Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-03-11


watching her aunt's horrfed face with sinful
pleasure, ''of course l don't believe in it at ALL
but wouldn't it be just horrible if it should come
| true? 1t would be almost worse than Harry
Wood. wouldn't it?"
"Don't be absurd" said Mrs Arden. rigidly.
81 suppose, Continued Jessca. gravely, that
| should have to wear sabotS, and one of those
| ugly black WOODEN petticoats. Immensely full on
the hips, and cap-I wonder how should look
| in a CAPT.
She rose and went to the cheval glass which
| hung between the windows. She picked up a
| large handkerchief of her uncle's. which lay on
chair. and folded it deftly into the sembance
| OF cap with wide wings at the sides.
cit Is too limp" she said, sit should be
| starched stiffiy and stand out so.'
She regarded herself attentively in the glass a
| moment.
81 suppose he would make me drive the char
rette into town on market days." pursued the
! heartiesS Jessica; ''Or make me carry creel of
fish on my back, and shout, poisso,as!' uioants,
| tO,tts riDants' shouldn't do it well?"
''YOu certainly have the lungs of a fishwo-
man" said Mrs Arden much displeased, land
unless you stop at once this humiliating way of
talking, shall go to my ROOM"
Don't 90" returned Jessica. promptly whisk-
ing the handkerchief off her head there is our
dear friend LANCE, coming down the street,
sucking the knob of his cane; which reminds me
that he begged me this morning to give you his
humble devotion, and would you and mam'sel
your niece, drive little way with him before
dinner ! entirely forgot it till this instant.
What shall we do?''
Mrs. Arden hesitated moment.
Il suppose you do not wish to co." she said in
an aggrieved Tone
''On the contrary" replied Jessica, 81 am
anxious TO do so. We may freeze. but then we
are freezing here. 1t will be change at least"
Your uncle is probably off for one of his long
walks so | see no reason why we should not
60" considered Mrs. Arden.
Accordingly half an hOur later a carria re
rolled out of the Porte ST. MalO of Oman. con-
tanning gentleman and two ladies' Monsieur
Lange, in short, and Mrs. Arden and Jessica.
Monsieur Lange was f1orid and stout and not
over young. His small black eyes twinked
under thick black eyebrows; he never removed
them from Jessicas face. and he seldom
removed the knob of his walking stick from his
mouth.
Robbie had not yet come, and as the carriage
rolled along in the open country, the air was
undeniably bleak and the ladies' shivered in
their sealskn coats. Up a rough lane and
nestled comfortably among apple trees, was
farm house, with many steep, red roofs. ard ample
whitewashed chmneys, from one of which
column of blue smoke was rising.
81 Declare exclaimed Mrs Arden with sud-
den energy, "there is positively one house
which looks as if it had fire in it, real fire,
with blazing logs, and not a handful of charcoal
to be treated tenderly and extinguished the
instant ones dinner is cooked. l really think
one might be warm there. Jessca. wonder
how it would seem to be warm again, honestly
warm, with no pretence about it,
But madame can see." returned Monsieur
Lange. politely. sit is an old servant of my
mothers who cares for this house. The owner
has died, and the heirs have not yet taken their
possession. Madame can easily get warmth in
there for the hOmeward drive if she chooses
what would you like Jessiea?" said Mrs. Ar
den, putting up her eyeglass to examines tall
figure in gray which was approaching with long
strides.
Yes, let us CO." said Jessica '.rd like to see
the inside of a Breton farmhouse"
The matter being thus decided, the party
alighted at the end of the lane, and Mrs. Ar
den at once bounced upon the pedestrian in
gray.
Il thought could not be mistaken" she said.
severely triumphant. II knew your walk and
the mail, too, believe" she added slipping
her hand into his ulster pocket, as the two fol-
lowed Monsieur Lange and Jessica up the stony
lane.
''Yes," said Mr. Arden, rather absently. ~
believe there were two or three letters. l had
paper. and letter from Thomas & Gregg, and
after read them went to walk, my head was
so muddIed.'
There was high stone wall at the end of the
lane, and, gate in this being opened. the party
found itself in small court. paved with uneven
tiles. and quite noisy with fowl. On one side
there We're stables and on another the farm
house. with door open into the kitchen.
whence came the burr and hum of spinning
wheel.
'Epiphanie" shouted Monsieur LANCE, and
the buZzing ceased. and an old woman came to
the open door to look out.
Her face was brown and scanned, and her hair
was quite white under her stittiy starched cap
Her black eyes twinkled merrily when she saw
Monsieur Lange, and she urged the party to
come in and get warm.
''But thou art naughty child" she said
shaking lean, brown finger at Monsieur Lange
thou hast not been to see thy old Epiphanie
for months mechdnt, and the fine bouquet of
pot herbs / have for thy dear maman! Thou
shalt bear them back to town with thee, petit
roiteietr'
AS the old woman talked she had set chairs
for her visitors by the blazing fire, and she i'm
mediately set some cider to warm in an earfhern
pipkn on the hearth, and brought out bread
and some cheese.
But if thou hadst sent word of thy coming"
she ratified on, certainly should have made
thee some GAZETTE. Thou hast never forgotten
the good GAZETTE Of Epiphanie, my pretty little
bi6elOt!'"
Monsieur LANCE at length yielded to the
prayers OF Epiphanie, and climbed with her, the
uneven. stone stairs which led from the Kitchen
to see. himself, the beautiful sOup-herbs she
wanted him to take to his mother.
Left thus to themselves, Mrs. Arden. seated
in q warm corner, became absorbed in her let
tiers; Mr.. Arden paced the floor and Jessica
went to visit the quaint parlOr. She found the
door ajar. and, stepping in, started to find that
the room was not empty.
Standing by window, with his back towards
her, was young man with short, dark hair and
sturdy pair Of shoulders. He was whistling
softly. and as Jessica came in, he asked without
turning:
''Whose carriage is that at the end of the
lane?"
Monsieur Lange's" said Jessca
The young man made very sudden wheel
about looked at Jessica moment, and then
without word took her in his arms
you needn't quite crush me, think" said
Jessica, meekly, after a moments silence
He loosened his clasp the verest trile, and
laughed.
You see" he explained, 81 am so. afraid of
losing YOU"
"You needn't be-" said Jessica, shamelessly.
g never shall run away. l am quite happy
where am"
you did run away from Paris, though"
~ supposed at least you would follow me-
said Jessica.
"And haven't / ?"
Then they both laughed, being in that Charm
ingly idiotic condition when young people laugh
at everything. Then the young man said seri-