Telegram-herald., 1889-05-20

tss ws2zeF s-1er- Pot ber arm tenosriy
sgegsd The htl4e c-1 L.ay : - zlsL, "a gave
ber beg
~I4 taAe yeo aocat Wherever yoa want
y 20, AsEt Deci14.S s&id sas. I'm IS
good - sHy g4lde-Seok. sad / de- gar n
shoVplnz
Alat Dsscin4 smiled gratefully ca her
l5ttle strand- Baeos. and - L happened tn..
sac aud Iizzls termed llttls ellQae u TIER
oxn. While Mrs. Inman and Heiea devoted
themselves 70 tie Sycenh-zn Wlekfords.
Your hoosskeepsr. / presume uost
resuec a1le- lQokiag cd person said Ms.
S.6enham N.ckf0rd, nCdAljng towards
Asut Dscima ~8at . little deaf, l should
fsaeas-s I2xsked her 10 see tk1t the maids
bro1zh. bot water u M room every mora
iaz. and she reAliy-@a-.cted as II s1e
eldut hear Hs
Mr. Inman turned red
We American ladies' are our own house
Asegsrs. sad she. Mrs Eyerard is ny
aunt. AUnt Bessie. let no present yog 10
Mrs. Sydenh&n " lezford- -
Delighted. an sure. " said Mrs. SydeG-
ham, wac, being very stout, and very ught-
y laced up Ia 4 dame-oo-ored satin dress,
was unable 70 courtesy IA reply u Aunt
Deciula's bow. Aud this tall gurl-dlC
understand that she - your step daugh-
terPi
No" smiled Mrs. Inman; "she Is my
own Guild
Not particle like our chawming Helen
here" said Mrs. Sydenham Wexford.
An, VIII you please ring, my sweet Helen,
10 see what deIains Florinda The dear
ehild is apt TO fali into fits Of abstraction
over her literary labors, and 4 am quite
per shLsg for my dinuerH
After that Aunt Decima and Lizzie kept
out ot the drawing room
I'VE don't ike TO be patronized, do we."
said Lizzie, with a laugh. But II makes
me angry 10 sec mamma and Helen wait
upon those vulgar English people Dear
Aunt Oecina, let US 20 back TO the old farm
"a Massachusetts, am sure l should Ike
the country. Mamma and Helen don't need
me, and 1 an sure they wouldn't miss me F."
Il am expecting friend on the next
steamer" gently spoke Mrs Eyerard. 'As
soon as she arrives we VIII all 60 back
home"
Il hope is will be sooa," said Lizzie,
"for / am sure you must be awfQly unc0ga-
Portable 10 that hot attic chamber, where
the roof touches your head and there isn't
a sign OF carpet on the floor"
aunt utu never tciOEC seen Ict
New York relations, but. with olden time
notions Of hospitality, she had taken il for
granted that warm welcome would be ex-
tended 10 her. And she was more than a
little surprised that Mrs. Sydenham WicA
ford's maid had been assigned far more
comfortable room than herself.
Perhaps" she told herself, al an little
behind the times. Perhaps am expecting
too much"
These country relations are famous for
always coming at the wrong tune" said
Mrs. Inman, with a sigh. "I think, how
ever, shall soon succeed In freezing Aunt
Decima out"
Mamma is giving a reception 70 the sgd
enham Wickfords tonight" said Lizzie,
one evening. "Ever so many nice people
are invited. You should see how beautiful
the parlors-drc,cin0ro Mrs. Sydenham
Wexford calls them-sre decorated with
flowers. And Mrs. Sydenham Wexford
herself has got on a red velvet gown that
makes her look as II she were on fire.
Florinda is being dressed by the maid now
in white. White, like a girl, and she thirty
at leastl What are you going to wear,
Aunt Dessieii
Mrs. Everard colored.
II have only my black silk" said she.
sand, besides, have not been invited TO
come down stairs"
"Oh, put on the black silk, thenw cried
Lizzie. "Of course mamma expects you.
| only wish was out; but L shall peep in
through the library door and see it all.
There's cluster Of palms there that will
hide half-open door TO perfection. Hurry,
Aunt bessie, and I'll do your gray hair up
in those lovely puffs / learned yesterday
looking in az the hair-dresser's window"
The rooms were all bright with flowers
and lights, but none of the guests had yet
arrived when Aunt Decima came down.
stairs, looking as neat and sweet as fairy
god-mother. Mrs. Inman was flushed and
tired out, in her heliotrope satin. Helen was
lovely-pink tulle and apple blossoms.
Mrs. Sydenham W.ckfords ruby velvet
seemed TO diffuse a positive atmosphere of
heat around her, and Miss Florinda's red
face and small blue eyes werc emphasized
by her white gown. Dir. Sydenham Wick
ford's evening dress and pumps had struck
an attitude near a standard lamp, which he
seemed resolved to retain. At that mo-
ment the foOtman (hircd for the occasionj
flung open the door
1.-THE Countess Of Alchesterp he ut
tered, in stentorian accents.
Mr.. Sydenham Wexford jumped rs il he
had been shot. Mrs Sydenham Wexford
made an Intellectual grasp at her smelling
bottle. Miss Florinda's lower jaw fell, as a
tall, handsome old lady, in n gray travelling
dress, came into the room, looking with
rather surprised eyes around her.
~ was told" she began. Goodness
met Wexford Is that youl What on earth
brings you herel' Ito Mr. Sydenham Wick
ford, who kept bowling. in q series Of Jerks,
like an automatic toy).
Before she could utter another woxd,
however, she was clasped in Aunt Decina's
arms.
"The friend / was expecting, Mary"
said Aunt Declma 10 her niece. "She has
arrived sooner than had hoped. Lady Al
chester, this is my niece, Mrs. Inman-and
Miss Inman, her daughtcrw
Mrs. Inmau aud Helen-tuft- hunters,
both OF them, by nature and education
bowed low, as If in the presence of mai
esfy
"And this" said Lady Alchoster, whose
eagle ere took in the situation az once, "a
shs glanced toward the English guests.
SIS my late butler. Wexford, aad his wife,
who was formerly lsdy's maid to Old Mrs.
Orion Hunt, and inherited quite sum
through that lSry's VIII. Excuse me, dear
Decims, but how on earth came they h>rsi'
Never did toy balloon collapse with
greater sud3euness than did the Syaenham
Wiczforis The ex butler kept on bowing
an I'll he reached the threshold the former
tirinF F-woman Of old Mrs. Orion Hunt NUT
tered something about cher old enemy the
neura GA" ar 4 got out of tNe room as fast