The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-03-06

destiny ii stake; while Arthur. the IN.
disilual who wns In NIL probability tho
most concerned WAS perfectly cool
md collected, and passed thc hours In
his hnhitunl placid enjoyment Of book.
Tho mystic sha,lc III twilight wns al.
ready creeping mp tho valley whom
wheels wore heard approaching the cot.
tage, and La,ls lBess went out into tho
porch 10 receive her guest. fain would
shc have persuaded Arthur to accom-.
pany her, hut he preferred mn armchair
hy the window.
At last The carriage Ii nt thu door,
nnd Hannah Milton, having sprung out,
in clamorousls kissing her aunt.
There IN nothing aesthetic or dreamy
about hee. She has a broad. plain,
honest, open h'c, with iinc cyes, and
Il largo mouth full of strengthening
whit, tooth no, the slightest prrtcn.
sion 10 beauty, hut You can see nj a
glance that Hannah Milton IL thor.
anghly good, kMl, sincere woman. Her
soier is very loud. hut Il has thu ring of
truc heart, II friphtens Indy Best.
hawcNcr, ~ shc thinks, "What will
Arthur says Will he run AWAY from
Hannah, or allow himself IL hc sub.
,ncd hy hers"
In tho carriage hcsidcs Hannah--half
concealed hy hinl.capcs, u Persian cat.
anl three small dogs of different breeds
there Il u girl; the maid. Of course.
Tho dogs anu tho cat spring ont after
Hannah, and the foctman takes tho
hir,l.cagcs. Just as the unnotited 90.
cnpant of the carriage II stepping out,
Hannah turns round.
"Oh. forgot; let me Introduce my
dearest friend, Agatha Rnrghley. Of
course You expected her. she never
leaves me, you know"
Lady best held out her hand IN a
welcome to which her heart lil not ~.
spond; nor did she speak. except to
| say
And Your maid. Hannah'"
Miss Milton hurst out laughing.
"That is luxury in which We don't III.
dulgc- Ito w. Aggyy We arrange our
toilets ourselves, and very effective they
arr somctSmes--ehg~
Lady Hest locked again N this com.
ranion III whom she had never heard
before No. decidedly not: il she
1 uWA MuSNu VI uSS NAaSteuSV SUe
would never have asked Hannah
to the cottage, For Agatha was bean.
tifal, ot that refined, spiritualised beau
~ about which poets rave.
For All indeiinite period shc had In.
vitca Hannah. and this companion,
this Agatha. was she also to he their
daily associate for wecksy
The meeting with Arthur, however,
could not he deferred, and Lady Best
led tho way into the draMing>rom,
He was IN cordial N il WAS in his
nature ia hc in his reception III his
cousin, ha, when the same formula oi
Introduction with which Lady Best haJ
been gNetel was gone through. and
Agatha, dragged forward hv her cncr
getic friend, stood before him, with ths
pale glcam of the rising moonlight ou
her face. he started hack ~ though h,
had seen spectcr, more IN fear than il
admiration. as il seemed 10 his Anxisa.
watching mother,
There was no time. however. for spec
nlatlon IA to what feelings Agatha Ia,
awakened in Arthurs breast, the ncccs
sities were asserting themselves. an,
Hannah, in her blunt way, declared her
self 70 hc famishing,
"A rapid toilet and dinner Com,
ON, Agatha, VIZ shall not keep Lad,
Best waiting long," and the two girl
went quickly up into the rcems that ha,
been prepared Tor them.
In less than \ quarter ot an hour the,
came hack, looking IA sric.and.span a
il they had made no long journey.
was very obvious that the services of
maid were unnecessary,
The evening. however. Was scarcel,
merry one Arthur was more thai
usually silent and Mc,lltatlvc, AGath
very hrc1s she was not so rehnst 4
Hannah, who was tho only lively on
III the party. and chattered cease
lesslv to Lady Best, who, for once i
her hf,s was not good listener, Al
her attention was rsvctcl IN ~tha
Young person. ~ she. already. in hs
mind. designated the somewhat lacka
aaisieal Agatha,
! Hannah Was very null Of the pro-
ectcSl dairy reforms She loved every
thing that gave her practical tcndcncle
full vent; hut Lady Best was by II
means as keen as she was,
while they were reforming, whs
would Arthur and his beautiful Agath
I've doMgs~ she asked herself "Oh,
! Hannah would only turn her full attel
! tion on the far more important WORK =
reforming Arthur
Lady Best was, however, tso much .
aiplomatlst to let her thoughts appea
in words. no. she must act, maneuve,
watch,
of coarse tho first thing next morn
ing Hannah expressed wish to q
! over the farm. and, accompanied Il
Agatha, she and Lady Rest started q
tour Of insprecticn. Arthur la
, seen the farm al nauseam, he SAID
and il did not amuse him: he prefcrre
remaining in the house till luncheon
time
/ With the explanations and discu,
! sions which this farming pilgrimage Il
tailed. Lady Hest's spirits rose, and Il,
became thoroughly absorbed in her sui
lect. rejoicing that she had found :
eongenial a companion and able G,
, worker rs Hannah. Tn sudder
however. her spirits fell t. zero Agath
had disappeared "Of course. she La
! gone H. join Arthur; it was precar
, certed plan between them. and ii,
mother as she thought of il became pei
fectly miserable.
. No more talk about gallons Of mill
/ London market, nome consumption. ct,
She was tired. she said. and ii Hanna
, did not mind. they would return to th
+ house. They reached the bottom /,
the garden, which lay in front of til
! drawing-room windows. Just rs Agath:
accompanied hs Arthur. strollel up n,
terrace toward the wood.
: The sight WAS past hearing: this the
! Was 10 he the end II her loving care 4,
Arthur; be Was To marry Hannah's per
niiess companion. Nor did Hannah
. remark, as she, too, perceived then
tend to calm the excited mothers fear,
. -Oh. they arc going to have littl
: chat. told Aggy the sooner it VA