St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-05


ton, who
81 quite understand" broke in Mrs. Will
mington, resolutely; "and / beg that may
hear no more aboutit Indeed, if may be
allowed to say so, Mrs. Jones, should be
obliged, if under the very-the very
peculiar circumstances of the case, and after
what has occurred, you know, your brother
would relieve me from the embarrassment OF
his further presence here this afternoon.
am sure you have shown such excellent
sense that you will not misunderstood me"
Mrs. Adam said, in her most winning tone.
Don't you think it would be a relief to us
allY'
The gentleman had seemed about to speak
again; he changed his mind in the course OF
Mrs. Wllmln gton's speech, and at its con-
clusion colOred and drew back haughtily.
His sister looked surprised and angry But
Mrs. Wilmington was now in the best OF
tempers. and smiled with unfailing sweet
ness. She smiled upon the gentleman when
he coldly lifted his hat beamed upon Mrs.
Jones, when that lady (still little uncertain
OF her identify just touched her proffered
hand, and, indeed went on beaming until
the couple had turned the corner and she
felt sure they had gone. Then, if she had
been man and had been wearing such an
article, 1 think she would have flung up her
hat in sheer thankfulness that this awkward
little business was so successfully and, con-
sidering its awkwardness, so quietly over.
Not possessing hat, or the power of whist
ling, Mrs. Adam contented herself with pass
ing her handkerchief over her face, and
signing comfortably. She reflected with
great cheerfulness that now she could face
dear Mrs. Ferney with clear conscience.
So she allowed very short interval to elapse
and then with an air of pleasant hustle
fastened to rejoin her guests upon the lawn
and render an account of the interesting
sufferers.
But surely something had happened during
her absence. The company upon the lawn
had drawn together, and were standing in a
compact group, their chairs for the most part
deserted, and all their faces turned in one
direction, and that away from their approach
ing hostess, and towards the great gates.
They seemed to be thinking very little of the
coming bulletin from the drawing room; but
to be expanding all the energy unoccupied
in staring towards the entrance and chatter
ing among themselves. What was it! What
had happened! Mrs. Wilmington asked
herself. The dog she knew was safe. As
she drew near to the group she looked eagerly
beyond them, and much to her amaZement
saw that all this fuss was being made $50 far
as she could see) about little knot of people
just parting at the gates. There were Mr..
and Mrs. Jones and the latter's brother who
were just going out. And there was that
officious, meddling, irrepressible Mrs. Drage,
with two of her daughters, taking leave of
them in the politest way imaginable. 1t was
just like her plaguey ways, Mrs. Wilmington
said, to herself, but it did not account for all
the world looking on as if at some public
entertainmen Not at all And the host
ess wondered excessively and fumed not a
little, until all too soon the facts came home
to her.
1t was Mrs. Ashley of the Moor who, being
the first to become aware of her presence,
was the first also to enlighten her. ''What
a very handsome, nice young man he isl"
she exclaimed, eagerly, not waiting to hear a
word of dear Mrs. Ferney and her sweet pet,
of whom Mrs. Adams tongue was on the
culver to speak.
''Who is ?'' asked the latter with conse-
quent Impotence.
''Lord Fulham, to be sure!'
''Lord Fulham?"
YES. But why, oh, why" cried the lady
with great animation, "my dear Mrs Will
mington, did you not tell US who he was
earlier? And that that dear charming little
woman was old Lord Fulham's niece. l re
member meeting the old lord, who was never
married, al Biarritz. declare l am quite
angry with you. If Mr.. talbot had not
kindly introduced me to her, should never
have known who she was, or what very nice
people they were. What an acquisition she
will bel'
''Mrs. Jones?' muttered the hostess, in
terrogatively. She was almost beside her
self Surely it was dream.
eyes, Creswell Jones is his name. He
is" and the lady lowered her voice. "a little
odd, you know. Has scruples about taking
a living, and so forth. They say she wor-
ships the very ground he treads on. De-
lightful, isn't it, SO romanticl Fancy her
a curate's wife with all her money"
Mrs. Adam Wilmington went pale and red
by turns. 1t was too terribly shocking.
Surely no such irremedial faux pas had ever
been made by any one before. 1t was all
clear to her now. The young, wealthy, I'M
married Lord Fulham had been her guest,
and she had turned him out. Turned him
out when he had as good as proposed for her
daughter. OH it was too Notifying, and
Mrs. Adam was really as near ainting as
ever she was in her life, when Mrs. Drage's
voice. like a dash of cold water, braced
her up.
81 know good fellow when / see him.
she was saying in a oh ey, excited tone.
"And what is more, rector, that young man
can tell pretty girl when he sees her, I'll
warrant him. / saw him taking look at
Flo here, the clever dogl Well, never mind;
the less said about these things the better, say
l. and it's the still SOW that sups the broze,
ehl rector But perhaps you will hear more
about it one of these days"
Mrs Drage winked-yes. winked but then
she was nearly related to the county bench
-unutterable things. And Mr.. Hablot, who
did not 90 through life with his eyes shut,
smiled good-n aturedly in response. Yet it
might have been observed ttat the next
minute his glance wandered to where Miss
Fife with downcast, flushed face, and eyes
bright with sweet excitement, WAS admins
tering her third cup of tea to an old lady
who really was not carriage company and
had no business on the lawn at all. Mr..
Hablot had seen Miss Effie often, but now
he seemed TO find some fresh interest in her
pretty face and figure, that had been lacking
before, for he scanned her very narrowly.
Possibly he may not have been thinking Of
her at all, but wondering whether Mrs. Viii
mington would think he had tricked her, if
only by his reticence.
Poor Mrs. Wilmington! She struggled
through the rest of the afternoon as best she
might; and it was not badly. She was, as
has been said, a woman of large mind, and
she made q heroic effort, and quarreled with
no one. Even from Mrs. Ferney and her
sweet pet she parted with outward warmth
and many expressions of the pleasure their
company had given her. But when it was all
over, when the two or three who stayed to
dinner had gone, when Laura and Fife had
retired to their rooms and her ladyshp to
hers, then-well, of course, don't know
what she did then. But the largest minds are
-ronI. of tirnns and fhen fancy Mrs Adam