Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-07-10


lish girls try to hide their accent, or want
to copy any one else and don't see why
American girls should he ashamed of
having an American accent Your nc
cent, now; have been trying to make out
what 1t is but | can't. 1t is very pretty
and not the least like the English way of
talking: but can't just make out where
the difference is.
For this young lady had desperately
direct way of addressing anyone. She
seemed TO perceive no atmosphere of CON
nationality between person and person;
it was brain to brain, direct. and no paus-
ing to Judge of the effect of sentences
" know my mother says that ! speak
in the Highland way Meenie said, with
Il smile.
There now, declare" said Miss Hold
son, that did not sound like an English
person speaking, and yet | could not tell
you where the difference was ! really
| think it is more manner than accent. The
boatmen and the girls at the inn-they all
speak as If they were anxious to please
you
Then it can not he very disagreeable
accent" said Meenie, laughing in her
quiet way.
No. no; like it. like it very much
Ronald, now, has nothing of that; he is
positive and dogmatic-I woultl say gruff
in his way of talking, if he was not SO
obliging. But he is very obliging and
good-natured; there is Just nothing he
won't do for u.s. and we are perfect stran-
gers to him"
And so she prattled on, apparently quite
satisfied that now they were good friends:
while Meenie had almost forgotten her
/ shyness in the interest with which, she lis
tened TO this remarkable young lady who
had been all over the world, and ycttOOk
her travelling 81 much as Il matter of
course. Then Miss IIodson sad:
1on know my father and | soon eX-
~ f,tt t.l- hn of ha
day, when we sit down to dinner; and we
were wondering whether you would take
/ pity on our solitude, and come along and
/ dine with us this evening. VIII you |
wish you would-it would be just too
1 kind of YOU"
/ Meenie hesitated.
! 81 would like very we'll" said She,
but-but my mother and the lad have
driven away to Tongue to fetch my father
/ home, and it may be late before they are
! back"
1.-The greater reason why you should
come, why, to think of your sitting here
! alone! | will come along for you myself.
And if you are afraid of having too much
of the star-spangled banner, we'll get
somebody else i'll who is not an American.
! mean to ask Ronald if he will come in
and spend the evening with us, or come in
to dinner as well, if he has time"
Now the moment she uttered these
words she perceived the mistake she had
made. Meene all at once looked troubled
conscious, apprehensive there was a
touch of extra color in her face; perhaps
she was annoyed that she was betrayil.q
this embarras ment.
| think some other night, if you
please" the Girl said, in a low voice and
with her eyes cast down" some other
night, when mamma is at home-l would
like to ask her fir IT,
"Class distinctions" said Miss Garry tc
herself, as she regarded this embarrass-
ment with her observant eyes. Fancy
class distinctions in Il little community
like this-in midwinter too OF course
the doctors daughter must not sit down
with Lord Aiine's head keeper.
But she could not offer to leave Ronald
out that would but have added to the
girls confusion, whatever was the cause
of it. She merely said, lightly:
Very well, then, some other evening
you Will take pity on us, and | hope be
fore | go to Paris. And then | want YOU
to let me come in now and again to have {
cup of tea with You; and get all tn,
illustrated periodicals sent me from homo
with the fashion plates, you know
She rose. =; :
What a nice room 1t is all your own
suppose"
"Oh yes; that is why.i is so untidy."
" But like 10 see a room look as if i
was being used. Well. now. what are
these - she said, going to the mantel
shelf, where a row Of bottles stood.