If | owned such one-but Mrs Hun
ter gives me the commission, shall GER
talnly come, for the pleasure of making
another call upon you. He lifted his
hat as he spoke, and with courteous
bow followed Mrs. Hunter down the
path.
''That's real gentleman" soliloquized
Raby, as they drove off. "And She
l don't know. She's pretty, and her voice
is pleasant, but somehow there's diff
erence. I don't think I like her-quite."
She had her own ideas about life, this
little Raby, about "real' ladies and ''real'
gentleman, and instinct helped her sure
ly to conclusions usually arrived at on
ly by the slow process of experience
Mr.. Freke did drive over next day.
He was received very grimly by Aunt
Sabina Marsh, whom he found entrenched
as II were, in front of her corner cupboard,
and resolved not to cede her plate. or list
ten to any arguments whatever on the
subject: This refusal, sooth to say, caused
no particular grief to the disloyal mes
senger He cared little for the plate, but
a good deal for the chance for another