The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-08-13
THE CAPTAINS CHOICE.

| NOW, MtId, you muot try tO Do
little more womanly!"
Isabel Vernon spoke in accent
that were almost despairing as sh,
looked at the lively little girl, he
yellow curls all blown about in gilt
tering tangles, and cheeks flushed
with the summer sun, who stood be
fore her, with both arms filled with
branches of wild roses.
II found them on the island
Bell" cried Meta, eagerly "and
had to cross on the stones. Oh, i
was such fun, jumping over the wa
ter"
"Meta," demonstrated the eide
sister.
"Well, why not?" retorted tn,
dimpled little rebel, burying hel
face among the roses.
"You are 16 this month"
"Yes, / know it."
"And you are wearing long dress
es!
"Yes, and a dreadful nuisance
they are. l have great mind tc
cut them off again"
"Meta, when will you be a wo.
man ?" sighed Isabel.
81 don't knsw-never, / believe,
laughed Meta, dancing up and down
on the tips of her toes; "Bell,
don't want to be a woman-I would
much rather always remain a happy
child"
Women are happy, too, Meta
81 don't know" said the child
thoughtfully, "it seems as if griel
and trouble came with woman.
hood"
"But, Meta" went on Isabel, sit
is high time for you to leave of
these romping ways. Captain Dale
is coming next week, and he is a
New Yorker, not accustomed to wild
girls of the woods, like YOU"
Then, why don't he stay in New
York r. ",startly retorted Meta. What
is he coming out into the country
for? Is it to marry you, Bell ?"
Isabel colored crimson.
"What an idea"
at would be very nice to have
you married, Bell.n observed the
young girl, refectively. "One thing
is certain-you wouldn't have hall
tie time to scold me-"
Meta, you must not talkso. Cap
tain Dale is wealthy, aristocratic and
very refined. He comes out here as
papa's guest. and / particularly wish
you to behave as well as possible. T"
swell, will, if you'll only stop
lecturing me" "coaxed the child, put
ting up her cherry lips for kiss.
Remember, Meta, you must not
burst out singing at the table, nor
laugh loud. nor romp with Fido, nor
climb the trees while he is here.
Young ladies don't do such things
in New York"
"Then they must have an awful
stupid time of it" said Meta, with a
grimace. well, Bell, I'll do my
best, for you know never could be-
have"
And away the little lassie ran to
capture a purple winged butterfly
that was flying to and fro among the
elm rinks on the lawn, while Isabel
gazed after her, half smiling. hall
signing.
"Dear little Meta" she thought, ''if
she could only remain a child for
ever. But she must be tanned"
Isabel Vernon, who was sole
housekeeper in the establishment of
her widowed father, was very busy
on the morning of the day in which
Captain Dale was expected to arrive
at Vernon Hall, while Meta, dancing
from room to room, like the airy
little sprite that she was, proved
more bewildering than ever.
"Meta," said the elder sister, as
she returned from the dining room
where she had been directing the
preparation for lunch, ''have you get
on your white dress?"
"Yes."
sand curled your hair ?"
"Yes.n
"Then do pray sis down and read
or embroider, or you will be sure to
soil your dress"
81 hate embroidery, and l don't
want to read," coaxed the wilful lit
tie elf. Cant l go into the garden
and walk straight up and down the
paths? ?"
"Yes," said Isabel, who was abb
sorbed in the arrangement of the
flowers on the mantel, and away
whirled Meta.
From the garden to the level
meadows beyond was but an easy
transaction-and then Meta could
not help wondering whether the
blackberries were ripe on the edge
of the woods, and a little brown bird
fluttered on before her, and Meta
must needs follow him to see where
his nest was; and the first che knew
she was sitting in the fork OF an old
tree, close to the river side, with her
rosy mouth all smeared with black
berry stains, and her white dress all
bedraggled with dew and berry
marks, while her ruled apron was
full of flowers and bright colored
moses.
As she sat there, whistling softly
under her breath and swinging her
pretty little feet, a sudden rustling
of the branches beyond betokened a
new apparition on the scene, and a
tall, handsome gentleman stepped
into the dell.