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

respectable Sne HnOSb Wecps, ahu ScA
tainly scolds all the way there, and finally
arrives Just in time to meet Lady Mary de-
parting.
Yes, there is balm in Gilead Again,
the sun shines. the flowers emit the sweet
est perfume. All is changed. She presses
Lady Msry's hand affectionately, and muir
murs g how glad she is to see that dear
Lady Mary too (the too heavily emphaized),
has espoused this poor creatures cause,
and has not gone over to those who seem
bent on ignoring her presence IN the
county,"
Lady Mary mods and blinks, and gives it
as her opinion that the 'poor creature" is
absolutely charming, and goes on her way
re 1icing, with a large smile upon her
broad, ugly, lovely old face.
After the Bishop, Mrs. Vyvyan calls,
and after that there is rush from minor
quarters TO see the pretty widow, who has
dropped down among them as if from the
skies.
They fud her very good to look at SO
good that somebody says she cannot be
bad, her face is SO angelic yet every one,
in his or her secret heart, feels that there
may be something in her past not altogeth-
e--well-you understand and this adds
piquancy to the acquaintance, though all
would have died rather than confess it.
There is enc great charm about Mrs.
Stamer. She is always at home, and al
ways to be seen, so every one can crafty
his curiosity about her. She is ever to be
found seated in huge rocking chair in her
drawing room, with the windows open lit
is hottest, brightest June), an immense
peacock fan in her little jeweled hand, and
a very tiny child at her feet.
| She is dressed in deepest mourning
Grape exactly, but heavy black for all that,
relieved here and there by some handsome
| Jet, and old lace frillings at the throat and
wrists. The child is IN mourning, too
yet she tells every one she has been wild.
ow for little more than three years. On
her left hand, as in duty bound this is
Miss Grynde's remark, not mine), she wears
a plain wedding ring; on her right two
magnificent diamonds, worth a small for.
tune. Miss Grynde is further of opinion
that diamond rings of such value on q
widow of unknown fame-are not respect
able
Puilingham is festive it is even lavish
in its hospitality. Invitations to stately
afternoons, pompous dinners and frivolous
evenings have been showered upon Mrs
Stamer-all in vain. She has politely de
clined to join the dance in any form what.
soever. Indeed, she lets it be understood
that she means to abjure gayety, and de
votes herself exclusively to the cultivation
OF her child.
The child is decided feature in her pro
gramme There have been, and there are
pretty children in Pullingham, but any
thing so ethereally lovely as the little fairy
who calls Mrs. Stamer mamma" ha!
never been seen there. She is minute
thing of five years, with yellow hair thai
encircles her like a cloud, and out of which
CLEAN dark eyes and crimson lips, com
/ plexion like veritable white rose, and g
wistiul expression that must have come
with her from her own domain of Faerie.
To-day, being just triae cooler than it;
fellows, Mrs. Vyvyan drives her ponies
down to The Holmes, and entering the
shaded drawing room there, literally lays
siege TO Mrs. Stamer, who is looking as
slender and cool and calm as though the
heat is not so in the shade, without even
one signing breeze to relieve its intensity.
The flowers are dropping the streamlets
run slowly; gentle Zephyrus has forgotten
the earth
"You must come to us this evening, u
says Mrs. Vyvyan impetuously. you
must indeed. Why, you have been here
for full month, and never put an evening
anywhere. 1t is almost uncivil of you."
"Oh! not uncivil," says Mrs. Stamer
gently.
"Well, then, unkind. We wish to make
! you one of us, and you won't have it, says
Mrs. Vyvyan, who had been the first to
traduce her and the second to adore her
g Besides, tonight l want you. u
"There are SO many Others" says the
pale widow, witha faint smile.
In your charming circle stranger
such as l am-csnnot possibly be missed.
A stranger, however, who feels your kind.
ness deeply, and hardly knows how she can
repay il" This last, with extreme grace,
and soft, undulating movement, and a
sweeter smile.
81 know" says Mrs. Vyvan briskly.
"There is nothing to repay, but if you
think there is, come to me o.night It will
| you to bring the little one with you my
! May and Edith will look after her."
At this, faint little plaintive voice that
seems to come from toe mothers feet makes
itself heard. The child has been sitting
on low footstool buried in one of Mrs.
Molesworth's charming tales, but the last
sentence spoken has become English to
her. She rises and throws her bare soft
arms around her mothers neck.
son, mamma, do, do take me! l have
never been to real party, and want to
play with Edith"
Mrs Stamer is not proof against this 80.
licitation. 1t was indeed a lucky hour
when Mrs. Vyvyan thought of asking the
child.
"But, my pet" begins the widow,
family.
"Ssy yes" entreats the golden-h haired
elf, with authority, at which Mrs. Vyvyan
laughs.
dYou will come" she says, hopefully.
"That is right. Dulce, to the child, 81
owe you debt of gratitude. The fact is,
the General is to be with us. He is stay
ing with the Claremons people, and he is
such charming man, 1 should quite like
you to meet him."
81 will come to you, says Mrs. Stamer,
unwillingly. 1t is terrible to her to
emerge from her seclusion, but she
| feels, in this instance, it will be too uu-
friendly to refuse. And if she has to live
her life among these people, the sooner she
accepts their ways the better, if only for
her child's sake.
Now that is right, says Mrs Vyvyan
and she presses a little kiss upon Mrs.
Stamer's pale cheek, as she takes her de.
parture.
As Mrs. Stamer enters the reception.
rooms at The Grange she finds them fuller
than she had anticipated where all these
people can have come from is the first
thought. Pullingbsm, in her eyes, had not
appeared large enough TO contain one-half
of them, yet after careful scrutiny she
confesses to herself that no face here is I'M
familiar. Every one seems little sur
prised, and a good deal glad to see her.
Her child is caressed and petted to her
hearts content, until May and Edith
Vyvyan carry her eff bodily. The hostess
rustles up to Mrs. Stamer, and makes
much of her, and says something about
g