St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-09-09

!
the ambiguous wording of the letter
written by the formers father. Indeed,
the young man habitually called the
colonel guardian" and the old col
onel's "ward" had to undergo much
badinage from the visitors to the
Beeches, the fact, of course, being that
there was no real guardianship in the
question. The whole mistake had
arisen from the colonel's too hasty in
depreciation of the letter of Mr.. Chev-
ilstOne, Sr. Yet the veteran could not
but notice that when the subject was
alluded to there was a sort of sly smile
on the young mans lips, as if there
were some secret behind all this that
he-the cOlOnel-was not a sharer in.
1t was not long, however, before the
owner of the Beeches was enlightened
on this head.
| AS to Victoria Kemp and Sidney
Chevilstone, both being young, good
looking, intelligent, accomplished and
of similar tastes, what possible termi-
nation save one could there be to such
an aequaintanceshipG Sidney Chevil-
stone and Victoria Kemp were over
head and ears in love with each other
and, though no explanation had pass
ed between them, each was conscious
of the truth.
1t was the month of October. The
woods were one mass of brown, purple,
copper and gold. The copse bushes
bent beneath their weight of nuts, and
the pheasant and the hare reveled over
their banquet of beech-mast. The
gardens were ablaze with scarlet ger
aniums, China asters, chrysanthemums
and Il few late dahlias. The air was
pure and warm, and the sky blue and
without a cloud.
For day in mid October the colon
el and Victoria had planned their last
picnic of the year, and by permission
of the ranger it was to take place in
Windsor great park.
Victoria Kemp understood the art of
making a fete champetre go off well,
She possessed the tact necessary for
amusing a crowd composed of miscel-
laneOus elements, and the people strove
to get an invitation to one of her out
door gatherings. The picnic now on
the tapis, however, was to be small
and select and to consist of only fifteen
or sixteen very intimate friends of the
colonel and his daughter.
turned out for this their last picnic for
the season it would have been impossi-
BILE to wish. The whole of the party
were charmed with the success of the
undertaking. Never were there such
champagne and such lobster salads, OF
such genial master and mistress of the
ceremonies as the old colonel and his
daughter. So declared everybody.
, The eating part of the business was
happily concluded the colonel and
one or two of the older men were de-
flying the rheumatism by lying at full
length on the grass, smoking their ci-
gars, while, as matter of course, the
younger members of the party had
. paired Off and were talking all sorts ot
nonsense in couples.
Victoria Kemp and Sydney Chevil
stone, walking in one of the beautiful
I glades of the park, were at IA consider
able distance from their companions
but they did not appear to be aware o
the fact, or, if they were, it did no
. cause them any uneasiness.
They were laughingly discussing tn,
. mysterious letter of Mr.. Chevilstone
/ Sr., which had introduced his son t.
+ the household of the Kemps, and Vic
e tOria maintained that any one, afte
f perusing it, would have supposed tina
IA little boy, or ut any rate CROWN:
: lad, was about to be inflicted on them
: ChevilstOne smiled, and asked wha
had been her own opinion.
q "Well, | confess" said Victoria
: smiling, ''that fancied we were to re
ceive a little fellow, aged, perhaps
S some twelve years. SO persuaded wa
/ | of it that | told the housekeeper t.
- get ready little room which has neve
e been used since the death of my broth
er, and contains a cOt"-here sh
! glanced merrily at his six foot figure
''that you could not by any pOssibilit
o have used"
V "Oh, Oh !" cried her amazed listener
;" "Then how was it l found such
" charming domicile awaiting me ?"
d "Why, we always keep a spare rooT
" ready for any chance arrival and @
h course the butler, when he had seen yOr
+ had sense enough to conduct you t
II the right apartment ~
c "Ah, Just so And your father ?"
Is "Oh, papa's idea was that we wer
h to be troubled with a great hObbledc
IF hoy, who would eat enormously, and
% and"
2 ''Well, Miss Kemp, and"
l. Victoria colored and looked a littl
r confused.
l. at was only some of papa's nor
e sense, and, unless you insist
" ''I insist" said he mischievOusl,
Of looking full into her eyes.
&c "Well, then, papa thought yon migl
ID make love to the maids"
ne Sydney ChevilstOne frOwned for
s, moment and then laughed aloud.
lg ~ am honored, am sure But lii
Id ten, Victoria !"
Is This was the first time he had ev,
called her by her christian name, an
lg though, with instructive subtlety, 81
is knew perfectly well what was comm
n and not too well what her reply won
lg be, all her woman's modesty rushed
ur her aid, and she said, as if she HI
lg only then become aware of the fact {:
"What distance we have stray,
from our party, Mr.. ChevilstOne HI
we not better return 7"
sc "Not vet, | think" he answered, in
nd very tender but firm tone that she ft
pOwerless to resist.
to However, she made one more eff0
to escape hearing the very words s
- wished to hear, so she looked at h
watch and said i:
nd ''Past five We really must roa
ITS and see the sun set over Woodland
it is lovely estate, and almost adiOi
iss papa's. 1t is quite a sight to see t
last rays of the sun on that magnifice
le- range of copper beeches."
for The young man smiled curiO
5 | smile.
10. 1tYOn admire WOOdlands. then. W