Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-02-24
MRS. sTAMER.

"Bat who is she? and where has she
come from ?" asks Mrs. Vyvyan, with up
lifted brows and slight acerbity of tone.
She actually lays down her novel land the
third volume, too,i as she says this, as
though honestly DESTROYS of information, or
scandal.
"She is a widow, hear, replies her
brother, lszily. He yawns, and pulls with
languid affection the ears of the small ter
rier sitting on his knee.
ooh of course, they always are wild
ows," said Mrs. Vyvyan.
"Well, why shouldn't they be Fellows
will die, you know. By the by, did yen
hear about Fred's parsnips? He"
"Never mind the psrsnips. Fred Fred
is her husband is always making an ass of
himself about one thing or the other. Tell
me what else you have heard about this
new conner.
about Mrs. Stamer. Not much. She
has taken The Holmes, it appears, and has
one little daughter. I know. nothing more
of her, and l shouldn't have known that if
Daventry hadn't regularly button-holed me
and made me listen TO him"
GLOW odd it is. That sort of woman
has always only enc child, and it is never
son. Why don't they have two, and why
not boy, sometimes ?"
''Sometimes they have. l know widow
that has three little sons.
GA widow in society, no doubt. But
this Mrs. Stsmer has apparently no con-
nections, no entecedents hat can be safely
introduced), in fact nothing"
"She has money, and the best place to
be had now in the neighborhood.
" 1 suppose, fretfully, "she will expect
us to call ?"
"Lst her expect and don't call. Why
should you? Stay at home and 60 avoid
this grievance.
"But if everybody else calls, 1 shan't
like to feel am the only one ill-natured
person in the parish. Why on earth can't
she say who she is, or mention cousin, or
a sister, or an aunt? Charlotte Grynde
saw her yesterday and says she is too pref
ty to be proper"
eff ugliness is patent to responsibility
Miss Grynde is all one could possibly de-
sire" Gays Captain Blackwood. "She is,
beyond ali doubt, too proper to be pretty. J"
Charlotte is trying, certainly, but 1
think che is good soul, says Mrs. W.
vyan carelessly of her dearest friend. ="
"Stamer-Stamer. 1t is a good name
enough, but perhaps assumed
whats in a name ?" quotes her
brother. " We have all heard about the
rose, You know, and considering what we
have heard she must be superior to any
rose. If her surname was Brown, Jones or
Robinson, it wouldn't take the luster out
of her eyes, or add an inch to her nose
which hear is pure G eek. By the by,
she has got the most questionable Christian
name"
Chow questionable ?"
cit is almost improper" says Captain
Blackwood, with a faint laugh. The day
is warm, and laughter of the pronounced
sort ia beyond him. "She calls herself
Audrey It sounds STACEY, doesn't it !?
A woman who respected herself wouldn't
90 round with that name, would she? It's
go disgracefully out of the common"
e" a name signifies very little" says Mrs.
Vyvyan, severely, who doesn't like being
ridiculed even by q pet brother.
"Look here. Pussy" says Capt. Black
wood. "Don't you be the first to taboo
this poor little woman. She is only your
own age, hear, twenty seven," Mrs. Wy
vyan is thirty-two] $50 don't be hard On
her. No doubt she has had bad times
enough without our coming down heavily
upon her"
Il shan't do anything, of course, until
other people move" lays Mrs. Vyvyan.
much Modified by that happy allusion to
her-or rather Mrs. Stamer's age. The
other people mean the Bishop, Mrs. Bish.
op and Lady Mary Gore.
" And don't be too hasty even then, +"
advises her brother, who is good natured
young man, some three years her junior.
"By the by, talking of haste, would take
three inches off her tail, If l were you.
You shouldn't delay another hour"
"0h whose tail p startled.
"Gilly's. These Irish terriers don't look
the thing with tails"
"0h the dog says his sister in re-
lieved tone. II thought you were speak
ing Of; don't understand dogs, but take
off Gilly's tail if you ike, only-don't hurt
her"
Here comes Charlotte the Grynder, so
I'll retire, says Captain Blackwood, glanc.
ing down the avenue through the open
window. she has got on her new black
silk, so she means mischief. l won't have
any tea this evening, thanks, unless you
will be so good as to send it to the library
And, Pussy, a last word if you really want
to make your friend thoroughly happy just
expAtiate on what you have heard OF Mrs.
Stsmer's beauty"
A sound outside, a well known semi
masculine step, and Captain Blsckwood
flies to regions dull-bnt inaccessible.
In spite of its many spinsters society in
Pullinghan is eminently good-nstured.
Just now it is grieving excessively at hav.
ing to hold back the right hand OF fellow
ship from the stranger at The Holmes. But
as the Larches have not gone to see her in
their landau, The Fins have not dared to
show her the light of their countenanee in
their phaeton, and so on in the lesser de-
grees of pride, each member shrinking from
the initiative in this matter.
At the end of week, however, things
come TO a climax. The Bishop, . wonder
fully unworldIy man as Bishops go, waking
to sense of the situation, drsgs himself
away from the contemplation of his straw
berry beds and persuades Mrs. Bishop to
put on her best bonnet and come with him
to make formal call at The Holmes. This,
poor woman, she does in fear and tremb.
ling Lady Mary Gore has not as vet sig
nifed her intention of visiting the new
conner, and Lady Mary is own sister to a
Duke Surprising Mrs. Bishop should be
putting her foot in it ! Awful thought
She feels little faint, but having donned
the bonnet in obedience to her lord, as.