Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-07-22
little woman clapped her hands with

child like pleasure. 49,: I. = 80 -.
MRS. Roley, said Edwin Dunstan,
81 think you said that mignonne little
beauty is your sister. May I ask YOU
to kindly Introduce me?n 1,
The other looked innocently around,
letting her dark eyes follow those of
the young man. eyes, that is my sis
ter Maud; don't you know her? I
thought you must have met at Ripple
bank. OF course I will introduce YOU.
Maudie, Mr.. Dunstan desires to make
your acquaintance, if you will come
down from that tall mound"
''Oh, won't he come up?'' said the
girl, naively. 1T is so delightful here,
and there is quite room for two at the
top -
':Maud, when will you be conven-
tional?' said her sister somewhat Sc
verely. But Edwin Dunstan had lost
no time in availing himself of her invi-
tation, and was already by her side and
answered the question to Maud instead
of that young lady replying to her SIS
ter, before he had replaced his hat.
':Never, hope, Miss de Lara, if
may be permitted to say so upon so
short an acquaintance; you are charm
ing as you are"
''Some people say they cannot bear
compliments, lau ghed Maud, ssbut
like them very much. One might as
we'll say one dislikes bonbons, and am
very fond of both. Will you have
some chocolate creams?" she added,
II have boxful in my pocket
''Perhaps we had better not eat any
before our luncheon" he replied with
a smile. II think chocolate creams
are very nice, but they don't improve
the appetite; and there is an edge to
mine now; so I shall do justice to your
sisters good things"
Beatrice is capital one for getting
up picnics,'' continued Maud; ''thera
is always plenty to eat, and the cham
payne is good.'
''The latter is suppose, Mr.. Roley'
departmental suggested Mr.. Dunstan.
Not bit of it; my sister manages
everything. You would not care to
drink wine of Georges choosing, can
assure you: He does nothing; he only
pays for it,
Edwin Dunstan laughed heartily.
"Well, that is a considerable some
thing, Miss de Lara-you must confess
that! But are we not in much too ele-
waited position to be pleasant?''
"Not pleasant! Why, look at the
lights and shades under those trees
see how the sun touches their trunks
Oh, is it not lovely?''
"You are an artist, suppose?'
II can draw, if you mean that, but
delight in all that is beautiful.
should like to learn to paint, but
suppose I am too old now. Sometimes
think I really have an artists heart
feel the pictures, and conceive sucl
wonderful skies and sunsets, and l an
quite disheartened that / have not thu
| power to portray what mean.'
''It is only another case of the spiri
being willing and the flesh weak, Mis-
de Lara; but suppose I am prosaic
for don't admire these fields as mucl
as you do
''What, not those ox-daisies ant
scarlet peoples? And, see, there is ON
of yellow mustard; and the hedge-row
are full of all sorts of delicious things
Look, can see star-wort, and cats
eyes, and ground ivy, and-What ar
they looking at, Mr.. Dunstan?"
''At us, l believe. Shall we 60 ant
pick some Of your favorite wild flow
| ers?"
"Oh yes; that would be delightfully."-
So he handed her down from tn
mound, and they sauntered along tn
hedge-rows, Maud gathering the wild
flowers with the greatest enjoyment
"Oh, Mr.. Dunstan, have an idea
Let us decorate the feast with wild
flowers and leaves. Here are som,
lovely sprays of eglantipe; how pretty
they will be, twined round the pie
dishes! Let us 60 and ask my sistel
about it. We must not do it withou
consulting her, of course. The servant
are already laying the cloth. Iwonde1
| if may help them? Half the fun of .
picnic is in helping; don't you thinl
sop
'Ishould certainly like to assist yo'
in whatever you are going to do b.
answered kindly; and in a few minute
they were both at work spreading OH
the cold collation., and decking it witt
the flowers.
When all was ready bell was run!
to call the guests together, and tn
meal began somewhat silently, TO
after the dispensing of good thing
there was state of lull, every one eat
ing with apparently as hearty al
appetite as Mr.. Dunstan had boaste,
of. Champagne corks began to pop
and mirth to flow; bright eyes danced
and grave ones grew bri ghter; ant
any one listening to the babel of voice
and the peals of laughter must hav
counted Mrs. Roley's picnic success
But the history of nations has eve
shown that success cannot last, an
when things are at their brightest the.
fade; and all unnoticed dark clou'
had been born in the horizon, and ha'
risen and risen until it was now owe
the very heads of the pleasure-seekers
tall rain-laden, and the drops came pat
tering down in large spots.
1t did not matter to Mrs. Roley that he
superb costume would be spoiled; sh
looked down at the stains, and smiled
and people said what a sweet tempere'
woman she must be. But there wa
not so much credit due her after all
for she had already decided on order
ing a new one on the morrow, havin,
the excuse that this was quite ruined
Mr.. Roley, however, was not quite s.
we'll satisfied, as any one might CUES
from the expression of his face; bu
whether his mind was being perturbe
with the thought of his wife's dress
making bill, the utter ruin of his ow
new hat, or the discomfort of a wetting
his guests could not fathom. Thos
who could afford to buy new garments
and we're not delicate, laughed at tn
downfall-or, as they said, ''made tn
best of it.; but Mrs. Roley was not on
who only invited her rich neighbors t
her parties, and some of her friend
could i'll afford to have their dresse
and hats spoiled. Among these was
great cutlery for parasols and umbrellas
but of the latter article only one ha
been brought. Who could hav
thought of needing an umbrella on sue
perfect day?