Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-10-20
Copyright

" Lel!y dear? Dorge says me maynt."
 What q bloke you are, Dollie as if you could be duke! Why, you'll wear a crown if you're the princess -princess-what's her namel Now, hold your head still, do, and I'll put it on. I won't play with you, Dollie, if you're So 'diculous, an don't do what I've telled you. There, now'
 This threat extinguishes Doliie-poor, small Dollie of four! She submits to be hauled ponderously from the old wicker chair on the lawn (H. M s. Galatea for the nonce) by Georges stout arms; and to have her wee, round face, and shining crocus colored curls made hideous by stiff, unwieldly crown of brown paper pinned together by nurse. IL is much too big, so big that 1t drops down over the baby brows and blue eyes; and Dollie has to hold it up painfully with one dimpled paw ill order to get even a little glimpse of George, who is busy attiring him. self in an old 2ouave jacket of mine with gold buttons. Somehow, though Dolle has never heard of woman's rights she feels that hers have been trampled on at present; and that George-dogmatic 7-year-old George, with shaggy golden hair cut across the forehead, and falling over bis sailor collar behind ' has decidedly the best share of life; ard that she, Dollie, must submit, or be left to enjoy her feminine rights in loneliness. Above, the sky is very, very blue, deep vault of dag zling sapphire just blistered on the horizon with white. The very trees seem to hang their heads under the weight of green. Great | clusters of roses, pink, yellow, and velvety crimson, wagglo to anl fro, and burst in showers of gaudy pote!s upon the ycllowing emerald of the lawn. The iessamine which covers tho front of the rectory is like q night beneath tho tropics, it is so encrust2d with white, glealning stars. The bands of scarlet geraniun.s and aEUrc cupped nemOphyla, under the pal::l trees on the edgo of tho lawn, make my eyes ache with their painful glare. Even the weigh; of fragrance from those tall, snow white lilies and shady scringa bushes Is too much c:l s;.ch a day. 1 lean back Ill a low cane v..a.r under the biggest plane tree, my head GGains> tEs trunk, my idle hands barely closed over the neglected work in my lap; whi> uo from tho river comes the "swish, STi~'. Ut tnN canal boat through the lazy, sl;.l :r..i!i:,l waters, tho whistle of the boy who s,riv2s those great, heavy horses along lie tow path, and the faint, sweet | jingle Cf ttc tells on their harness. Mrs | Peveril | q rcCtor's widowed sister, who | lives wiy!! him since his wife's death, is out | paying cells i'll the pony carriage. My master is in the study working, I suppose (no heat seems to make him idle), and George and DolGe rohearsc q revised edition of the mar riage ceremony under the magnolia tree.
 "Will you love, wash up, and bay at mel' says George, calmly uniting tho offices of priest and bridegroom in his own person; and Dollie answers; IFS, Dorge; but oo'll let me dive in tho sip wis co afterwards" with a wise precaution which it is pity other brides arc not allowed to follow. I shut my eyes, md feel drowsily, delciously, dis gracefully lazy; only how is it possible to be anything eiSe on one of the drowsy, delicious days with which heaven often favorS Dcvonshirc in the leafy month cf June:
 cannot have quite dropped off to sleep, however; for presently am conscious that some one elSo has come out on the lawn, and Is looking at us. A voice says, "How happy you all looll!,' and I, opening my eyes with start, sec tho reverend MT. Clifford (nly master, as I call him) standing close to us, 8 broad felt hat shading bis mild gray eyes, his hands, still holding The Athenaum; folded behind his back, his tall figure slightly bowed as he smiles down on the young trio before him. We look up, and smile at him, Even 1 am not much ashamed of my idle ness as goyerness should be; and tho chil- dren raise delighted shout that papa shall come and "piay too"
 "Papa can he Dean Stanley, cries George in nigh Giee. Papa. mo anE Dollies being married"
 1 pupa, over lO uS. .:ls not that q rather solemn proceeding to take place without tho paternal benedictioni ! Suppose play at forbidding the bannsf
 "They are enecttng the dukes wedding, sir" say I, giving up my chair to him, and subsiding on to an inverted f1owerpot instead.
 And you're to be Dean Stanley, papa. Oh! won't it be jollyiN adds Gsorge, thrusting himself between his fathers knees, and danc- ing with excitement. My master makes A 8 little ''moue"-expressive of what depo- , nent saith not.
 If you aregoing to pile undesired dignities , on me, Georgie, couldn't you make me Metre
 politan of St. Petersburg at onceg' he sug-
 gests II would be inst as agreeable" 1+s
 George considers a moment; then with a deep sigh, No, you can't be that, because,
 you see, l can't perounce it; and Dollie :. can't neither. She can't porounce any but S littlest words. Its such Q bother"
 Mir. Clifford laughs, and takes the f guilty Dollic on his knee. My but o tercup, who has been extinguishing you2n he
 says, tossing the brown paper crown onto the a lawn and kissing the little flushed face. 'l ,- am afraid being duchess is fatiguing work /, wee woman, if truth were known" And !, indeed, Dollie heaves sigh of relief at tht
 deprivation of her dignities, mumbles witl # her lips against her fathers Me so welly ,t sleepy, papa" and curls herself up like lit
 tie dormouso for doze.
 A kind man, MT. Clifford one of thos
 grave and gracious natures which never run
 riot in joy or sour under sorrow; a man il
 whose arms infants love to nestle and t,
 whose feet stray dogs run for protection;
 man with 0 large gentle heart and a wise
 srudious mind; most puro from evil himself
 most pitiful to evil in others. I am yer.
 proud of my master. rroSl and fond too lg and have cause for both; for, indeed, h
 is exceedingly kind and good to mo. Les m
 never forget that-most kind and good,
 And where Is my sister gonef1 he asked
 after minute or two,s silent contemplatiQ N of lis sleeping daughter. Dollic is wonder
 fully like her mother, even as l remenbe y her, weak and wasted.
 "Out in the pony carriage, sir, believe
 to pay calls"
 "And bring young Glyn home. By th |. way" with a sudden start, T did tell yot
 did notfn