Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-12-07

| should Ike 10 ask yJu Bessie. how am
to ShoA it 10 him: 1t is on my back
Il have not observed" said Lady Holm
hurst, dryly, that ladies, as a rule, have
an fnsuperable objection TO show their
back, or their fronts either. If YOU have
any doubt on the point, l recommend you
TO get an invitation to London ball All
you will have 10 do will be to wear low
dress. The fact of being tattooed does not
make it any more improper for you to
show your shoulders than it would be If
they were not tattooed, especially" she
added, las they are such very pretty
ones"
Il have never worn low dress" said
Augusta, "and do not want to show Mr..
Meeson my shoulders"
"Ah, well, said Lady Holmhurst, dark
ly, Il dare say that that feeling will soon
wear off. But, of course, if you won't,
you won't; and, under those circumstances,
you had better say nothing about the will;
though" she added, learnedly, "of course
that would be compounding a felony"
Would it, don't quite see where the
felony comes in
We'll, of course, it is this way: you
steal the will-thats felony; and if you
don't show it to him, suppose you com.
pound it; it is double offense-compound
felony"
'Nonsense" answered Augusta to this
exposition of the law which was, it will
be admitted, almost as lucid and convinc-
ing as that of an average Q. c. How can
steal my own shoulders 1t is impossi-
BILE"
''Oh, no; not al all You don't know
what funny things you can do. l once had
a cousin whom l coached for his eXamina-
ton for the Bar, and learnt great deal
about it then. Poor fellow! he was pluck
ed eight times.n
Il am sure don't wonder at it." said
Augusta, rudely. well, suppose Imust
put on this low dress; but it is horrid-
perfectly horrid! You will have to lend
me one, that is all"
MY dear" answered Lady Holmhurst,
with a glance at her widows weeds, Il
have no low dresses; though, perhaps, l
can find some among the things l put
away before we sailed" and her eyes filled
with tears
Augusta took her hand, and they began
to talk of that great bereavement and of
their own wonderful survival, till at last
she led the conversation round to little
Dick, and Bessie HolmhurSt smiled again
at the thought that her darling boy, her
only child was safe asleep up stairs, and
not, as she had believed, washing to and
fro at the bottom of the ocean. She took
AuguSta'S hand and kissed it, and blessed
her for having saved the child, till sud
denly, somewhat to the relief of the latter
the butler opened the door and said that
two gentlemen wanted very particularly
to speak to Miss Smithers. And then she
was once more handed over to her old enc
mics, the interviewerS, and after them
the representatives of the company, and
then more special reporters, and then an
artist from one of the illustrated papers,
who insisted upon her giving him an ap-
pointment in language that, though po-
lite, indicated that he mean to have his
way; and so on till nearly midnight, when
she rushed off to bed and locked her door
Next morning Augusta appeared at
breakfast dressed in an exceedingly be-
coming low dress, which Lady Holmhurst
sent up to her with her hot water. She
had never worn one before, and it certain
ly is trying to put on low dress for .he
first time in full daylight-indeed, she felt
as guilty as does person of Incorporate
habits when he is persuaded to drink
brandy and soda before getting up. How
ever, there was no help for it; so, throw
ing shawl over her shoulders, she de-
scended.
MY dear, do let me see," said Lady
Holmhurst, as soon as the servant had
left the room
With a sigh Augusta uncovered her
shoulders, and her friend ran around the
table to look at them. There, on her back,
was the will The cutie ink had proved
an excellent medium, and the tattooing
was as fresh as the day on which it had
been done, and would, no doubt, remain
so till the last hour of her life.
"Weu," said Lady Holmhurst 81 hope
that the young man will be duly grateful
/ should have to be very much in love"
and she looked meaningly at Augusta,
"before l would spoil myself in that fash
ion for any man"
Augusta blushed at the insinuation, and
said nothing. At ten o'clock, just as they
were half through breakfast, there came
ring at the bell.
Here he ISL said Lady Holmhurst,
clapping her hands. well, if this isn't
the very funniest thing that I ever heard
of l told Jones to show him in here"
Hardly were the words out of her mouth
when the butler, who looked as solemn as
mute in his deep mourning; opened the
door, and announced 'Mr. Eustace Nee
son." in those deep and commanding tones
which fiunkies, and fiunkies alone, have
at their command. There was moment
pause. Augusta half rose from her chair,
and then sat down again; and, noticing
her embarrassment, Lady Holmhurst
smiled maliciously. Then in came Eus-
tace himself looking rather ha-dsome,
exceedingly nervous, and beautifully got
up-in frOck coat, with flower in it.
"Oh! how do you doi" he said to Angus
Ia, holding out his hand, which she took
rather coldly.
How do you do, Mr.. Meesons" she an
swered. Let me introduce you to Lady
Holmhurst. Mr.. Meeson, Lady Holm
hurst" Eustace bowed, and put his hat
down on the butter dish, for he was very
much overcome
Il hope that l have not come too early"
he said, in great confusion, as he perceived
his mistake. 81 thought that you would
have done breakfast"
"Oh, not at all. Mr.. Meeson," said Lady
Holmhurst. Won't you have a cup of
tea? Augusta, give Mr.. Meeson a cup Of
tea"
lie took the tea, which he did not want
in the least, and then there came an awk-
ward silence. Nobody seemed to know
how to begin the conversation.
How did you find the house, Mr.. Nee
SOM" said Lady Holmhurst at last. Miss
Smithers gave you no address, and there
are two Lady Holmhursts-my mother-in-
law and myself"
"Oh, looked it out, and then l walked
here last night and saw you both sitting
at the window"
'Indeedr' said Lady Holmhurst "And
why did you not come in' You might
have helped to protect Miss Smithers from
the reporters"
Il don't know" he answered confused
ly. 81 did not like to; and, besides, pol
iceman thought was a suspicious charac-
ter and told me TO move on"
Dear me, Mr.. Meeson, you must have
been having good look at u.s."
Here Augusta interposed, fearing lest
her admiref-for, with an unerring in
stinct, she now guessed how matters stood
should say something foolish a young
man who is capable of standing TO stare at
house in Hanover Square is, she thought,
evidently capable of anything
II was 80 surprised TO see you yesterday
she said How did you know that we
were coming"
Eustace told her that he had seen It in
the Globe. II am sure you cannot have
been so surprised as / was" he went on;
81 had made sure that you were drowned
went up to Birmingham to call on you
after you had gone and found that you