The Washington critic., 1886-01-06
A GIRLS LAST CHANCE.


1twas a yellow September day upon
which we moved into the old house at
Bubbleton. The scenery was delight
full; the old house itself looked like q
grand old ruin There were five of
us-my three sisters, my aunt Pauline
and myself.
Delightful /" said Sara, as she
glanced around the room. twas even
ing, and we were gathered around
fire of blazing sticks in the great chin.
ney of the room which we decided
must have been the "bcst parlor" of
the dcOd.ond-gone gentry who had
once inhabited Bubblcton grange.
II mean to write q piece of poetry
about the broken sun dial in the II over
garden" said Nina, scntimentally.
II wonder which room would have
the best light for my easel" mused
Helen, the artist of the family
But you must remember girls y
said |, hugging my knees and staring
ecsatically into the fire, that if II
hadn't been for me you would never,
any of you, have crossed the thresh-
old of Bubbeton Grange"
81 think" said Sara, sarcastically,
chat we must vote Marjorie medal
as the philanthropist of the family"
I'VE must bear in mind" observed
Nina, aptly following Sara's lead,
that if it hadn't been for the charm
ing stupidity of our younger sister,
who would neither be scholar, a
shop girl, nor an artist, Aunt Pauline
never would have brought us TO
Bubbleton."
Exactly" said |, not in the least
discomforted by this sisterly raillery,
TO which was accustomed.
but do you think Marjorie" said
gentle Helen, THAT you can manage
The beesg'
with netting mask and gloves-
yes" said l.
II mean, TO make profit out of the
business" explained Helen.
ooh, don't know" said I, 81
never made profit out of anything
yet. But bee culture is full of posi-
bilities at least, 50 the manual says.
And there are four or five rows down
at the foot of the garden, with at least
dozen hives in every row. Suppose
each hive to net $5 a season."
ooh, Marjorie, Marjorie !" cried
Helen, clevating her hands in despair,
that isn't the way to calculate"
'Isn't it? Well, don't let us calcu.
late tonight" said I, with yawn.
1--WE are all too tircd-and this fire
light is too glorious. Hark Isn't
that cricket on the hearth? The
dear little harbinger of good, how
pleasant its tiny voice sounds Oh, /
am sure we are going to succeed.
To explain things properly to the
reader, must first acknowledge that
Sara's estimate Of me was perfectly
correct. Practically speaking was
q failure. | had broken hopelessly
down in my examination to become n
school teacher-I had bungled in the
very rudiments of art-l was too poor
n mathematician to reckon change be.
hind counter. Even when they
compromised matters by making me n
companion to an old lady who was
willing to pay moderate salary to
some one who suited her, spoiled all
by falling asleep when was reading TO
her, and forgetting the daily bath Of
her darling poodle. And when Aunt
Pauline read in the newspaper an ad-
vertisemcnt of bcc.farm to let, she
grasped at the opportunity.
Il will start Marjorie in bee
culture" she said, and if she can sue
coed in that, she can't succeed in any
thing. And we can all live out in the
country deal cheaper than we can in
New York. Sara and Nina can come
into the city every day to give their
lessons-lIclen can have studio some
where in the house and prosecute heI
art work-and Marjorie, poor unlucky
child, shall have one last chance"
"Do you suppose" said l., rejecting
after we had listened to the cricliets
chirp in silence for some time, "tha
there is ghost at the grangcg'
Sara gave violent start
"What nonsense" said she.
"It would make it very romantic,
said solt.voiced Nina.
81 haven't heard of ghost" said
Helen, "but Eve heard Of n very Gle
CANT gentleman who has his country
seat AT Austcy Park, close to our boun-
dnries-Mr. Gerald Austey,"
"Youngg" said Nina eagerly.
"Yes, " nodded Helen. "At least 81
old Michael, the gardener, says, AnC
rich. And Handsome
"GoodH said Sara, emphatlcally, 81
mean TO captivate him!'
"You won't object to my entering
the list too, | hope" said Nina.
should like a wealthy husband as wei
as any girl"
Don't leave me out girls" sale
Helen,
"And what does Maiorie say?
asked Nina, laughing, and Sara an
swercd;
"Nolbing at ALL Marjorie, pool
dear never has any ideas.
Il may have ideas" sharply re
tortcd "but they don't run in the di
rection of love and love-making !"
And Just then Aunt Pauline came II
and sent MS all, without ceremony o.
distinction, to bed,
Very early in the morning ! walet
up, and, without disturbing Helen,
rose and dressed myself and stole softly
out into the garden.
II mean to take good look at th'
bees" thought,
Early as | was, my little winged
charges had been before me, and wer'
soaring forth in tiny clouds of black
ness toward the level morning sunshine
They must love to work better thar
/ do was the upshot of my medita
tions, "Horrid, fussy little things
What have they done to deserve beinl
held up to all creation as a model"
And then | began, Alnaschar-like
to count up the possibilities of making
q fortune within the next ten years on
of these bee-hives. Supposing that al
went prosperously - supposing tina
honey held its own in the market
supposing that each swarm duplicated
itself half dozen times over-suppos