Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1889-06-29
CAROLS CONVERSION.

through tho dull veins OF the little seaside
villugs. There was not in the limits OF the
State dullcr spot than llclmcsville: that
was the reason that it pcttcd and made
much even OF such weak little mystery IL
this
Holiness place" had stood empty for
years - all tho Holmcses were abroad-
and rack and ruin had taken possession Of
the ilno old-fashioned manOr-house, with
its green. shady grounds and its glorious
Sea-vew.
Now it was put into thorough repair. and
swept and Garnshcd for the reception OF
tenant: for Miss Berkeley. tho mystery. OF
whom nobody knew anything whatever eN-
sept that snc was young and pretty, AMI
had II mother. an invalid lady who seemed
u nonentity in the household. and who was
wheeled up AMI down the beach twice day
in n Bath chair.
Miss Berkeley kept a man and three
maids. and was Tree OF her money and
nice spoken" so tho natives said; she was
quiet and stately. and rather shy; enter
tanned no company. stunned all friendly
advances. and aVo d, as much as pos
Siblc even casual contact with the boarders
at the Winncpurket House. who had caught
the contaEion Of village curiosity, and
,ossiped in their own way about the fair
tenant OF Holiness Place.
Tho only person who had caught at a
shred OF Information concerning her was
Page Carol. q sumner iOuugCr at tie alorC
said hotel. 4 sudden and violent thunder
storm was the conductor that brought them
together.
Page. driving aons. the unfrequentcd part
OF the beach where Mrs. Berkeley took
her const .tutional, had met the maid and
the young mistress struggling with tho
Bath-chair against gale OF wind. and the
poor invalid covering in the rain under n
flimsy parasol.
Only too happy to be OF service. Mr..
| Carol had sprung down from the buggy,
and with about haf dozen words ex-
changed on either side. installed the
| mother and daughter in his place.
He lifted tho sick woman safely and
strongly into her seat. put the ribbons into
tho girls little drenched gray kid hands
and saw herstart his fast mare of at II
dashing pace while he took the Bath
chair and the maid under his protection.
| and trudged of through the rain--wet. but
warmed straight through to the heart by
| those half-dozen grateful words, and the
| frank. grateful lock OF those lovely gray
eyes.
So by laying Miss Berkeley under a
debt Of gratitude. Page Carroll won his
| way to her friendship. He was thorou yhly
observation-disclosures was no disputiaG that
| and Mr.. Carol was not a man easily
| charmed. nor by any means an impulsive
one.
Tho most intolyrant and fastidious o.
mcn-a DO. II autocrat, and an aristOcrat in
| every fiber TIE idea of his falling in love
with IL woman Of unknown antecCdcnts and
| underlined social position would have
| seemed, II month ago, the Widest impos-
| sib!ity. Now, looking into Alico Bcrko'
| seys violct-gray eyes, and tender. perfect
| lace. he forgot that she had ever had an
| ancestor to question. and lost sight alto
| gethcr Of his own indisputable family tree.
| She was woman. simply-the ideal wom-
| an SO long looked for and expected. and
| Page Carols inmost soul did her homage.
He might have wondered or doubted a
| little over hcr calm. courteous refusal to
| receive any calls from the ladies at the
| hotel-Carrors friends. many OF thcm-oI
| to grant Introduce ons to any OF the men,
| but her one simple excuse satisfied him.
She particularly wished to avoid society
| this summer: her mothers health demand
| ed all her time and attention and she had
| herself to that object Perhaps it pleased
Page Carol just as well that he alone had
tho entree of the old Holmes Manor.
He had kept the fact Of his acquaintance
| with its mistress most rcligiously. to him
self for time, Tut it camo out at last. and
| in this way:
| Between Holiness Place q find myself
| clnGing to the rural nomenclature and for
| getting its moro digniiiod title Of The
| Oaks) and the main road there was n
| stretch Of dark. shady wood. and here ono
| afternoon Page and his friend Colonel jon
| nings were lettering with their c gar5.
| Going 10 town, next week. Carroll" the
| Colonel had Just demanded. and Carol re-
| turned dry no.
| No! The deuce you're not. Why, you've
| been negotiating here four weeks already.
my dear follow; whats the attraction? Not
| the society. I'll swear. for you've with
| drawn yourself ON that like an anchoiitc.
| and | don't believe you've looked In the
| face OF IL woman since you came here"
Mr.. Carroll smiled scdately behind his
cigar.
Il didn't como here for society"
Only to Indulge your taste for simple
country pleasures, l suppose; since when
have you developed II passion for the pas
| toral? | remember the timo when you
| couldn't exist two weeks away from the
clubs and the theaters-"
| Bah! don't talk to me OF thcaters. II
had hand in tho government Id burn
| every one OF tEem!"
| Glad you're not an alderman" laughed
the Colonel. Il hope you'd spare II pretty
woman or two out OF tho various COM
| panies. Page"
-Womaa!" echoes Carroll with sDeor,
| and his voice rises q little. Don't my dear
| boy; for your mothers SAX. don't put Il
woman and an actress in the same breath.
| Any woman who exhibits herself at so
much rer head to gaping, prOmiscuous
| public loses h r right to the name"
| Page Carols voice was singularly clear
| and distinct. but even were it less so he
| must have hal n second auditor Just then.
There is light rustic among the briers
and undcrbrush, and f,om cross-path
| through the wood Miss Berkeley steps out
| facing them; her large eyes meet Carols
| for second. and with the color trembling
| in her face, but without II SIN l., she bows
| gravely to him and passes straight on.
Hall Il dozen yards lie between them bo-
| fore either SAYS q word.
| by Jov'E pronouncCs the Colonel, with
| 4 long whistle, like u note Of admiration.
| p--a'@ fEco is c@iruaoa with ANNOYANCE.
= Oluti N % the -conuIirum, You con-
| founded sly dog! Carol ! Ow long have
| you known-hoW tho deHce di! you harp Il
| to know Miss regkelry?"
| In ths ordinary course o. events" says
| Pa c. ,urtly. I've known her for somo
| time: the precise dut2 can't be Il any mo-
| ment TO you. Colonel"
| That nigat the cool and. collected Page,
| absenting himself from the weekly hop in
| the great hot. Glaring par 'orS. walks out
| with his cigar into the m Oonlght-for what
| Not TO call at The OakS--he was there last
| evening. No! like any distruught school
| boy or college Romeo. he goes 10 stare at
| light In the window.
Leaning on tho stone fcnco that bounds
| the side Of her lawn. he can look straight
| into the drawing room windows, and just
| above them is the window of her room.
An old-fashioned white rose-vine clamb-
ers over the rough stone house front and
| reaches the sacred easement. She loves TO
| wea- the blossoms in her hair and in her
bosom-he has seen them there twenty
/ times.
An idiotic. sentimental desire steals over
| Carol to possess himself OF one OF these
| roses. they cleaned so white and soft in
the moonlight. climbing up to lay their cool
| an innocent theft-he could snatch it I'M
Il for the hOnGa 10 anita dark nd CT