Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-01-22

ION dear, no. This will do capitally.
What want to tell you is this: Last week
asked Miss Clauson to marry me. She re-
fused. Thought you ought to know"
Horace looked at Herbert; Herbert looked
at Horace. They stro,ed their boards medi-
tativoly, but for soma time neither spoke.
"Wcll, >" said Mr.. Mordle, that's all"
81 think, Mordle, said Horace sadly, "you
should have consulted us first"
Quite SO, said Herbert.
Don't see it Mt all. Miss Clauson is of age.
But it doesn't matter-I tell you now"
The brothers shook their heads gravely.
II tell YOU" said Sylvanus, because Pm
going away to cure myself. When 1 come
back should like to be able to visit you as
before. You needn't be afraid"
miss Clauson must decide, " said Horace.
Exactly so" said Herbert.
80 the matter was left, and Mr. Mordlo
went away on his hard-earned holiday with
clesr conscience, IL heavy heart
Tho brothers returned to their fascinating
occupation and worked away for some time
in silence. Three dozen of sherry must have
been bottled before Horace spoke:
ut is time Beatrice was married"
Eyes" said his brother; "but she isn't a
marrying girl. She takes after us, I think"
There was always n comfort in this refec-
ton; especially now, when the fame of Miss
Clauson's good looks had spread through half
Wcstshire.
1t was indeed time that a suitable sutton
made his appearance. The chances were
that in year or two the girl might fall
into her uncles' old-maidish ways. For the
Talberts were now getting into a domestic
groove down which it seemed likely they
would slide until the end of their lives.
They had OF course seen the great world and
the vanites thereof, and now they found
that there was nothing like home, sweet
home-cspecially when the disposition of the
home-lover is such that he takes immense
interest in every detail which makes up that
sweetness. With the exception of the percn-
NAL visit to town, they had not left Halle
wood House for any length of time since
they settled down to rule its fortunes. They
went to London this year for the last week in
May and the whole Of June. But Miss Clau-
son did not accompany them She said out
right that she hated London, and loved Oak
bury and its belongings. SO at Oakbury she
stayed. a very curious choice on the part
of a young lady who might, had she wished
to do so, have spent the London season ming
ling in the pursuits and gayeties of what is
called tho upper circle.
However, her decision was certain relief
pany them to town. they would hardly have
known what to do with her \ handsome
niece staying with them at their hotel would
be-well if not nuisance, a responsibility.
Approving as they did in the main of her
treatment Of Lady Clauson, they could not
counsel her to 20 to her fathers house. There
were, of course, many families they knew
who would have been glad to have taken
charge of a niece of theirs, but Beatrices
staying at another establishment whilst Sir
Maingay was in town would clearly show
the world that there was family feud.
Nothing in the Talberts' eyes was worse than
n proclaimed family feud. Hence it was that
even now thcy spoke of Beatrice as only being
on a visit to them. This delicacy on their
part was costly matter, for had they
brought themselves to consider the girl as
part Of the house, they might with perfect
justice and propriety have associated her
with themselves in the June audit, so giving
Horace another opportunity of showing his
skill in accounts and estimates.
So when Miss Clauson refused to go to
London she extricated her uncles from
dilemma. She stayed at Hazelwood House,
and for five weeks ruled Whitaker and the
other servants as well as she could
The TalbertS had now settled down for the
remainder of the year. Autumn or winter
would make little difference to them. They
we're not rs may easily be imagined, enthusi-
astic spOrtSmon. Sometimes they accepted
an invitation for n day or two's shooting:
but that acceptance depended more on the
quality of the host than on that of the sport
Although when they did shoot, they shot
fairly well-as they did most other things
it may be taken for granted that their
knowledge of the proper treatment of game
,1,,,l. L., l. IL
in the lardcr than when it was flying or
running about. They could advise you how
to base n hare much better than how to
shoot him. SO it was that after their visit
to London they looked upon themselves as
pretty well fixed at Hazelwood House until
the next spring.
Beatrice was now just past o. 1t really
was ElgE time that u sutton came, and the
"Iabties,' who could easily have adapted
their feminine gifts to match making, began
to think over the eligible young men in the
county.
Then fate produced someone, whom, until
now, she hal kept in the background. But
whether eligible or not is a matter we must
discover by ard by.
Beatrice entering the library one morning
early in August found her uncles in high con-
clavc. She saw at once that something had
happened, and for the moment feared to hear
that the rcd currant jellyrecently made from
their own receipt, and almost under their own
supervision, had turned mouldy. 1t was not
that Miss Clauson was particularly fond of
red currant jelly, her fears were simply on
account Of the distress such a catastrophe
would cause her uncles' kindly natures. How
ever, the matter was not so serious as she
imagined.
Uncle Horace handed her an omen letter