The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-07-17
Among the Buttercups.

"Remcmber, Sisley, dear, l particu-
larly wish that you may be at Green
lawn in June"
Pretty Mrs Gershom who was look
ing unusually charming and elegant in a
fashionable travelling dress of some SOFT
amber-brown fabric, stopped at the
carriage steps, and turned back to utter
this injunction to her husbands sister
"Why, Laura?' queried the fair
stately girl at the gate.
Laura Gcrshom turned, and smiling
sweetly walked back toward her inter
locutor.
"Guy Bardolph will be our guest in
june" announced the lady, the inhec-
tons of her well-modulated voice Just
the least bit suggestive of an interest
and anxiety she would not have cared to
wholly disclose. and my dear, you
are always so sensible that think can
venture to tell you what your brother
and l wish may happen. Sisley, my
love, you are quite old enough to con-
template marriage, and with your beauty
and education, your luxurious tastes,
and, parden me, your poverty, it is very
necessary you should choose wealthy
gentleman for your husband. Mr.. Bar
dolph is rich, and desires a wife. Nv
dear Sisley, we have invited him to
Greenlawn purposelv, that he may meet
you there, and find you Just the sort of
sweet woman he will think worthy of
the honor he can offer her"
''Indeed," commented the Young lady,
dryly, ''you are very kind, Laura, but
possibly this Mr.. Guy Bardolph may
not think me pleasing possibly l shall
think him not at all agreeable.
"No, Sisley. On, no - returned Mrs.
Gershom, much to eager to detect any
thing quizzing or sarcastic in the serene
voice of the other. "He will certainly
be pleased with you, because we have
told him that you are most amiable
and lovely; and you Will surely find him
congenial, for he is very nice"
Sisley Gershom did not reply; but she
had silently determined that she would
not be a guest at Greenlawn if she must
meet Guy Bardol phi there
ale wants wife, and nv otficous
relatives have recommended me as Just
the lovely and aniiable sort of person he
DESIRES she soiloquized, her fair face
growing hot with resentment. "Of
course this gentleman whom dear,
thoughtless Laura calls very nice, is so
old and ugly that no one would marry
him except for his money We'll, | do
not intend to subject myself to his in
spection as a candidate for his possible
favor Not even to be made the consort
of a monarch would | be chosen as was
Queen Esther. | shall not go to Green
avn at all; / shall 60 down to Aunt
Atwood's little place, and spend the
Summer beside the stream where the
brook willows grow, and on the sunny
slopes where the buttercups and daises
are blooming"
And two weeks later Sisley Gershoiu
was the guest of the sweetest and
kindest woman who ever made rustic
cottage beautiful by her neatness and
comfortable by her thrift
81 am just as happy here as / should
have been at Greenlawn,' thought
Sisley one morning, as she went down
through the garden beneath the great
horse-chesnut trees that waved over her
as she passed their plumes of gold and
snow.
At the end of path lay a meadow,
on one side of which ran a murmuring
stream, margined with cow-slips and
brook willows, and on the other wild.
sweet pasture lot, where dandelions and
buttercups were growing.
"Buttercups, all. the wild, golden
buttercups," cried Sisley as gleefuliy as a
child.
She crossed the meadow, her pretty
pale blue dress brushing the white
clover, her ruddy chestnut hair entering
in the sun, her cheeks rosy, and her
violet eyes shining.
She gathered the dewy, yellow flowers