New-York tribune., 1880-06-27
II.

grew apace, and developed graceiui Hgh, - az" tht
tunefuf voice. he would fain have taugnU her CnaU
which Nas not in her mind to give
ii.
The day following the garden escapado being sun sun
dav. NOna robed herself III q, clean cotton lrocA
tied her little poke-bonnrt under her chin, uin
armng herself with her mothers large Church
Service aud the charge Of three % small sT'e
ringing as she entered. IN 1act tile sS W.
had already risen and i'll the droning voice OF MT
Gibbins the wicked man was turning away i'0"
Mrs. Newman could not iaford TO rent a sitting
but in courtesy the seats IN front pa adv e s Mona
hurried up the aisle, driving the straggng chillc1
with what decOrum SHE might, sile pcrceiHcu a
among the one or two youths wn3 VINO rtSa tS y'T not ill.,
favored man. She had not time 10 reineinDeE - sue %
had ever seen him before, for the chen naG Dy
| this time reasserted their rights. One ingenious
one had got her hat hanging OIL the Oack, OF ner ne
| head another wanted her place found whlle me
third was perchsd on the Oto Of neighboTng
pew After these little difficulties were adjusted
| there was comparative peace u,,.o,, or+ md
The hymn before the sermon was given out, anu
| the congregation were on their teet, When MONA
heard q low deferential voice behind her say :
| :Allow me- and book was placed III her hesltat-
| ING hand. Where was the hymn 1t loo ked more
| the shape of Bible. The leaf was turned down WI at
onecorner and Mona read the words "a fne
| danced before them and pleased her0d. Where-
upon lie promised with an oath to give her WhatSo
| ever she would ASK , r.
must be that disgusting man whn had been looking
the wall the day before. What rn9e M thg Gih
| bins had got to the seventh clause of his sermon
before Mona could give anything like respectful at
.oH' how wicked am she told herself and she
rearranged her thoughts to listen. But perhaps perhaps
| novelty of treatment was not the most strlkihg
point In the wears intricate discourses.
PG6 Shall give It back scornfully shall give it
back swectly, innocently, as if had not seen its
intent; or would it be more dignihed to pretend 10
have forgotten it, and not give IL DacK at al kcpV
running through ner mind. ,D.,h Ia
The Bible still lay open there; Danced ne
fore them, and pleased Herod! No, she Would
sweep out of the church. and never look near such
an impudent wretch. ,,oa
The blessing was pronounced ana Mona ma Praytd1 Payyd
on her knees in the most fervent way In inc worli
Then she stood up. The sun was SHINING throuSn
the windows, and people. were moving down 'no
aisle and h Wss 5red of these in
spIritng surroundings and Mona. casting all e her
dignifed resolution to the winds. turned her et,G
poke-bonnet and brought her wondering eyes anu d
parted lips within range of the wears pew. she
met the far away of ahandsome but apparGhi,t e,
and %o fbyySnS Mr. T%ye
that it's very puzLng world ,,,,, .o
WHO was he, what was he, where Qua the come
other like inquiries kept dancing through her BRAIN
all day. In the evening the lylcars pow contalhoo ga
only its ns 9STnl cargo n gained AIM Non ear at
last.
Remember, Mona dear, expect you to dinner
Tomorrow cried Miss Gibblns when, the service service
concluded they found themselves outside. Iheo-
philus would be in despair If you couldn't come
Make yourself lovely. dtar.
OF course she remembered ltau IL h0t pcell nv
one excitement during the last week, TINS prospcct
of dining OutR Even to be lrred over and adCrcd
by Mr.. 1heophilus was better than darning stock
ings at hOme with the usual economic walIlhgs
with which her mother beguiled the evenings when
the children were gone to bed: Besides h9r whlte
muslin had been washed and lroncd, ana sne haG S
fbron- uun nrfa
her waist. Then, too there were rude Inelan-
cholv strangers who might be there ana were
come The evening came at last, Mona found an
unusual number of guests at.the ycarago -, 1.,
You look charming NGna dear said said Mfs aat GI6 n
idea of ivy from--real Ivy, toO-n your hair; ig
looks captalT :she was the most warm hearted
creature with anyone not well dressed rs herself.
'Pl give you a charming partner for dinner,
Nona' whispered the hostess. Lightly neckonlng
to gentleman deep in an armchair ana tetea,tete
with something in black and gold. she murnured:
MIR Courtney will you take Miss Ncwnham in
Mona saw the hero of the garden wall and Bible
blushed furiously, While hereyes sought refugein
that retreat for the distresscd-tle carpet: When
she at last found courage TO look up, Mr. Courtney
was bending over Miss Gibbins-perhaps fastening
You live in this part of the world 2 presently
inquired Mr. Courtney, with an ar OF MISS Darti9
elected this remark.
dering and more puzzled than ever. She was
about to say, You know l do but reflected that
this would be forward.
Quiet sort of place. Anything ever happen
down hereP asked the lacOnic gentleman, gazing at
Mona with an intentness not suggested i'll his re-
sHappenP answered the girl wishing to defend
her native place. Oh, lots Of things happen;
there's tho harvest home, and the mothers meet
ings and at Christmas, there's school-trcat q
Christmas-tree and dance afterwards here at the
Vicarage. But, perhaps this little regretfully;
for is not even O laconic andi lncomprehensble
man godsend In place where lank parson and
three odd boys represent the serner sex ~ perhaps
you won't he here at Christmasr and she looked
up sat him with her pretty, frank, direct gaze.
Something in his look made her drop her eyes shyly
for the second time in her life.
1.-Two days ago didn't mean to !stay ilong ne re-
Christmas She felt he as still looking In the
same strange fashion, way tkat the vicar, with his
year of amorous philanderings had not yet
cOmpasscd.
You have altered your mind very quickly said
Mona sharply, suppose you've weighty reasons.
Undoubtedly replied Mr.. Courtney in a faraway
tone. How could miss the mothers meetings y
Mona felt herself aggreved. She was being made
fun of as a country bumpkln, she told herself; 10
mark to her right hand Ineighbor. This was an old
gentleman who gobbled in eating, and whose stock
piece in the conversational line Inc was an attaeK Gd
have their lmts-by the time Mona had been en-
lghtencd as to the fallacy of treating with morpha
instead Of gavanism, she became aware that the
something in black and gold swas on MI Courtney's
other hand, and that tho interrupted tcte-a-tete
was now flourishng amazingly.
s1he dinner will be soon over all OVER thought
the little girl oh if could only make him look
this wayF Then bright idea occurred to her.
Why couldn't she say something clever, to show
him she was not to be laughed atH There was
slight pause. Mona peeped round yes, the enemy
was occupied with an ice-crean
the 19e in Casual n 9S Say in an ar Of asking king
for the salt. She was successful; he turned
round. But pray why did lie smile
hid the hack of INV head suggest the question =
asked Mr.. Courtney, with fund of mcrrment III
hlse eye. ,.,,,,,
ham, little pouting. =, ,..