The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-02-15


arm chair by the window
AT last the carriage is at the door,
and Hannah Milton, having sprung
out, is clamorously kissing her aunt.
There is nothing aesthetic or dreamy
about her. She had broad, plain,
honest open face, with fine eyes and a
large mouth full of strong looking
white teeth-uot the slightest preten
sion to beauty, but you can see at glance
that Hannah Milton is thoroughly
good, kind, sincere woman. Her voice
is very loud, but it has the ring of a
true heart 1t frightens Lady Best,
however, as she thinks, "What will
Arthur say? Will he run away from
Hannah, or allow himself to be sub
dued by herr" In the carriage beside
Hannah, half concealed by bird Cages,
Persian cat aud three small dogs of
different breeds, there is a girl-the
maid, of course. The dogs and the
cat spring out after Hannah and the
footman takes the bird cages. Just
as the unnoticed occupant of the carl
riage is stepping out Hannah turns
round.
"Oh forgot; let me introduce my
dearest friend, Agatha Burghley. OF
course you expected her; she never
leaves me, you know
Lady Best held out her hand in a
welcome to which her heart did not re-
spond; nor did speak, except to say:
"And your maid, Hannah p
Miss Milton burst out laughing. ''That
is a luxury in which we don't Indulge
do we, Aggy ? We arrange our toll
cts ourselves, and very effective they
are sometimes, eh ?"
Lady Best looked again at the COM
panion of whom she bad never heard
before. No, decidedly; if she had
known of her existence she would not
have asked Hannah to the cottage. For
Agatha was beautiful, of that refined
spiritualized beauty about which poets
rave.
For an indefinite period she had in
vited Hannah, and this companion, this
Agatha, was she also to be their daily
associate for weeks
The meeting with Arthur, however,
could not be deferred, and Lady Best
led the way into the drawing room.
He was as cordial as it was in his
nature to be in his reception of his
cousin, but when the same formula of
introduction with which Lady Best had
been greeted was gone through, and
Agatha, dragged forward by her ener-
getic friend, stood before him, with
the pale CLEAN of the rising moonlight
on her face, he started back as though
ne had seen spectre, more in fear
than admiration, as it seemed to his
anxious watching mother.
There was no time, however, for
speculation as to what feelings had
awakened in Arthur's breast, the ne
cesstes were asserting themselves and
Hannah in her blunt way declared
herself to be famishing.
"a rapid toilet and dinner. Come
on, Agatha, we shall not keep Lady
Best waiting long," and the two girls
went quickly up into the rooms that
hou pCCu lSpottS GU iOI Uuclu.
In less than quarter of an hour
they came back, looking as spic-and.
span as if they had made no long jour
ney. 1t was very obvious that the SER
vices of maid were unnecessary
The evening, however,was scarcely a
merry one. Arthur was more than
usually silent and meditative, Agatha
was very tired; she was not so robust
as Hannah, who was the only lively
one of the party, and chatted ceaselessly
to Lady Best, who, for once in her life
was not good listener. Alt her at
tention was riveted on shat young
person" as she already, in her mind,
designated the somewhat lackadaisical
Agatha.
Hannah was very full of the project
ed dairy reforms. She loved every
thing that gave her practical tenden-
cies full vent; but Lady Best was by
no means as keen as she was.
"While they were reforming what
would Arthur and this beautiful Agatha
be doing p she asked herself "Oh, if
Hannah would only turn her full atten
tion on the far more important work Of
reforming Arthur
Lady Best was, however, too much
of diplomatist to let her thoughts ap,
pear in words; no, she must act, ma
n9uvre, watch.
Of course the first thing next morn
ing Hannah expressed a wish to &c
over the farm, and accompanied by
Agatha, she and Lady Best started OF
a tour of inspection. Arthur had seer
the farm ad nduseum, he said, and il
did not amuse him; he preferred re
naming in the house till luncheon
time.
With the explanations and discus
sions which this farming pilgrimage
entailed, Lady Best's spirits rose, ant
she became thoroughly absorbed il
her subject, rejoicing that she hao
found SO genial companion and abl'
co-worker as Hannah. On a sudden
however, her spirits fell to zero
Agatha had disappeared. "Of cours,
she had gone to join Arthur; it was
preconcerted plan between them, ant
the mother as she thought of it, be
came perfectly miserable.
No more talk about gallons of milk
London market, home consumption
etc. She was tired, she said, and i
Hannah did not mind they would re
turn to the house They reached tn
bottom of the garden, which lay i
front of the drawing room windows
just as Agatha, accompanied by Al
thur strolled up the terrace toward
the wood.
The sight was past bearing; thi,
then, was to be the end of all her 10,
ing care for Arthur; he was to MARI
Hannah's penniless companion. Nc
did Hannah's remark, as she too, pc
ceived them, tend to calm the excite
mothers fears. o.
"Oh I! they are going to have littI
chat. l told Aggy the sooner it VIZ
over the better"
"A chat with my son? Has this
this Miss Burghley met Arthur b.
fore"