The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-08-07
SELECT STORY.
MARY'S VISITOR.
CHAPTER I.
BY II. l..

y
A little shrek of horror is the an
swer, and in another moment Estelle
Verries comes flying down stairs, boots
unbuttoned, neckerchief unfastened,
hat and gloves in hand.
"My angelic Mary, if you scold me
| shall die Blame the chair you have
put in my room. 1t is positively too
seductive. | could not keep awake in
it. Suddenly hear a great strike of
the clock; jump up and find l have
only tiny five minutes TO dress in
All! dear, patient Mary, forgive the
foreigner and her abominable ways y
"Never mind about apologizing,
child, but button your boots and put
your hat on"
'My boots!'
Estelle looks down at them in de
spair, and then dropping on her knees
in the hall, tries TO do them up with
her weak little fingers.
Mary Cotterell pulls her up, orders
her peremptorily into hall chair, and
drawing a button hook from her own
pocket, proceeds to do up the high for
eign boots.
There . Now turn slowly round
and let me see that you are all right.
Estelle obeys submissivcly.
Il hadn't time to do my hair again,
she explains.
80 see, but as it is always rough
that makes very little difference.
suppose you must do now. Put OF
your gloves; and where's your para
sol p
"Up stairs. | don't want it"
"Yes, you do. III get it for you"
Estelle doesn't object at all, bu
when Mary comes down again sh,
filings both arms round her, and call,
her her beloved cabbage.
"Tell me, Mary she asked, as the,
walked down the garden on their way
to Mrs. Charlesworth's tennis party
"will that dreadful red haired enginee,
be there-you know; the man who il
so stupid and gauche ?"
"Sure to be-" said Mary dryly
"IIes devoted to Eva Charlesworth
"Poor girl! pity her." observed
Mile Verries, emphatically.
"Oh, you needn't do that; she doesn'
care fig for him. And beside, tn
dreadful red haired engineer, as yo,
politely call Arthur Rivers, is a YER
good fellow"
81 call him beast, ~ said Estelle
with exceeding frankness,
"Now, Estelle," said Mary sharply
Il won't have you pick up bad word
from my young brothers, and won
have you speak rudely of my friends.
"Do you like him." inquired he
companion, stepping forward, so as t
get a good look at her face,
Certainly" replied Mary, not tn
least disconnected by the mischievou
scrutiny of the dark eyes.
Estelle let go of her arm and he'll
up both hands in amazement.
You are funny, you English! Yo
positively like people because they ar
good"
"Certainly," replied Mary again.
"But men never are good answere
Estelle, changing her ground.
"Oh, indeed !"
MY mother says so, and she knows.
Your poor mother was unfortunat
in her experience of them; brt surely
because one Euglishman was a wicse
husband to her, she would not condem
all the rest !"
"Oh, that is only part of what sh
knows" said Estelle, confidently
"She has seen Il great deal of life, an
she has always taught me never t.
trust any man at all, however goo
he may seem.
Mary was silent, not liking to sa
what she thought of such training
Estelle's French mother had bee
forced, when hardly more than a chile
into marriage with a wealthy English
man. who had treated her with negle,
and brutality and finally deserted he
Released from CALLING bonds by the il
teryention of the law, she had imm'
diately quilted his hated country, an
retired with little Estelle to a qui
suburb of Paris, where the child WI
brought up to call herself French, an
to hate everything that was Englis
Yet, when an invitation came fro
Mrs. Cotterell for Estelle to spend
whole Summer with her at Coppenhar
the girls reluctance to go was overriC
den by her mother, who never forg
that the Cotterells, husband and viii
had been the only people in Englar
whose sympathy she had been able
accept or rely on. So Estelle nerv,
herself for a visit to her native coultr
and once at Coppenham, found to h
surprise that she was going to enjC
herself. She found English count
life charmingly novel; she particular
liked the admiration accorded to h
beauty and vivacity, and she took
once to Mary Cotterell, who had mu
of her mothers intelligent tact al
thoughtiulness,
The two girls had walked on anotf
hundred yards or so without speakir
! when Mary was reused from her reh'
tions by feeling her arm sudder
pinohed. Looking up, she discover
rapidly approaching them the you
man whose goodness" had been