Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1881-04-02
WHOLE NUMBER, 497.

recesses, that ideal OF discreet retire.
ment which combines solitude and 30
ciety under one roof.
But the ordering OF the refreshments
failed. as had been foreseen to share in
the approval conferred on the arrange
ment of the rooms. The first impress
sion was unfavorable. Lady Loring,
however, knew enough of human nature
to leave results to two potent allies
experience and time.
Excepting the conservatory, the
astonished guests could go nowhere
without discovering tables prettily
decorated with flowers, and bearing
hundreds of little pure white china
plates, loaded with nothing but sand
wiches. All varieties of opinion were
nnsulted. People of ordinary tastes,
ylO liked to know what they were eat
ng, could choose conventional beef OF
ham, incased in thin slices of bread oi
delicate flavor quite new to them.
Other persons, less easily pleased, were
tempted by sandwiches Of pate de foie
gras, and by exquisite combinations Of
chicken and truffles, reduced to q
creamy pulp which hung to the bread
like butter. Foreigners, making expert.
ments, and not averse to garlic, discov-
cred the finest sausages of Germany and
Italy transformed into English sand.
wiches. Anchovies and sardines
appeared in the same unexpected way
to men who desire to create an artificial
thirst = after having first ascer-
tanned that the champagne was
something to be fondly remem-
bered and regretted, at other
parties, to the end of the season. The
hospitable profusion of the refreshments
was all-pervading and inexhaustible.
Wherever the guests might be, or how.
ever they were amusing themselves,
there were the pretty little white plates
perpetually tempting them. People
eat as they had never eat before. and
the invetsrate English prejudice against
anything new was conquered at last.
Universal opinion declared the picnic
dance to be an admirable idea, perfectly
carried out.
Many of the guests paid their hostess
the compliment of arriving at the early
hour mentioned in the invitations.
One of them vas Major Hynd. Lady
Loring took her first opportunity Of
speaking to him apart.
81 hear you were little angry" she
said, "when you were told that Miss
Eyrecourt had taken your inquiries out
of your hands,"
"I thought it rather bold proceed
ing, Lady Loring," the major replied
"But as the Generals widow turned
out to be lady, in the best sense of the
word, Miss EyIecourt's romantic adven-
ture has justified itself. wouldn't re-
commend her to run the same risk
| second time"
81 suppose you know what Romayne
thinks of it?'
"Not yet. I have been too busy to
call on him since have been in town.
Pardon me, Lady Loring, who is that
beautiful creature in the pale yellow
dress? Surely, I have seen her some.
where before?"
"That beautiful creature, major, is
the bold young lady of whose conduct
you don't approve"
"Miss Eyrecourtp
eyes"
"I retract everything I said |" cried
the major, quite shamelessly. "Such
a woman as that may do anything. She
is looking this way. Pray introduce
me-"
The major was introduced, and Lady
Loring returned to her guests.
"I think we have met before, Major
Hynd," said Stella.
Her voice supplied the missing link
in the majors memory of events. Re-
membering how she had looked at Ro-
mayne on the deck of the steamboat, he
began dimly to understand Miss Eyre
courts otherwise incomprehensible
anxiety to be of use to the Generals
family
"It was on the passage from Bou-
logne to Folkestone, and my friend was
with me. You and he have no doubt
met since that time {" He put the
question as a mere formality. The un.
expressed thought in him was: can.
other of them in love with Romayne:
and nothing, as usual, likely to come Of
it,"
"I hope you have forgiven me for
going to Camps Hill in your place."
said Stella.
81 ought to be grateful to you," the
major rejoined. No time has been
lost in relieving these poor people, and
your powers of pursuasion have sue
ceeded where mine might have failed.
Has Romayne been to see them himself
since his return to London?
ono. He desires to remain unknown,
and he is kindly content, for the pres
ent, to be represented by me-"