Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-02-27
LADY BEST'S MISTAKE.
BY JEAN MIDDLEMASS.

They lived in acreeper-coveredc cottage,
Nesting among verdure in the highly
cultivated valley of one of the Home
counties. There was small dairy farm
attached to it, upon which Lady Best be.
slowed all her leisure hours and thereby
managed to add no uncomfortable sum
to her income, which since her husbands
death had been rather limited.
With the money derived from this
source she had been able to send her
only son, Arthur, to Oxford-Arthur,
who was the apple of her eye, the one
snly being for whom she really cared.
She had given him a first class educa-
ton, and it had not been received on
stony ground, for Arthur was clever, and
q book-wornn, too much so for worldly
purposes, since he had INDUCED in study
and contemplation till he had become
dreamer. By the time he 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 himself in life; a hard
verdict, considering that he had not a
single vice, and was handsome andmanly-
looking. Not that his habits and pur-
suits were exactly manly; fishing was the
enIy sport in which he had ever been
known to indulge, and he spent his time
for the most part IN wandering listlessly
about the valley, wearing clothes of a
somewhat aesthetic cut, which was par
ticularly distasteful to his rural neigh
bors, slouching felt hat on his head,
and book-generally poetry in his
land.
Idolizing Arthur though she did, it
depressed Lady Best not little to see
him take TO an effeminate do-nothing
life; and since he had now wasted more
than year IN this sort of dream, she
began to despair of seeing him embark
N any of the professions for which she
had hoped his education would have
6tted him. What was she to do-how
she was to change the current of events
she did not know.
'sWas he in love? Had he a disap-
pointment?' her acquaintance asked her
til she was tired of answering. The
question, however, at last suggested
remedy. Why should not touch of the
very disease from which people thought
that be was suffering, bring about his
cure
IL1JSs 011C NOu1u Su11OuI1 Hill Will
girls; Of course, while she had due re-
gard 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, in
Guiding two or three heiresses, b1t be-
fore the afternoon was half over Arthur
had disappeared. He had wandered
down the valley away from ''the noise"
as he called Uhe musical laughter of
these maidens, promising himself to re-
turn as soon as they should be gone.
Lady Best was disappointed but not
crushed; she would try again, this time
IN o quieter, but she hoped in more
efectual way.
arthur was out SO much she was at
times very dull, she told him; ''more-
ever she wanted some assistance in
efecting one or two dairy reforms. Her
eldest brothers daughter-Hannah Mil
ton-aged nineteen, was, she understood,
. decidedly practical, energetic girl. She
had not seen her since she was a baby,
bur she should like to invite her on a
long visit, and make her acquaintance.
Had Arthur any objection %
s'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?
eff she pleased him, certainly; but,
doubtless, she would in ne 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 pos
session of at least a hundred thousand
pounds.
Not word of this did she, however,
utter to Arthur, but, without further
discussion, wrote an affechonate letter
TO her niece asking her to come and stay
at the cottage as long as she could
endure the frugality and Bmallness of
their impecunious life.
Miss Hannah Milton answered by re-
turn of post that she should be delight
ed to avail herself of her aunt's invita-
ton more especially as her father was
gsing abroad on business. and she
should be her own mistress for the next
two months. She might be expected to
arrive, bag and baggage, at the cottage
on the 9Th of July. 1t was then the end
Of June.
To this announcement followed post
script that she hoped her dear aunt did