Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-11-06

whereas these well-dressed, good nntured
but rather brainless young men are as in
nocently Ignorant of that book as of most
other books. Knowing but one language
and that imperfectly-is no doubt n bar
to travel but surely nowhere else on the
face of the globe could one find n set of
young fellows--with similar opportunities
set before them-content to remain so
thoroughly untutored and untraveled
and nowhere else set of youths who,
while protesting to be men of the world
could show themselves so absolutely I'M
versed in the worlds ways. But they (or
some OF them understand the lines of
vac and they don't drink champagne
as sweet as they used to do and no doubt,
as they grow into middle age, they will
throw aside the crude Alterations of
youth, and assume respectable gravity
of manner, and eventually become solid
and substantial pillars of the Free, U. Il.
and Established Churches.
This Frank Lauder was rather favor
able specimen of his class perhaps in his
extreme desire to ingratiate himself with
Mcenie, he assumed II modesty OF demean-
or that was not quite natural to him. But
his self-satisiied jocOSity, his mean inter
probation of human motives, his familiar
~ conventional opinions in all matters
connected with the arts could not always
be hidden beneath this mask of meekness;
and Meene's shrcwd eyes had dlscerned
clearly of what kind he was at n very
early period of their acquaintance For
one thing, her solitary life in the High
lands had made N her diligent and eX-
tensive reader, while her association with
Ronald had taught her keen independ-
ence of judgment: and she was almost
ashamed to find how absolutely inlet
tered this youth was and how he would
feebly try to discover what her opinion
was, in order to express agreement with
it, That was not Ronald's way. Ronald
took her sharply to task when she fell
away from his standard-or rather their
con Joint standard-in some of her small
preferences Even in music, of which
this young gentleman knew n little, his
tastes were the tastes of the mob
"Why do you always get away from
the room when Mr.. Lauder sits down to
the piano ~ her sister said with some
touch of resentment.
81 can endure little OtTenbach," she
answered, saucily, "whcn Pm strong and
in good health. But we get little too
much of it when he comes here"
OF course Ronald was given to know of
these visits, and of their obvious aim /.
but he did not seem very deeply con-
ccrued.
You know | can't help it, Ronald"
she said one morning, rs they were slow
" climbing the steep little Randolph
Terrace together, her hand resting on his
arm. II can't tell him to 20 away while
my sister keeps asking him to the house
They say that II girl can always show by
her manner when any attention is dis
pleasing to her. Well, that depends.
cunt be downright rude-l am staying in
my sisters house. And then | wouldn't
say he was conceited-I wouldn't say
that, Ronald-but-but he is pretty well
satisfied with himself; and perhaps not
so sensitive about ones manner toward
him as some might be. As for you, Ron
aid" she said with a laugh, Il could
send you flying, like bolt from bow,
with single look"
Gould you, lass :" said he. II doubt
it, Perhaps would refuse to bulge. I've
got charge of you now"
"Ah. well, | am not likely to try, |
think" she continued. "But about this
Mr.. Lauder, Ronald you see, he is a very
important person in Mr. Gemmil's eyes,
for he and his father have still some
interest in the warehouse, | suppose and
| know he thinksit is time that MIR. Gem
mills name should be mentioned in the
frm-not mere CO. And that would
please Agatha too; and so they're very
polite to him and they EXPECT me to be
very polite to him too. You see. Ronald
can't tell him to 20 away until he SAYS
somethinC-either to me or Agatha: and
B lao al , hint tbo,,b b.a ,nrst CO.