The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1881-06-18

]
mankind. whom YOU accidently made a
prisoper. and who promised not to betray
all the treason YOU have uttered against
her sex. if YOU will permit her to retire. .
"Not till | have convinced you that in
no way could my remarks apply to you, -
answered Gerard, "sinco | was not talking
of the angels.
''Spare your compliments, returned
/ Nelly, with curling lip, "or reserve them
| for Miss Irwin or the Misses Poplin, l
am simple country Girl, incapable of ap-
preciating them"
"Ah! 1 see you are revengeful.
"On the contrary, I forgive you.
"Proof is"
Glow ?"
"By permitting me to act as your escort
to dinner"
Nelly seemed in danger of another fit
/ of laughter. She. who could have set the
table. cooked the dinner. and eaten a good
share Of it afterward. escorted to the table
ike enc of those lancuishing city ladies.
who screened at the sight of COW, and
didn't know corn from asparagus. except
when it was cooked. What would father,
and mother and Bob saw to that? Con
trolling her mirtb as we'll as she was able
I she sispided her assent: and when Miss
irwin sailed into the dining room it was
70 find tie eIegant f,s,idious Gerard nav
inc assiduous court to the little country
Girl who received it as matter Of course.
/ Sill. that was cot the leas. provoking part
Of the affair.
Poor Gotham. whose evil genius had
decreed that on that day he should act as
cavalier scrvante to the angry belle, Kate's
angry clanees chilled his very marrow. aud
scared an the small talk out Of him.
Mrs. L'Avmer looked on in silent con-
stsrpatioa.
Miss Irwin was not only belle, bu, el-
irible to the extent Of sl00. .0O0, aud who
knows what schemes had been running in
the little lady polite head when she in
vited Kate 10 spend the sammer with her.
eat any rate, as she observed to her
husband af,erwasd, Il couldn't sit there,
YOU know, aud see Gerard making himself
ridiculous aud the Poplins aud Mrs Tenn
pie Stowe locking on-who, Of course,
would tell of it all over town.
So, after side glance at the krenze
timepieee, Mrs. J. Aymar said, in her soft
est tones
my dear little Nellie, l am sorry TO
lose you, bat / promised your father tha,
you should return the moment the clock
struck 'Ihree. and you know how ezac.
be is r.
Nellie flushed to her very temples, ior
she had been invited to spend the day, aud
well understood the reason Of the sudden
changes in Mrs. l. AymaF
John shall drive you home, said tue
lady, fearing perhaps she had gone too
far, "and shall try to persuade your
father
40 be a little less exact broke IN
Gerard, with scoroiui emphasis, "oa' John
need not take the trouble to harness his
horses, for mine, ii my orders have been zen
obeyed, are already at the door aud ! siail
be only too happy to drive Miss faFNsF
home
Aud he did take her hone, spite oi the
ill-eoncesied wrath Of Ars. l. Aymar aud
the fascinating Miss iFWiai ana "Aoa DC
reached the old farm house, invited him
self to 20 10 Nellie would never have ma
the courage and claimed acquaintance
with her father, on the strength Of boxed
car once received from the dominic when
a boy aud at home during the vacation,
and complimented brother Bob on bis
farming and Mrs. Parker on her honse-
wifery, and stayed to tea, aud talked poll.
ties aud theology, aud everything but love,
for which he contcntel himself with look
ing at Miss Nellie.
Day after day saw his stylish turnout
dashine down the green, shady lane that
led to the dominic's; and it was a standing
joke Of his groom that "Mas'r was going
for the consultations Of religion The
very dogs round the place came to know
him, while no damask rose ever elowcd
as did Nolly's cheek when she beard the
music Of his horses hoofs gallopiag on the
road.
/ Mrs. L'Aymar's indignation knew no
bounds.
"The way Gerard goes on with ,hat
/ girl is ridiculous, she said to Kate lr-
wiz, and consider it my da'y to inter
fere.
'Then he viii assuredly marry her,
responded the lady eoolly Can you not
see be is only amusing himself. Oppose