Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-02-10
LADY BEsT's MISTAKE.
BY JRAN MIDDLEMAss.


tage, nesting among verdure in the
highly. cultivated valley of one Of the
Home counties. There was q small
dairy-farm attached to it, upon which
Lady Best bestowed all her leisure hours
and thereby managed to add no ineon-
siderable 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
only being for whom she really cared.
She had given him q first'clsss educs-
ton, and it had not been received on
stony ground, for Arthur was clever,
and q book-worm, too much so for
worldly purposes, since he had indulg-
ed 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 Ar
thur would never do any good for him-
self in life; hard verdict, considering
that he had not single vice, aud was
handsome and manly. looking. Not
that his habits aud pursuits were exact.
ly manly; fishing was the only sport In
which he had ever been known to in
dulge, and be spent his time fer the
most part in wandering listlessly about
the valley, wearing clothes Of q some
what aesthetic cut, which was particu-
larry dIstasreful to his rural neighbors,
a slorching felt hat on his head, and 8
bOok-generslly poetry-in his hand.
IdOlizing Arthur though she did, 1t
depressed Lady Best not little to see
him take to al etiemiDate do-nothing
style of life; and since lie had now
waited more than year in this sort Of
dream, she began to despair Of seeing
him embark in any of the professions
for which she had hoped his education
would have fitted him. What she was
to do-hOw she was to change the cur
tent Of events-she did not know.
WAS lie in love? Had he had dis
appointment" her acquaintance ask
ed her ill she was tired Of answering.
The question, however, at last suggest
ed remedy. Why should not touch
of the very disease from which people
thought that he was suffering, bring
about his care?
Girls! she would surround him with
girls; Of Course, while she had due re-
gard for good looks, Dever forgetting
that in her estimation nothing made the
eyes glisten with so much pleasure rs
the sight of gold.
So Lady Best gave tennis party and
invited all the beauty OF tue county, in-
Guiding two or three heiresSes, but be-
fore tue afternoon wac half over Ar
thur had disappeared. He had wander
ed down the valley away from
1.-THE nUise,n aS he called the musical
laughter Oi these maidenS, promising
himself TO return rs soon as they should
all be gone.
Lady Best was disappointed but not
crushed; SHE would try again, this time
INA 9ut ter, but che hoped more e1rc-
tual way.
ARTHUR was out so much she was AZ
times very dull" she told him; more
over, she wanted some assistance III
etftcIiDg one or TWO dairy reforms. Her
eldest brothers. daughter-Hannan
MiitOn-aged nineteen, was, she under,
stood, u decidedly practical, energetic
girl. She had not seen her sincs she
WAS Laby, but she should like To ill.,
wife her on long visit and make her
acquaintance. Had Arthur any o6jec.
IIUnT'
No; none whatever. OF course, his
Il other WAS perfectly free to DO ~ sne
liked"
But would be be civil and kind to this
unknown cousin when she come?
Ill sue pleased him, certainly; but,
IL ublitss, she would in no way Interfere
With his pursuits"
Not very encouraging if Lady Best
h.d suy serious intentions in reference
10 Mrs Milton, whO-we will observe in
parenIieeIs-she believed would SOONER
~ later come into the possession OF AT
lesst a hundred thousand pounds.
Not u word of this did she, however,
utter To Arthur, but, without iurther
Inclusion, wrote al atfectiOnate letter
to her niece, asking her to come ami
stay AT the Cottage Is long as she could
enUuIe the frugality anu smallneSs Of
their ImpecunlUus life.
Miss Hannah Milton answered by re
tuIn Of post that she should be delight
I'D to avail berself of her auuL's invita-
ton, more especially as her father wa
going abroad on business, and she
should he her own mistress for the next
two months. She might be expected To
arrive, bag and baggage, at the Cottage
on the 5lh Of July, lLwas then the end
of June.
To this announcement followed q
postscript that she hoped her dear aunt
lid not object To living animals, ~ OF
course, size could not leave hers all
alone at Milton Hall during her own
sLO her fathers abseHee.
Lady Best was delighted at the sue
cess Oi her letter and wrote again TO
Soy that both she and Arthur were par
ticulsIly fond of pets.
Arthur had read Miss Millions letter,
and merely said that he hoped the dogs
if they were dogs, were thoroughbred;
he hated everything that was not per
feet.
$50, till the 9Th of July, the Cottage,
whenever Arthur went Out-for il could
not be expected that he should endure
fuss and clatter-waS cOnvulSed with
preparations for the arrival of the heir /
.ess niece and her retinue. A bed. room
was turned into = boudoir for her prl.
vste use, and two bedrooms adjoining
were set aside for herself and her maid.
The Cottage WAS one Of those elastic !
establishments with countless small
rooms, capable of taking in far larger
number OI people than its exteror would
lead you To Imagine.
Hannah Millions home was in the |
North. 1t would be quite evening be- |
fore she would arrive and Lady Best |
passed all the day in q state Of feveriJh |
Excitement, wandering from room to |
room. She seemed to feel thst there |
was 8 destiny nj stake; while Arthur, |
the individual who in all probability |
the most concerned, was perfectly cool |
and collected and passed the hours in |
his habitual placid enjoyment OF