Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-26

night" and a long, lingering" pres
sure Of her strong white hand. The
lights 20 out; the ladies' trai! their long
lengths of silk or muslin up the broad
stairs, and leave the world to darkness
and final cigar, during the consumption
of which Blake finds the dorsey" talk of
Vanvoorst rather mOuotonous. AT length,
as the big Dutch clock on the staircase,
after the usual preliminary sound of
strangulation, strikes g he puts out his
candles, and tumbling into bed. is lulled
to sleep, in spite of a remorseful CON
science, by the gentle sound of rain and
the dreary song of the tree toads. About
o'clock the next morning our young
friend has the honor of tete.a-t ete break
fast with his elderly host, these two being
the only ones down at that early hour. Mr..
Vanvoorst converses with happy mix
ture of old school dignity and elephan-
tine humor much akin to the manner
Of his friend the Judge; but he is suf-
fciently pleasant to make Blake feel
doubly uncomfortable and guilty; to
such an extent that he revolves in his
mind many excuses for going back TO
the city in the course of the day Break
fast over, the senior has business with his
farmer, and the younger, cigar in mouth
and hands in pockets, stands on the
piazza and looks over a long slope of well
kept lawn at the gray stretch of river. 1t
Is n muggy morning, and the opposite
hills are half hidden in mist. No rain is
falling, but every branch and twig drips
with moisture, and the gravel of the drive
has that clean, well washed look that
tells of hard rain some time in the night.
Mr.. Blake finds his surroundings luxu-
riOus, but not inspiriting, and debates
tvb ha,. 10 han hn III bn 20,
York by some bold fiction Of forgotten
business. or telegram from dying uncle,
or whether he shall honestly but igno-
miniouSly run away, and leave the sharers
of his guilty secret to explain his flight.
Two influences are at work against his
going-onc that half Acknowledged
"softness, a. lie calls it, which makes
him linger in Kate Stuart quiet pres
ence, whenever he has the chance, fancy
ing that he feels better man there than
elsewhere; the other, a, reckless wish to
see the thing through, which has it's
origin in his interview with Mrs. Macken-
zie. Mrs. Mackenzie has peculiar effect
on most men, inspiring them to do things
sometimes bad and generally silly, quite
irrespective of their original dispositions
and capacities. She has been known to
make mild young clergyman, admirably
adapted to leading a side III croquet, and
to the social tea and muffin, forget his
simple pleasures, and sit glowering in
silence, or opening his mouth only for the
utterance of ponderous Johnsonian sar-
casms-as soon to be expected from him
as absnthe from cream jug.
Not 50 inconsistent is Bake's final de-
termination to stay and see the game out,
at which he arrives after some minutes
hard thinking. Then with a vast sigh he
sits on the top step of the piazza and
smokes. When does he not smoke?
From the breakfast room now comes q
sound of life, and presently Mrs. Van
worst and Kate Stuart, fresh as only
girls can be when on a summer morning
they come to finish what they began the
night before. 1t seems impro, able that
either of these ladies has any designs on
Blake, however, for after few original
remarks ON the temperature they pace the
piazza and talk about-what do girls talk
to one another about? Sometimes about
men, it is said. Blake is not conceited,
and concludes that the present converse
ton has for its subject that most sacred
Of all thngs-clothes Not until Mrs.
Nanvoorst goes into the house TO minister
to some very late riser does Miss Stuart
vouchsafe to him word Then she al
lows herself to be bcSuiled into large
| chair, whence she Gazes piacidly at the
| young man before her, and talks of many
things.
What do do: Oh, not much of any
thing-that is what makes the place
so very jolly, don't you know
They don't try to entertain one, which
is the surcst way Of making one happy.
1t is such Il very pretty place. See down
there, Mr. Blake, you can see ever so many
miles along the river You are looking
| quite worn out-you ought to take your
vacation What do You men do with
yourselves in New York? Go up to
Thomas Nothing else, suppose? Run
up into the country to see Your friends?
That's So good of you You ought at
least to stay hero long enough To find out
what Il nice place it is-,nd what nice
people we all are. Who is Mrs Macken-
zie. Mr., Blake"
Mr. Blake finds this coming to he point
! in great hurry, but explains. to some
extent, the mystery of Mrs Mackenzie
who she used to be principally.
"Well. said the young lady, in her
| qnietest manner, "she intends to be Mrs
! Nanvoorst soon, that is quite evident
| One cant blame her much, can one: Such
a very pretty place, and such "a nice old
gentleman-and it would be rather good
! speculation. too, wouldn't it,
As if to show what n good speculation
it is, the nice old gentleman at this mo-
ment presents himself, and says good
morning to Miss Stuart with that mixture
of old school gallantry and patcrnal atiec-
ton which make him deservedly the add
miration of his friends but which cause
Mr.. Blake to say to himself iweverently
"Confound the old fool, What does lie
want to hold the girls hand so long forI
| The old man and the young one form n
| striking contrast Mr.. NauvoorSt meets
his age bravely, in an admirable gray wig,
and whisiers which the typical English
man might envy, and a blue cravat and u
white waistcoat, and check trousers; do
We not all know the conventional get upl
! He stands, erect and smiling, saying
| pretty little things to Miss Stuart about
her similarity to morning, and to a rose,
and other agreeable objects; II very diff
ferent being from the young man of
the present day, who, in his easy gray
! clOth and straw hat tilted over his