The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-09-11
WHAT THE STEWARDS CHILDREN
DID.

Sunnymead Court belonged to Mr.. Len
nox, whose steward, Mr.. North, lived in
Park Cottage, pretty, cosy house on the
estate; the steward had lost his wife, and
such time as he could spare from his ac-
count books he loved to spend with his
twin girls, Winifred and Sybil, who were
now between ten and eleven, tall for
their age, and making good progress with
their daily lessons. Miss Elyot, their
visiting governess, lived some distance
of, and Dorcas, their servant, was not
fond of young people; SO Winnie and
Sybil led rather lonely lives, finding
their chief happiness in working in the
gardens which their father had entrusted
to their care, and in making up sto-
ries for each others benefit as they nail
ed the creepers and trained the flowers.
"Let me tell one now" Sybil would
say, when Winnie drew some marvellous
history to close; and thus they made up
for the quiet solitude of their lives by
imagining all kinds of charming adven-
lures and events. Most of these stories
concerned the picture gallery at the
Court, where they sometimes spent en-
chanted moments, by permission of the
housekeeper. The gallant cavaliers, the
ladies of by-gone days, we're SO fair in
their sight that they sometimes wished
they had lived in the time when such
beautifully dressed people we're to be
very often seen about Sunnymead Court,
instead of in the quiet present, when the
Lennox family lived far away, generally
somewhere in the south of Europe.
Imagine their state of mind one morn
ing, wi en- their father told them Mr.. and
Mrs. Lennox we're expected at the Court,
an Mr.. Lennox, Mrs. Lennox and Miss
Lennox have left Naples en- route for
Sunnymead."
They we're aware that the squire had
one little girl, and now all their talk was
concerning his daughter and heiress.
Would she have an Arab pony, like
Gertrude Delile, of The Crags ?
Would she be able to sit all day, with
none to hinder, amid the painted knights
and DANES of their dreams? Would she
be freezingly naughty, or would she per-
haps vouchsafe them nod and smile
sometimes?
They caught glimpse of Mrs. Lennox
in the carriage on the day the family re-
turned to the Court; they had heard she
was delicate, and she looked very grand
in their opinion, wrapped up in velvet
and sables like an EMPRESS" Sybil said
Next day Mr.. Lennox passed Park
Cottage on horseback, and Dorcas re-
ported him as very "grave and solemn
like, looking every inch magistrate"
How the children wished they had seen
himl Their notions of Miss Madeline
Lennox we're rising very high; they we're
prepared for a cream colored pony and a
pink parasol at least.
Thus musing they were digging in
their gardens, when a tiny maiden in a
white sun bonnet peeped through the
palings with the question:
"Is 90 re ickle Norths?"
Winnie and Sy bill were passionately
fond of babies and made dart at the
wee visitor to kiss her; perhaps she was
little guest at one of the farms around
Miss Lennox heard her mamma say
she noticed you at your gate yesterday,
said pleasant faced nurse, smiling
Missy wanted some children to play
with, and her mamma said she might
bring you young ladies some grapes"
The "ickle Norths," who now noticed
that Madeline held bonnie bunch Of
grapes, had fallen quite in love with the
little one, and they escorted her like q
small queen about the garden, answering
her questions with intense delight.
Little Madeline, in her. simple white
frock, captivated them more than the
girl with the grand parasol could posi-
bly, have done. 1t became frequent
occurrence for the child to visit Park
Cottage, for she was delicate old-fash-
toned little thing, and the doctor wished
her to have youthful society.
By-and-by Winnie and Sybil looked
out for her daily when lessons were done
and many ride they gave her across the
grass, making believe that she was some
princess taking a ride of state.
One day nurse had left her there
whilst she went on to do some errands IL
the village; the sisters we're making {
cushion of their arms for her as usual
when, unfortunately, Winnie trippec
over the watering can that Sybil ha6
left in the way, and over they all went
poor little Madeline falling on the bach
of her head.
Sorely frightened were the girls, but
the child did not cry, she seemed quite
stunned and sleepy, and nurse, coming
back, carried her home, saying that she
was tired out by the heat.
Chow stupid of you to shp!" cried
Sybil to Winnie.
"How careless OF you to leave the car
just in the PATH" cried Winnie.
But blaming each other did not mend
matters; they we're glad nobody saw the