The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-21

way there and finally arrives just in time to
meet Lady Mary departing.
| Yes, there is balm in Gilead Again the
sun Shines the flowers emit the sweetest per
fume. All is changed. She presses Lady
Mary's hand affectionately, and murmurs
''hcw glad she is to see that dear Lady Mary
too (the too heavily emphasized), has
| espoused this poor creatures cause, and has
not gone over to those who seem bent on ig-
| norng her presence in the county"
l. Lady Mary mods and blnks and gives it as
her opinion that the poor creature is abso-
| lutely charming, and goes OF her way reioic-
ing with a large smile upon her broad, ugly,
| lovely old face.
| After the Bishop, Mrs. Vyvyan calls and
| after that there is a rush from minor quart
ers to see the pretty widow, who has dropped
down among them as ii from the skies.
! They find 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 altogether-well-
| you understand; and this adds piquancy to
the acquaintance, though all would have
| died rather than confess it.
There is one great charm about Mrs.
Stamer She is always at home and always
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 draw
ing-room, with the windows open lit is hot
| test, brightest Junel an immense peacock
fan in her little jeweled hand, and a very
tiny child at her feet.
She is dressed in deepest mourning-not
Grape exactly, but heavy black for all that,
relieved here and there by some handsome
jet, and old lace facings at the throat and
wrists. The child is in mourning, too yet
she tells every one she has been widow a
| little more than three years. On her left
hand, as in duty bound (this is Miss Grynde's
remark, not mine) she wears plain we'd
| i
| mondS, worth small fortune. Miss Grynde
| is further of opinion that diamond rings of
such value on a widow of unknown fame
are not respectable
Pulllngham is festive; it is even lavish in
its hospitality. Invitations to stately after
Moons pompous dinners and frivolous even
| ings have been showered upon Mrs. Stamer
all in vain. She has politely refused to
| join the dance in any form whatever. In
| deed, she lets it be understood that she
means to abjure all gayety and devote her
! self 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 Pullngham. but anything
so ethereally lovely us the little fairy who
calls Mrs. Stamer mamma" has never yet
been seen there. She is minute thing of
| five years, with yellow hair that encirclcs
! her like cloud, and out of which CLEAN
dark eyes and crimson lips complexion
| like veritable white rose, and n wistful eX-
! preston that must have come with her from
| her own domain of Faerie
The dav being just trifle cooler than its
| 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 800
in the shade, without even one signing breeze
tn relieve its intensity. The flowers are
dropping, the streamlets run slowly, gentle
Zephyrus has forgotten the earth.
You must come to us this evening" says
| Mrs. Vyvvan, impetuously. You must, in
deed. Why, you have been here or full
month, and never put in an evening any
where. 1t is almost uncivil of YOU"
OH not uncivIl," says Mrs Stamer gently.
"Well, then, uhkind. We wish to make
YOU one of us and you wont have it," says
| Mrs. Vyvyan, who had been the first to tra-
duce her and the second to adore her Be
sides. tonight l want YOU"
There are so many Others" SAYS the pale
widow, with faint smile In your charm
! ing circle Il stranger-such as l am-cannot
possibly be missed A stranger. however,
who feels your kindness deeply, and hardly
knows how she can repay it," This last,
with extreme grace and a soft, undulating
movement, and a sweeter smile.
| 81 know" says Mrs. Vyvyan, briskly.
! ''There is nothing to repay; but if you think
there is, come TO me Tonight 1t will be an
early party; so early that | will ask you to
| bring the little one with you; my May and
Edith will look after her."
| At this a faint little plaintive voice that
seems to come from the mothers feet makes
| itself heard. The child has been sitting on a
low foot-stool buried in one of Mrs Moles-
w0rths charming tales, but the last sentence
spoken has become English to her She rises
and throws her bare soft arms around her
mothers neck.
"Oh, mamma, do, do take me! 1 have
never been to q real party, and want to play
with Il iith." Mrs. Stamer is not proof
against this solicitation. 1t was indeed a
lucky hour when Mrs. Vyvyan thought of
asking the child
But my pet" begins the widow
Say yes" entreats the golden-haired elf
with authority-at which Mrs. Vyvyan
laughs.
You will come" she says, hopefully
"That is right Dulce" to the child Il owe
you debt of gratitude The fact is, the
General is to be with us. He is staying with
the Claremont people, and he is such charm
ing man. | should quite like you to meet
him."
II will come to you," says Mrs. Stamer, I'M
willingly. 1t is terrible to her to emerge
from her secluson; but she feels, in this in
stance, it will be too unfrendly to refuse
And ii she has to live her life among these
people, the sooner she accepts their ways the
better. ii only for her chid's sake.
Now that is right" says Mrs. Vyvyan,
and she pressed II little kiss upon Mrs
Stamers pale cheek as she takes her depart
ure.
As Mrs. Stamer enters the reception-rooms
at The Grange, she fEds them fuller than
she had anticipated where all these people
can have come from is the first thought.
Pulingham. 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 unfamiliar
Every one seems little surprised, and
good deal glad 10 see her Her child is
caressed and petted to her hearts content.
until May and Edith Vyvyan carry her off
bodily. The hostess rustles up to Mrs