The Penn's Grove record., 1885-07-11

as MI. ucollt1 Olau III
an old schoolfellow Of his who had been
staying with him for several weeks
''We're the two 90. Getaways
tTOtted together, Miss Miilington-
haven't we, G%eorge2" remarked Mr..
Gladwin, when the ice was broken.
He seemed a rather silly young man
foppish, and n%ice-lOoking. | thought
to myself. judging from appearances,
that if he had said they were two dom
keys II would not have been so very
much amiss. | should have said so to
Harold had he been 10y my side. Oh,
my poor darling, how diff rent he was,
with his calm thoughtful face, and eyes
that pierced one through and through!
The two gentlemen who were out for
a stroll, walked back by the side of tue
p~ony.chaise, the cuTate discussing par
lsh matters with my aunts, and his
| friend falling behind a little and giving
me the benefit of his attentions.
Dull about here Miss MilingtonY"
lie observed interrogatively.
yes" | answered absently. | wan
ted to be left to my own thoughts.
COMPANY dull perhaps?"-incllning
his head towards my aunts, Cover
nOr's the same, you know, - he %continu-
ed, not waiting for an answer. Jaw
fully prosy for a young fellah. Wants
me to go in for politics, and all that
sort Of thl..g. Asks questions about
Adam Smith. Ever read Adam Smith?
Awfully dry"
| confessed that [ had not read Adam
Smith; but, being on thorns lest the sill
" man should make some further allu-
sion to my aunts, which they might
notice, l ventured TO plunge into the
subject by asking who Adam Smith
was, little thinking TO what my ques-
tions would lead.
'tOh, he writes about trade, and
money, and all that sort of thingl Born
1723-died 1870. l crammed that for
the governor, you know. Governors
partner IN the firm of Green, Hartley,
and Gladwln, the bankers, till a year
ago. Thought they'd spill; so cleared
out just in time. Did spill. Awfully
sharp the governor is, in his line-not
prosy there. But it isn't in my line.
| like the spending part-ha, hal By
Jovel Hope | haven't offended, Miss
MillingtonY Cad,
"'Bea1dy bIatshing like The resell
Pom m'honor, didn't mean to say any
thing rude, beg pardon, Pm sure-beg
pardOnl'
My Aunt Ann here turned round,
and said, in her severest style
"Estherl"
Under the influence of her feelings
she pulled the pony almost on to poor
Mr.. Grange, and thus, fortunately for
me, changed the direction of Mr. Glad
wins remarks to the skiJtishness of
horses, and so on.
"'Mr. Gladwin was certainly a very
shallow young man, and not very well
bred. | could not respect hlm for
plunging into his family matters with
one who was a perfect stranger to him.
How remarkable it was, though, that
he should be connected with the very
firm of bankers whose failure had been
so disastrous to my own future and
Harold'si 1t was this revelation that
made the blood rush to my face. L had
dim idea that something Of Importance
might issue from the fact being made
known to Harold. However, there was
no time now to think of this, since we
i1du lEdtllCo u lIpdSC- NIX
said good afternoon to the curate and
his friend, | was o o busy u%npacking
boxes, and arranging one thing and an
other for my aunts.
After tea, Aunt Mary, who had a
bad headache, retired to rest; and Aunt
Ann, who had commenced at once up
on a charitable smock for the beneyO-
lent clothing society Of the village, was
sitting 1t one window of the drawing
room, while |, at the other, was watch
ing to see if the rural post calne to US.
l soOn became conscious that my aunt
had something to say to me-something
severe too, for the coarse linen that she
was sewing she Jerked about II great
deal, and smOothed seams with her
thimble very energetically-slgns that
poor / could interpret only too well.
But what was there in my behavior to
MI GladWin that she could possibly
find fault with2
~ was rather surprised, " she began,
that MI. Joyce said nothing to either
your Aunt Mary or myself about the
probable date when you would be mar
ried. do not wish to hurt your feel
ings, Esther; but Mr.. Joyce has been
very reticent with us-very reticent in
deed. We have no wish to lose you;
still; if Mr.. Joyce knew his own mind
when he offered you his hand; he ought
TO have known when he would be pre-
pared to marry you. and have had the
courtesy to acquaiGt your guardians
with the fact before he went away from
Eastebourne. That was the way gen
tlemen acted when | was a young wO
man"
l was quite unprepared for this at.
attack, and could only stammer out
"I-think Harold would rather that
I-I-told you, aunt"
''Then / think he fought to know him
self better" said my aunt shortly.
What a burden that load of gratitude
/ was under to my aunts seemed just
thenl 1t was put upon me when | was
so young that | had eve questioned
the Justice of its imposition. | with
ed under 1t as my aunt so cody passed
Judgment upon one who was everything
in the world TO me, aud there was more
of anguish than of temper in my voice
| think, a 81 retorted-
you have no right to speak of Har
old like that. He has always behaved
pibptlI1 W bObh JOu NV NAbAp hidi1
though he has a good deal to put up
with; and he is above acting dishonor-
ably to any one"
She was silent for a few minutes
conquering her unruly spirit, | conjec-
tured. From sad experience | had
learnt what these acts Of se~lf-conquest
meant for the unfortunate creature
who provoked her to them. Her words
when they did come, were like a stream
of vitrol.
"Perhaps you will be good enough to
tell me what Mr.. Joyce thinks it de-
should come from your own lips
instead of his? Or do you intend to
come home one afternoon with a wed.
dlng-ring on your finger, and inform
us in that wayln
sou, you are cruel, auntl' / walled
ont IHarold hos ba6 frauh1a and