Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-04-11
MY RENT-AUDIT.

The braes which hemmed US in looked
sniling, friendly guardians in the sun
shine. and on stormy days the great log
ERE in the dear old hall was company
enough till Guy came in; and in bad
weather he always arrived before tea
had disappeared. 1t was one Of the adj
vantages Of having tea in the hall that,
however wet and muddy people were,
they were compelled to go through it; 50
always thought it was best to stop
them. and put them into good temper
by giving them as much tea as they
could drink, and then inducing them TO
enliven my stay-at-home self. This their
very presence, Notwithstanding their
dampness, rarely failed 10 do; for, how
ever wet, muddy. and tired my visitors
might be, they were at least fresh, and
Il was very seldom that, after such a
welcome, they did not dispel the dizziness
Of wet day in a country house.
II did not always rain though at Castle
Quart, whatever some people may have
said; and, when it was fine, one did not
long for company, because simply living
and gazing upon the fair country around
was happiness enough. You could have
almost any view you liked-braes rising
green against the blue heathery hills,
woods, and my own lovely lake. Such
lakei All my windows-three in my
bedroom and two in my sitting room
looked down upon it-down through
trees that bent aud waved TO bow their
homage TO the mirror that so lovingly
reflected them.
Guy had invited a dozen men to shoot
the coverts so provided myself with a
companion in the person OF Lillian Dun
bar. or course / thought a party OF men
much nicer than party of women, but
also thought Guys party wanted just a
little "dimting." Twelve men TO be en-
RETAINED by one woman was too much
I a good thing, so / persuaded Lillian to
come and divide the duty with mo. She
WaI az capital company to me all day as
she was 10 them IN the evening; then OF
course she took no notice of me. II
would have bored me IL she had, for
wanted as much Of Guy as guns and
guests would allow. | asked her to come
day before the sportsmen, so she ar
rived about five o'clock one very cold
Monday, just in time for snug tea in
my sittingroOm.
! ran over my list Of "guns" as Guy
called them, while Lillian sat on low
chair devouring mullins yet looking
most ethereal | nevcrcould understand
how she did it, believe if sine had eaten
peas with her knife she wou.I have made
1t appear quite poetical AMI sylph-lIke
Performance. She was % slight slender
girl, and her skin was 500 white and her
hair of such q bright golden hue that ut
the sight of her one lrifted into dreams
OF angels. haloe5, and golden harps, to
be suddenly reused by some mischievou5
pleasantly. Lily's conversation was
very amusing, but il was not seraphic;
she used to declare that she had become
80 sick of her angelic race that she had
given herself over to Cspicylerie, in the
hope that her hair would become black,
her eyes brown and vivacious, and her
skin clear olive with just ludlCiou5
dash of red. If, she argued such an eX-
terror indicated cSpieglcrie, why cSpieg-
serie ought TO produce such an exterior!
just as she had penslvely but rosolute-
ly made fifth raid upon the muffin
dish, my list brought me to "Alec Doug
las, and looking up, ] saw that an eX-
preston of calm uncOnsciousness per-
yaded Lilian's face, and said tentatively:
you know Alec?'
She stirred her ten and stared at mo
yacantly, but said nothing. This irritat-
cd me, and | added maliclously;
els he aS devoted to you as ever?'
al don't think lac is devoted to me" she
said rellcctiycly.
"Rubhish He was your shadow all
last season YOU were never TO be seen
without him; it was positively ridicul-
Gus"
"Not the whole season." said Lillian
gently: che went into DeVOnshire a fort