Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-02-02
LADY BEsT's MISTAKE.
BY JEAN MIDDLEMASS.

ID oEa&N hiDDlEMASS.
ihey hVed IN creeper-covered cottage, nest
my among Verdufe in the highly-cultivated
'aiiey OF one OF the Home counties. There was
small dairy-farm attached to 1t, upon which
Lazy Best bestowed all her leisure hours and
thereby managed to add no inconsiderable sum
t"her income. which since her husbands death
had been rather limited.
WIN the money derived from this source she
li''u oeen able to send her only son, Arthur, to
oXford-Arthur. who was the apple of her eye,
the only being for whom she really cared She
mad given him first-class education, and it
mad not been received on stony ground, for Ar
thur was clever, and book-worm, too much
so for worldly purposes. since he had INDUCED
/ IN study and contemplation till he had become a
| dreamer. By the time he had reached the age of
twenty-five it had been declared BY all the
neighbors. and Lady Best's circle generally,
! that Arthur would never do any good for HIM
/ self in life; hard verdict considering that he
/ had not single vice, and was handsome and
manipulating. Not that his habits and pur-
/ suits were exactly manly; fishing was the only
/ sport IN which he had ever been known to in
dulge. and he spent his time for the most part
IN wandering listlessly about the valley wear
ing clothes of somewhat esthetic cut. which
was particularly distasteful to his rural neigh
bors. slcuching felt hat on his head and a
bOok-generally pOetry-in his hand
ldoliZing Arthur though she did, it depressed
Lady Best not a little to see him take to an
etfeminate do-nothing style of life; and since he
had now wasted more than year in this sort of
dream. she began to despair of seeing him en-
bark IN any of the professions for which she had
| hoped his education would have fitted him.
W nat she was to dO-how she was to change
the current of events-she did not know
Was he in love? Had he had disappoint-
ment! her acquaintance asked her till she was
t1reg OF answering. The question. however, at
last suggested remedy. Why should not a
tOuch OF the very disease from which people
! thought that he was suffering, bring about his
cure:
Girls. she would surround him with girls; of
course, while she had due regard for good
looks, never forgetting that in her estimation
nothing made the eyes glisten with so much
pleasure as the sight of gold
SO Lady Best gave tennis party and invited
all the beauty OF the county, including two or
three helresses. but before the afternoon was
half over Arthur had disappeared. He had
wandered down the valley away from 'the
noise, as he called the musical laughter of these
Inaldens, promising himself to return as soon as
they should all be gone
Lady Best was disappointed, but not crushed;
she would try again. this time in quieter, but
she hoped more etfectual way.
Arthur was out so much she was at times
very dull, she told him; moreover, she
wanted some assistance i'm effecting one or two
dairy reforms Her eldest brothers daughter
Hannah MiltOn--aged nineteen, was, she under
stood, decidedly practical, energetic girl.
She had not seen her since she was q baby but
she should like to invite her on long visit and
make her acquaintance. Had Arthur any obiec-
tiOn?"
NO; none whatever. OF course his mother
was perfectly free to do as she liked"
But would he be civil and kind to this
unknown cousin when she came?
III she pleased him, certainly; but, doubt
less she would in no way interfere with his
pursuits"
Not very encouraging if Lady Best had any
serious intentions in reference to Miss Hannah
Milton. whO-we will observe in parenthesis-
she believed would sooner or later come into
the possession OF at least hundred thousand
pounds.
Not word of this did she, however inter to
Arthur out. without further discussion wrote
an aifectionate letter to her niece asking her to
come and stay at the Cottage as long as she
could endure the frugality and smallness of
their impecunious life.
Miss Hannah Milton answered by return of
post that she should be delighted to avail her.
self of her aunt's invitation more especialIy as
ner father was going abroad ON business. and
she should be her own mistress for the next two
months She might be expected to arrive, BAG
ana baggage at the Cottage on the 5th of july
it was then the end of June
To this announcement followed postscrint
that she hoped her dear aunt did not object to
living animals. as of course she could not leave
hers all alone at Milton Hall during her own and
her fathers absence
Lady Best was delighted at the success of her
letter. and wrote again to say that both she and
Arthur were particularly fond of pets
Arthur had read Miss Milton's letter. and
merely said that he hoped the dogs, if they were
dogs, were thoroughbred; he hated everything
that was not perfect.
So. till the 9Th of July, the Cottage. whenever
Arthur went Out-fOr it could not be expected
that he should endure fuss and clatter-was
convulsed with preparations for the arrival of
the heiress-niece and her retinue. A bedroom
was turned into boudoir for her private use
and two bedrooms adjoining were set aside for
herself and her maid.
The cottage was one of those elastic estab-
lishments, with countless small rooms. capable
of taking in far larger number of peonle than
its exterior would lead you to imagine
Hannah Millions home was i'm the north IF
would be quite evening before she would arrive
and Lady Best passed all the day in a state of
feverish excitement, wandering from room to
room. she seemed to feel that there was des-
tiny az stake; while Arthur, the individual who
in all probability the most concerned. was per.
iectly cool and collected and passed the hours
in his habitual placid enjoyment of book.
The mystic shade of twilight was already
creeping up the valley when wheels were heard
approaching the Cottage, and Lady Best went
out into the porch to receive her guest Fain
would she have persuaded Arthur to accom-
pany her, but he preferred an armchair by the
window. 1O
At last the carriage is at the door. and Fan
nah Milton having sprung out. is clamoronsIv
kissing her aunt.
There Is nothing esthetic or dreamy abOut her
She has broad. plain. honest open face with
me eyes and a large mouth full of strong-loOk-
Ing white teeth-nOt the slightest pretepsion tn
beauty, out you can see at glance that Hannah
Milton Is thoroughly good kind. sincere
woman. Her voice Is very loud but if has the
ring of true heart 1t frightens LADY Rest
however, as she thinks. "What will Arthur saw,
Will he run away from Hannah, or allow himself
to be subdued by her?''
In the carriage beside Hannah. half concealed
by bird-cages, Persian cat and three small
dogs of different breeds there is a pirl-the
maid. OF course. The dogs and the cat spriny
out after Hannah. and the footnan takes the
blrd-cages. Just as the unnoticed occupant of
the carriage is stepping out Hannah turns
round.
''Oh. l forgot: let me introduce nv dearest
friend. Agatha Burghley. OF course YOU ey-
pected her; she never leaves me- you know"
Lady Best held out her hand in a welcome to
which her heart did not respond; nor did she
speak, except to say:
"And your maid Hannah?'
Miss Milton burst out laughing THAT ia a
luxury in which We don't indulge-do We Aggy?
We arrange our toilets ourselves, and very effec-
tive they are sometimes, eh?"
Lady Best looked again at this COMPANION of
whom she had never heard before No deci-
dedly; II she had known of her existence she
would not have asked Hannah to the Cottage
For Agatha was beautiful Of that rofna3 snirtt