The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-09

| present the scene over and over again, for
the benefit of his hosts family; and IL must
be confessed that in his impe sonations OF
Mr.. Kendall, Mr.. Burke and Horace, he
| even improved upon the original. But that
| was not enough. He was always ready with
his pencil, and that afternoon he made an
effective sketch of the group around the
Justices table, as they appeared at The time
| of the ''cross-exsminatiOn."
There was Mr. Kendall, with looks Of
dreadful solemnity and with band appraised
in illustration of he movement that ''didn't
fetch up against anything" There was the
| Iiishman in the act of springing from his
| sea aud best, though cruelest likeness CT
all, there was Horace.
| HI, eyes seemed starting from their sock
cts, his hand was laid upon his client in the
| valh purpose to delan him. Every detail of
dress was perfectly brought out, including
The paper collar, which had given way in the
| excitement.
The picture, when shown, renewed the
merriment in The Bates family; but Corne,ia
declared that il was really too bad, and that
not for worlds would she have Horace see
| it.
Certainly not" said Nelson. and he was
about 10 destroy it. But to this Cornelia,
with strange Inconsistency, objec ed, say ng
that 1t might be kept, but need not be
shown: and she took charge of the drawing
| and put il away.
That evening, Matte Bates, lively young
lazy of eleven years. iran over'' to the
| house of neighbor Starks, and with great
| glee minutelv described the drawing to Hor-
acd ane his sister Mary.
Horace reproduced the smile which he
had learned al college as a freshman in the
presence of the hazing sophomore; but
Mary, who had all a sisters admiration for
| her brother, took no pains to hide her in
| dignation. When Matte started to go home
Mary went with her to the gate. and they
seemed 10 be earnestly engaged in CONVEX
| sation.
The next day the excursion which Frank
Nelson had planned took place, but the
company was smaller than had been ex-
pected.
Moses Howe was ''most too busy" Her-
ace regretted to say that he could not leave
bis office; Mary declined without assigning
| reason; and at the last. to tell the truth,
| Matte was not invited. Frank Nelson and
| Cornelia walked down through the fields
and the steep, rocky pasture to the lake.
Moses Howe's boat was at liberty, if its own
er was not, and it soon was gliding along
| the shaded shore, or darling out where The
water seemed deep and still. The excursion
AZ originally planned had an objective point,
but in the general dsintegration it had
been lost, at any rate, the occupants of
the boat had forgotten where they were 60
ing.
Ii was one of the beautiful days when
summer and autumn seem to meet on COM
mon ground, and Cornelia was happy. She
was merry, sensible, country girl, who en-
joyed her everyday life, and loved her ev-
eryday friends; and perhaps she INDUCED in
no more day-dreams than did other giris of
her acquaintance. And yet she had her
world Of faucy, and even among these lakes
and hills, so common to her, and b. COM
| - Lou -
bad that delicate second sight which creates
as well as enjoys beauty.
Now, while Frank Nelson appeared to
most of those who had met him in Wicliffe
as young gentleman chiefly remarkable
for his high spirits, he had from the first
impressed her in different way. She liked
his carelessness and his jokes, but she felt
that, beyond all that, he could see things as
she saw them. Especia ly did this seem
true that day as they foa ed upon the lake.
he did not discourse 10 her of the beauty of
the scene, as Horace had occasionally done;
but she thought that Frank Nelson appre-
ciated that beauty, and she knew that Hor-
ace never did.
And certainly there was peculiar charm
in this young Strangers talk; and Cornelia
thought that she would ever remember all
that he said. though she afterward found
that that feat of memory was impossible.
They spent some pleasant hours, ga her.
ing few pond lilies, exploring, one or two
streams which boasled water enough to
float their little craft, landing occasionally
for variety's sake; and then il was time to
traverse again the rocky pasture. Tired
they probably were, for they walked very
slowly.
As they neared the top of the hill, Matte
came suddenly into view. Perhaps her APP
pearance was not well timed. Nelson haa
just said, II heard some one in the village
yesterday sp, culating as to the reason of my
long stay here. | wonder if you can guess
it. Corneia?'
Perhaps but for Mattie's approach Corne-
liza might have heard Nelson's reason from
his own lips; that is, if herown explsna-
tion had not been TIE correct one, or IN case
she had declined 70 guess.
"Cornee,' said Matte, who had keen
sense of having been overlooked in the days
arrangements. Father says he should think
twas about time you was at home"
AS matter of fact, Miss Matte did not
repeat her father correcsy-at least in spirit
Uncle All had merely uttered prophecy to
the effect that his daughter would soon ar
rive, and not complaint that she had not
come before. But Matte had effectually
assisted the Young people to descend from
the clouds. The excursion was over.
That eveking when Frank Nelson had
read.his mail he SAID to Cornelia, who hap
peued to be alone with him for a moment
in the sitting room,
81 have letter from nay grandmother,
saying that she has started for Powhatan,
where she has friends, and that l must 90
over there Tomorrow" As he said this
there was an undeinable something in bis
manner that Cornelia could not help noting,
and which she remembered aflerward.
Indeed" she replied, shat will be
pleasant. viii you not bring her over
here?' Powhatan was a neighboring town
and place of some importance.
II shall be glad to do so, if she will come,
but she does MOI go about much. l will per-
suade her if CAM The next day Nelson
took his depart ure by the stage.
Later in The afternoon, Matte went to
ride with Moses Howe, with whom she vas
a favorile. When al night Uncle All came
into the kitchen with the milk he said, II
wonder if that aunt of Nelson's is going to
make much of a stop over to Powhatan?"
at isn't his aunt, but his grandmother"
suggested Cornelia.
HIS aunt, he told me-" insisted her ia
Their.
"Oh no, father, you must be mistakenP
"Mother," said Uncle All to his wife, who
| at this moment entered the room, isn't it
| Nelson's aunt that he has gone to see?"
His auntl Why no, it's his sister. He
got letter from her yesterday telling him
| 10 goto see her, over to PowhstRn."
ment, and delighted with her ride. "Ob, we
had perfectly lovely time, went most way
over TO PowhaLan, and drove all the way.
Aud guess whom we saw?-but he didn't see
us, for he drove past like mad, and we were
| in the covered carriage you know-well. IL
was Mr.. Nelson! Aud there was a lady
with nim-real pretty; AID she had on u
| darling hat, with a feather little like Ma
| ria Maxim's, and she was as light COM
| plected as he is dark, and their heads were
close together, and know she's his grip
"Doh't make much difference what be
calls her, guess, remarked Uncle All, with
a chuckle, grandmother, or aunt, or sister;
| "A rose by any other name would smell as
sweet The old gentleman knew Shakes
| peare like book.
Meanwhile Cornelia had remembered that
she had left something IN her chamber, and
had vanished. Matte, who for the most
part was the mistress of her own comings
and goings, ran off to visit one of her girl
friends. Soon Horace Starks and his sister
"dropped ill.," and Mr.. Bates told hem with
| great relish of Frank Nelson's conflicting
stories, and what Matte had seen. THAT
] Nelson's curious fellow" he concluded.
I 81 oil oft Al,