Evening star., 1881-12-31

peariy pink cups Of the roses cluste over tho
back OF an oid-fashiOned summer-house. iyy-coy.
ereo and moss-grOwn; and under the shade of
the low stone wall, where the broad-leayed ferns
sway listlessly backwards and forwards. lie. at
luii luxurious lenghth. half buried among the
cool, sOftiy-lapping leaves. 1t is the only shady
piace 10 De found in the grounds at Kesteyen at
noon on such day as this. Fair white hvdran-
geas, DIE red roses. and pale hued carnations,
Wmh WI one or two delicate ferns roughly gathered,
fill my lap.
clasped my hands lazily behind nv head. to
tne terrible arrangement of that wonderful laby-
rinth OF twists and braids which Annettes skill
Iui fingers have woven, looking up dreamily to
Where, amid the tree-tops. can catch glimpses
OF the glorious blue sky. Even the birds have
found it too hot to sing. and have gone to the
leafy shades among the grand old elm trees that
bound the south side of the park; what wonder
then that ], Hilda Mayne, should have wearied
OF my self-imposed task of filling the tall, ruby
vases, and have flung myself i'm indolent Ink
uriOus laZiness down in the first cool place I
have come to-
AS lie listening to the hum of insects and
the lubiiant buzz of big brown bee. as he buries
hiinse1 In cup OF stately white lilly a drowsy
smell OF mignOnette is waited over me: had it
ocen the unmistakable perfume of cigar
could scarcely have felt more annoyance lest the
sanctity of my retreat should be invaded and.
with quick. petulant movement plunged nv
ei"o" INTO the thck grasses and raised myself
to look around me-
We'll. Miriam, you know best; but ! think
you ought TO exercise your authority Such
child as she to be allowed to do as she likesl If
she were my sister, would send her back to
school for another year"
They are talking of me- sprinr from nv re
cumbeht position, and creep softly nearer to the
summef-hOuse. Yes, there they are-mv sister
Miriam and Beatrice LLOYD
draw aside trail of ivy and apply nv eve
cautiously to little chink between the boards
Ihere she is, cool and serene without a shadow
on her brow or ruffie on her beautiful fea-
lures. with an OdiOus little branch of mignon-
cite at her waist-band. Ugh! wOrfder why she
must needs choose my pet flower to carry about
in that ostentatious way. even if. nv dint of
loudly admring and openly covetinr. She man
ages to exact a daily bouquet from Hueh-my
Hugh IL never nursed dear gazee" etc.
say. rather savagely, to myself but do know
that VIII never gather a bit of mignOnette
thuselahi ~
But Miriam is speaking, withdraw my eve
ana substitute my ear; | mean to know what
they are saying about me. Child, indeed. /
was II my last birthday"
Il don't like to interfere. Beatrice for be
heVe Hugh really cares for her"
Miriam you are dreamng''
Once more my left eye is in danger. as I screw
1t up tightly that may have the infinite delight
of beholding Miss LlOyds wrath. Alas T am
disappointed. 1t is another instance of the
FOLLY OF jumping too hastily at a conclusion
her tone SOunded-well, to say the least of it,
aggrieved; but her face is as smiling and sun-
shinny as ever. and positively there is rosy
oiush creeping up from that detestahle dmpe
in her chin. most becoming blush steals over
ner whole face, and mOcking light shines in
her eyes-thOse wOndrOus. mystical ewes into
winch now many men have plunged their hearts
and senses.
You are dreaming" she says again. and
breaks into perfect little trill OF melody. as I
suppose Hugh would term it. '.HOw Won can
nave thought anything so ridiculous | don't
KNOW: but to disabuse your mind once, and for
all. of such preposterous notion'-bere she
cooS-Oh, now wish she would talk like other
people, and not be forever initiating the wood
pigeons must Let you into secret about
Hugh"
About Hugh. My heart palpitates quickly
ana nay checks glow angrlly. But what do /
care? / am not in love with Hugh Certainly
not. NO sensible and properly conducted Young
lady ever falls in love with a gentleman until he
says. viii yOu?"
But what is her wonderful secret? She ia
still blnshing and looking bewitching. Oh. I
see She has letter. That is not Hugh's writ
ing! Yes, it is!
In my eagerness and skepticism contrive to
entangie my foot in the weeds and fall head
long into little ditch that lies beneath the
stone wall. 1t is not an agreeable resting place.
and l am not partial to snails and slugs-nor
yet TO netties of the presence of which am
painfully conscious Unlike Humpty- Dumpty,
managed to scramble up. and survey some
what ruefuity sundry patches of green on nv
spotless cambric. l rub my poor elbow, which
Is btth graZed and swollen. and flick with my
handkerchief the dust from my angry counte-
nance, and apply nv fingers tenderly to nv nose
ana am relieved to find that it has sustained no
injury.
But have cOntriyed with my usual happy
knack, to miss what l most wanted to hear.
what that letter contained. From my post of
observation can plainly see a look of distress
and some little surprise on nv sisters kindly
face. Whatever the substance OF the note may
have been, it has not been pleasant news for
her. and l turn my eyes resOlutely away from
the sublime triumph visible on the face of nv |
rivai-but cannot shut my ears to the supreme |
1nsOlence of her tone.
care You satisfied now my dear? You can !
safely set your mind at rest with regard to any
Intentions Hugh may have entertained for |
Hilda-he certainly has none at present"
Mo-. There is sOrrowful echo IN my sis !
tiers voice which hurts me somehow
@tilp back something that rises in nv throat |
and restrain q frantic desire for some available |
missile which could hurl at the calm simpering ,
face smirking and looking at her cOquettishly |
| do not care for Hugh myself-Of course that ia |
quite understood am quite sure that !
should not like any one else to care more for !
him than do |
There is slight pause within the arbor Out
side the big brown bee, hOney-laden and delri- |
Jus VIII thC iHAS VI Tic Quccu RUINS ana |
wheels above my head, and then speeds home
ward. My fingers are stiff with clinging to the |
uneven timbers. and sharp nail has scratched !
and wounded the skin. but did not heed it,
Beatrice turns her complacent beaming yisage
towardthe very spot where my eye is glued glar-
ingly at her. but probably the ivy hides it from
notice. for she makes no remark Then Miriam's
voice says:
Il do not consider that letter tantamOunt to |
a proposal He merely says he wants to speak
to you. He may have fifty different things to
say"
What. After a letter like this?" exclams
Beatrice. nOurishng the missive in the air.
Oh. how long for the '.nvisible cap" that |
might snatch it from her! But the DAYS of |
fairies are over and there is no one to interpose
between me and my evil genius. l am only a
poor desOlate little girl. standing with my face
llattened against the dirty boards and my ear
tickled every other minute by the waving
fendrs above me. i am eayesdrOpping and
the old adage about listeners is once more
proving itself true.
Miriam, my dear, r,'-conceitedly- -"meu don't
dog your footsteps, and bore you with their
presence every available hour out of the
twenty -four unless they have motive for it;
nor do they, as a rule, write ardent epistles,
pleading for interviews with any save one desire.
He Is so romantic. poor Hugh"
Poor Hugh. indeed He had need be ro-
mantle il he seriously cOntemplates passing his
life with that pretty brainless little doll, But
~ fta1r and