Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-02-29
LADY BEST's MISTAKE.

LADY BEST'S MISTAKE.
They lived in n crccper-covered cot
tagc nesting among vcrdure in the
highly cultivated valley of one II the
Home Counties There was n small
dairy farm attached to il. upon which
lady Best bestowed all her leisure hours,
and thereby managed 10 add no incon-
Siderable sum 10 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. tu Oxford Arthur.
who wa, the apple of her eve. the one
only being Tor whom she really cared.
She had given him iir,,-class educa-
ton. aud II had not been received on
stony ground. for Arthur was clever,
and bOuk-wurm, too much SO for
worldly purposes, since he had in
dulgcd In study and contemplation till
he Ind become dreamer. By the time
he reached the agc az twenty-five II had
been declared by all the ncighbor.. AMI
Lady Bests circle generally, that Arthur
would never 10 any good for himself in
life; n hard verdict. considering that he
had not n single wee. and was hand
some and manly looking. Not that his
habits and pursuits were exactly manly:
fishing was the only sport In which he
had ever been known 20 indulge. and
be- spent his time for the most part in
wandering listlessly about the valley.
wearing clothes If somewhat aesthetic
cut, which was particularly distastcful
TO his rural ncighbors, a slOuching felt
hat on hi head, and book generally
poetry-in bis hand.
Idolising Arthur though she did. Il
depressed Lady Best not little to see
him take to an cfTcminate dO-nothing
style of life; and since he had now
wasted more than year in this sort II
dream. she began 10 despair Of seeing
him embark In any Of the professions
Tor which she had hoped his education
would have fitted him. What she was
90 DO how she was Co change the cur
rent II cvcnts-she did not know.
''Was be- in love? Had he had a dis
appointment" her acquaintance asked
her Gil she was tired Of answering. The
question. however. at last suggested n
remedy Why should not touch Of the
very disease from which people thought
that he was suffering bring about his
cure?
Girls! she would surround him with
girls; IT course. while she had n due re-
gard for guod looks. never forgetting
that. In her estimation. nothing made
the eyes glistcn with so much pleasure
~ the sight Of gold.
So Lady Best gave tennis party. and
invited all the beauty of the county. in
Guiding two or three hcircsscs; but be-
fore the afternoon was half over. Arthur
had disappeared lie had wandered
down the valley. away from 1.-THE
noise ms he called the musical laugh
ter Of these maidcns. promising himself
To return rs soon rs they should all be
gone.
Lady Best was disappointed, hut not
crushed; she would try again, this time
In quictcr, hut, she hoped. in n more
rilcctual way.
arthur was out So much. she was
~ times very dull she told him;
moreover, she wanted some assistance
IN cilecting one or two dairy reforms.
Her eldest brothers daughter Hannah
Milton aged nineteen, was. she under
stood, n decidedly practical. energetic
girl. She hal not seen her since she
was n baby, but she would like 10 invite
her ON long visit. aud make her ac-
guaintanCc. Had Arthur any objec-
tion?'
mo; none whatever. OF course his
mother WAS perfectly free 80 do rs she
liked
But would he be civil and kind 20 this
unknown cousin when she came?
''lf she pleased him, certainly; but.
doubtless. she would in no way interfere
with his pursuits
Not very encouraging IL Lady Bes,
had any serious intentions In reference
10 Miss Hannah Milton. who-we viii
observe In parcnthesis believed
would sooner or later come into the
possession Of No least hundred thou.
sand pounds.
Not word 20 this did she. however.
utter Co Arthur; but. without farther
discussion, wrote an ailcctionate letter
% her niece. asking her 60 come and
stay NJ the cottage NJ long rs she could
endure the frugnlity and smallness oil
their impccuuious life
Miss Hannah Milton answered by re-.
turn Of post that she would be delighted
TO avail herself of her aunt's invitation,
more especially rs her father was going
abroad ON business, aud she should De
ucr own mistress for the next two
months. She might be expected to ar-
rive. bag aud baggage. at the cottage
on the nth Of July. IL was then the
end Of Juno.
10 this announcement followed a
postscript that she hoped her dear aunt
lid not object To living animals. a. of
course she could not leave hers all alone
~ Milton Hall during her own aud her
fathers absence.
Lady beet was delighted at the sue.
cess Of her letter. and wrote again q
say that both she and Arthur were par.
ticularly fond Of pets.
Arthur had read Miss Millions letter
and merely said that he hoped the dogs
" they were dogs, were thoroughbreds
he hated everything that was not per.
feet.
SO. till the fifth Of July. tho Cottage
whenever Arthur went out--for Il could
not be expected that he should endur,
fuss and clatter-was convuised will
preparations for the arrival Of the heir
ess-niece and her retlnue. A bedroom
was turned into boudoir for her pri
vate use. and two bedrooms adjoining
were set aside for herself and her maid
The Cottage was one Of those elasti,
establishments, with countless small
rooms, capable Of taking In far large
number Of people than is exterior would
lead you 70 imagine.
Hannah Millions home was In IN,
North; Il would be quite evening befor
she would arrive, and Lady Best passe,
the day In a state OF feverish excitement
wandering from room TO room. Sh
seemed 20 feel that there was destin,
a. stake; while Arthur-the person VIII
was In al probability tho most con