The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1881-05-01

pressible disgust; but even In so short
time she could not help admitting TO her
self. that, rs far as outward appearance
and refined manners went, they In no way
fell short of her own standard. Their POI
sition of course was their misfortune,
though misfortune which appeared to sit
but VERY lightly upon them she discovered
as their intimacy progressed.
Her uncle, the chemist was necessary,
though dreaded evil she admitted to her.
self; still he was her uncle, and had thrown
open his doors to her when all others were
closed, and she must treat him with at
least some outward Difference and consider.
alton. But her ep-cousin-detested ill
favored specimen Of humanity--he had no
call upon her for the slightest regard, and
her manner should at once, from the first
moment they met, show him what their re-
lations towards each other must be; at any
rate, she would have fortnights breath
mg-timc and that was no little relief to her
At present he was the only grievance she
was able to discover.
The girls had left her to prepare for an
evening meal they called tea, and Florence
turned wcariy towards her toilet table, so
literally furnished for her pleasure; es-
sences, perfumes, pomadcs, all in their pref
ticst forms, were there, but on them all
was stamped the hated badge, "John Car
rington, Chemist and Florence's face
flushed crimson to the temples while she
read 1t.
John Darlington, chemist, sgenerally ar
rived at the Laurcls in time to partake of Il
meal with his family which they all called
Con ,,,ht ,,l, ho all
pccially to delight in. About n quarter
before six o'clock his wife and daughters
stationed themselves at various windows,
or garden-gatc, ready to hail his descent
from the omnibus at the corner of the lane
Had he seen no welcome awaiting him, his
disappointment would have been very
great; but the welcome had never failed
him yet.
When his appearance was announced,
Florence buried herself nervously in the
depths Of an easy-chair, and tried to pre-
pare herself for the reception and embrace
she considered inevitable, That he might
arrive in q shopman's apron and sleeves
she thought possible; it might be the in
variable habit of his cass--shc did not
know, being utterly ignorant of its ordina-
ry manners and customs. But, after all,
the introduction was less disagreeablc than
she had feared. Mr.. Darlington was hab-
tied in the ordinary costume of an Eng
lish gentleman. He hurried past his wife
and daughters, and greeted Florence sim
ply and kindly as one of them, only tell
ing her how glad he was she had come to
them; but all was said so simply, and was
so evidently sincere, that it took away any
unpcasantncss.
The evening meal over, they all went in-
to the old-iashioned garden, so full of foil
age and flowers, and roses red and white
and creamy that filled the evening air with
delicious perfume. 1t was almost Flor
cnce's first breath of country air, since her
father had sacrificed their country house.
London, Paris, and the seaside had been
their routine for many years. TO see roses
growing in such proiusiOn and perfection
gave her incXprcssiblc pleasure, which
she could not help half admitting to the
girls.
"lou have never seen roses growing in
such luXuriancc, Florencc;" Ethel qucs-
toned incrcdulously. "Why, | thought
girls in your position always dwelt in
paradise Of flowers"
''oI, lNNs uNNt llltl uDhNlS, anu
always in the greatest perfection; but they
have been in splendid bouquets, or in pots
for our conservatory, to be changed when
they began to droop. Really, | doubt if |
have ever seen roses growing freely like
these before" Florence said thoughtfuly,
and while she spoke she bent over u large
creamy Glolre de Dion.
Then some voices were heard, and two
gentlemen appeared in the garden; and
Florence noticed quickly that one had pow
er to bring rosy bushes into Ethc's face.
In II moment Miss Worthington's soca-
bility had vanished; and Il little later she
had escaped TO the welcome solitude Of her
own room. Forher the bright evening had
darkcncd quickly. As far as the means
lay in her power, she intended to AVOID
breath Of contamination from any lower
order of her fellow mortals. Still, the first
day in her new home over she could not
deny to herself, when her somewhat weary
head reposed on her pillow, that 1T had
been more cndurable than she had deemed
possible. There remained however the
hated and much-drcadcd step-cousin. II
it were not for him, she begun to think Il
years sccluSion with the two glrPs, hcr
aunt, and even her tradcsman uncle-the
latter absent all day-mght not be passed
so badly.
One little scene she recalled when they
parted for the night, which somewhat STIR
red the depths of her better nature. The
girls and her aunt had kissed her, and her
uncle had turned to do the same, and, as he
did 80, he held her hand moment in his
own, and told her that once for all he
wished her to consider his home hers for
rs long as she chose to remain IN it..
"rherc has been u great fault some
where, my dear" Mr.. Darlington told her,
"that you have been so long stranger to
your mothers sister Whose fault it has
been, scarcely know or care, but there is
plenty of time to retrieve it. Try to be
happy with the girls, my dear, and to be-
come one of them"
Then he released her, and, for the first
time in her life, Florence felt her face sul-
fused with nervous blushes-tclt herself on
the verge Of tears.