The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-12-17

the disused room at the Chase, with its giories
shroudol in ghoStly holland.
The trio sitting there In the soft afternoon light
were worthy of their surroundngs-the hostess her
self, with her bright intellectual air, with the
usual contrast of eyebrows and snow-white hair,
brushed oil the low, broad forehead and shaded by
rich black lace knotted with French grace under the
light shooting suit, looking perfect specimen
OF hlgh-bred English gentleman, aud Milly, IN her
fresh pink cambria, with softly tinted Glorc de
Dillon rose In her best, herself
IAN English rose
An set about with pretty willful thurns
As sweet as English air could make her. -
Lyon win never find the dear old Chase com forta-
BILE, Mr.. Nerschoyle, ~ said Miss Buckley, setting
wife there ~
The advice was given in answer to some domestic
prumblng from the young Squire who was fond OF
relating his troubles To this old friend.
:" My dear Miss Buckley Such advice from you,
whoare always warning the village beauties about the
merits of sweethearts and matrlmony why, your
last cook was so afraid of confesng her weakness
the village baker that she actually at the mature age
OF fOrty-hvc, eloped!''
Miss Buckley stoutly defended her Inconsistencies
~ prescribe matrimony for You because you be-
long TO ih" practically helpless sex, " she affirmed,
- protest against that. " mnrmured Anthony.
I" have not the power of making your homes COM
Portable without feminine cooperation ~ continued
Miss Buckley, regardless OF the slight Interruptions
' For women-myself, for eNample-it Is always a
question whether the game is worth the candle. To
me the candles always appeared to the commonest
tallow dips, whereas always insisted upon the finest
spermaceti.N
- For the generality OF women the tallow dips give
sufficient light, - said hlilly, with the usual feminine
contempt for her sex.
80 should at least, like the very cHoccs, sperma-
ceti for YOU " reoined Miss Rnckey fondly gazing
with parlonabe pride at the dainty figure presiding
over the tea table.
'.I wonder In which category Miss Buckjey Womb
place me?'' reflected MIR. Verschoyle. with sudden
anxiety, but refrained from asking the question: pre-
ferring the ignorance which is so often ''bllss. ~
The nominal master of SherbOrne Chase-the
bearded old hOusekeeper usurped the real authority
evidently found some Irresistible charm in the coy
house lying so conveniently near his gates. At
first he devised the most ingenious for his
daily visits but they soon became much a matter Of
course that no excuse seemed needed. Miss buckley
also noted with much Internal amusement, the in
creased frequency or the pastoral visits of the Rev.
Septinns Isngg, the high church and hgh-art Gu
rate of ShcrbOne, whose exalted ideas about cell
bacy of the ''preshood ~ had not rendered him
vulnerable To Mly charms, and who wasted much
of his valuable time In trying to teach her proper
appreciation of browning, while My protested that
she could not understand him and that his poetry
gave her headache.
Whether from the effects of reading Browning or
some more occult cause, Miss buckley noticed with
some 'lismay that her pet niece was losing her soft
roundness OF outline and that her bright gaiey had
been succeeded by a feversh restlessness. While
Mily thought her amt severely absorbed In the
quarterly, that lady was intety studying the girl as
she eant stlessly by the window looking out at the
battered autumn flowers beaten down TO the damp
ground ny the gray persistent drizzlc and thinking
with forlorn pity that life was very poor affair after
all
Warming her toes at the cheerful fire In her own
room that same evening, Miss Buckley summed up
her conclusions.
'Evdently Milly has been making comparisons
and the silly little goose Is conscience stricken to md
that they not favorable to her rural Weston ad-
miTer. SO many girls mistake gratited vanity for
love 1t is so pleasant to be called an angel of beaty
and that sort of thing that credit the first man
that tells us so with vast amount of penetration and
taste, and we return the compliment by endowing him
With all the heroic virtues. I'm glad Ailly has found
out her m istake In good time. Anthony Verschoyle
Is nice fellow, and will Just do for her;' and Miss
Buckley gazed at her feet with great satSfact ion
indeed they were very pretty foet, and the black
slippers lifted them perfectly,
The next morning she wrute to the Rev. Archibald
and to her surprise received an answer by return of
post II ran:
"DEAn MISS BUCKLEY: Your letter. received
this morning, has relieved me of a great anxiety
heard In the village last Tuesday that Stephen Cor
cOran the young fool had eOped with the barmaid at
the Red Lion AN elderly siren OF about thirty ive
they were married In London. and the old Squire Is In
terrible state of mind. suppose the beau has not
had the grace TO write TO Mily, and was trying to
summon up courage TO break the hers but, as
You assure me 1t VIII probably be welcome In
teigence have written to her by ths post Both
my wife and myself feel most grateful to you your
Kindness TO our little girl Accept our united kind
regards, and believe me, dear Miss Buckley, yours
1 very sincerely, ARCHIBALD BLAND"
/ The post always came in early at the dover house.
and the letters generally taken up with the hot
water, so that each inmate read her letters In the
privacy of her own room. Aunt Margaret who
happened that morning to lie the first down to break
fast, awaited with some anxiety her nlece's appear
anoe and hdgeted most unnecessarily over the break
! fast equipage.
The door opened at last, and Miss Buckley felt a
sudden thrill of relief as hlilly forward with
Have you heard from home this morning - Miss
Buckley inquired, Milly buitered her toast. and
lesurey knocked of the top OF her egg.
eyes, +" answered Miily, very chGerfully. " | have
had letter from papa, - Then she continued with
some embarrassment, "Papa writes to tell mo that
from the Red Lion Absence she continued
with the old gay laugh, "has evidently made his
heart grow fonder Of somebody else,''
Here she paused with quick blush, as an amused
twinkle In the dark eyes behind tho reminded
sal liza uak.
10y, with most exemplary gravity while Mily ap-
peared suddenly concerned about an Imaginary NY In
the cream-Iug
Mr. Nerschoyle, dropping In that morning, was
pleasantly surprised by The bright smiIe that greeted
Him, and felt his heart heat with sudden hope as
he saw the shy warm welcome In the dark blue eyes.
lie had been driven TO tile verge OF desperation during
the last fortnight ny Aillys studied avoidance and
her fTeezing pollteness when she was compelled to
meet HIN, aud had heen wont, at tho close OF each
miserable day, TO mutter sayagey some very sage
marks about feminine conirariety as he sought cOnso
latiOn from Ills trusty pipe. lie had at last vowed
never To meet the heartless little nrt' again, and
10 take trip 10 Africa, or join an expedition In
search OF the North Pole. Aided by forty-eight
hours perpetual drizzle, he had actually kept away
from the dover house for two days but this morning
the clouds had lifted, se-satisded dahas aud sturdy
aslers raised their downeast heads while the rich
golden leaves OF venerable elms shOne in the bright
I autumn sunlight. lie would 90 10 the dover house
just once 10 say 'g0od.byei' and, as Milly's eyes
looked into his with SMILE all his stern resOuto
suddenly melted away Ia their light and he found
courage 10 suggest with wlstful humility, that 1t
was such delightful morning Miss buckley and
Miss buckley smilingly shook her head; she had
"a thousand things TO do indoors;' but she added
| plying the young mans disappointment
~ ihink you ought TO make Milly co. MI. Yer
schuYt, u ahr dneau't get her color hack aud
do credit IA sheTburne air aud my COW l. IN going to
send her home again.
Alily cheeks ala full Justice 10 sherhorne air when
she found herself walking alone with Mr.. Nerschoyle
ON tho quiet country road whore summers cool green
had been replaced by the coral hips and haws aud the
gold Of fading hracken, She answered all his remarks
Ia MUNICIPALITIES, until Anthony hopes sank zero
hn IA u
frequently as though they were collection al mag-
neilc needles.
~ am thluklng Of volunteering for the new Arctic
expedition, Miss Hand, - he announced suddenly.
" R0ally!' sald Milly unconceruedly. 81 hope
you win enjoy the trip.n
"Just as II was going to IirlghtonH thought An
thOuy.
~ suppose 1t is rather coldY' she suggested
calmly.
"Idont aud II very warm here - answered a.
thony ugublousy, quite overcome by this unCOnCern
- Then should think tile TOTTid Zone would he a
better change, - said Mily.
We'll, I've been thinking Ut Africa - assented
Mr.. NeIschoyle; 'bnt fellow told mo the other day
that the lions were quite done up, aud Taganyika had
become AS tame as Fan Mail. -
80 | suppose you Mud Sharhorne very stupid g' re-
marked the young lady, with sudden culver In her
voice which immediately raised mGrcurial young An
thony 10 realms OF bliss
mo, d0u't, - he replied inconsequently. at
Is the dearest place In tho wOrld-wheu YOU are in IT,
Milly '--and his arm stole inslnGatingy round her
trim waist.
"1hen why do you talk about going to the n Nort,
Poef murmured Milly pathuticay, submitting to
the cares with meekness that would have much
disappointed Miss Buckley.
- because Thought II couldn't possibly bo more
frgld than you-you cruel little darling But now,
sweet " ne went ON, with a happy thrin In his
strong young voice ''you viii be my own uttle
wite-won't you. dear? Remember how lonely
am an by myself Ia that big solitary house. LOOK
up INTO my eyes, Mily, aud say Yes. -
Ian