Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-10-24

uncomfortable manner. A small pile
OF books and papers lay by her plate,
to which she occasionally referred be-
tween the courses.
''You won't think me rude il l leave
you this evening, Teresa? l am to
take the chair in meeting in connec-
ton with the blue ribbon movement
tonight" she said, as the dessert was
placed on the table II hope you
take an interest in the temperance
movement and the woman's rights
question:
Tessa shook her head.
II don't know anything about the
temperance movement, and / don't
care button about anybody's rights
but my own" she said cheerfully.
Austen Baven laughed more than
once during dinner. His eyes had
rested admiringly on the pretty
flushed face and the dimpled hands
and arms cleaning against the velvet
! gown. 1t would be pleasant to have
something young and pretty about the
house, he thought.
Mrs. Calender frowned.
''You have much-very much to
learn, Teresa" she said severely.
"Can you think of the hunreds-nay,
thousands-of wretched beings sunk
and degraded almost beyond the reach
of help, without asking yourself If 1t is
not your duty-your bOunden duty
and she struck her hand solemnly on
the table-'to help them by your ex-
ample to better things? When you
think"
"But l never do" and Miss Tessa
looked up with a well assumed express
sion of perplexed innocence. II never
had anything to do with people of that
sort And l don't want to, either!"
she went on after moments silence,
and with little decisive shake of her
head.
Mrs. Calender, fortunately for Tes-
sa, had not time 10 answer. The
clock on the sideboard struck eight,
and, with hasty exclamation, she
rose from her seat, collected her
papers and books, and swept out OF
the room.
With her departure certain re-
straint and gloom seemed TO vanish.
Austen. with something which sound
! ed very like q sigh of relief, turned to
Tessa and began 10 talk about her
! Journey and the town in France where
she had spent the last ten years of her
! life; and Tessa, who had been rather
shy at frs;-.or Austen grave face
and manner awed and impressed her
soon forgot her shyness. So the three
passed n pleasant evening together;
and all were surprised when the clock
struck ten and Mrs. Calender return
cd from her NEE ing.
Then followed prayers, read by Mrs.
| Calender in an unpleasantly high
pitched voice; then the supper-tray-
with some glasses of milk, plate of
bread and butter, some biscuits, and Il
! basket of fruit-was brought in and
| placed on a de-table. Austen brought
Tessa some grapes and biscuits, and
stood by her rs she ate her supper.
listening TO her vivacious chatter with
an amused smile on his grave face;
then came bed, and-at least for les
sa-perfect oblivion.
|
A few weeks passed, and Tessa was
beginning to grow accustomed to her
new life. The spring, after many
vain attempts, had really come at
last; the garden was gay with prim-
roses and sweet with violets and early
spring flowers. In sheltered corners
the dailodils were blooming, and in
the conservatory the azalea trees were
perfect pyramids of pink and white
blossoms.
Gentle Mrs. Bevan, who was inter-
ested in so few things, was passionate
ly fond Of flowers, and would spend
hours in the green house pottering
among her plants. She had not been
allowed, before Tessa appeared on the
scene TO have them in the hOuse-they
absorbed the oxygen and sent out
noxious fumes, Mrs. Calender assert
ed; and, as usual, the old lady meekly
resigned her own will and gave way
to her imperious daughter.
Tessa alone of all the household
dared to rebel. She brought in great
baskets OF mess and primroses, which
she arranged deity in some of the old
china bowls-of which there was an
abundance in the china cupboard
and placed on every table and cabinet.
She filled the tall vases with daifodils,
and even audaciously came down to
dinner day after day with the yellow
flowers pinned in her dusky hair and
shining golden in her brooch against
her velvet gown.
1t was in vain that Mrs. Calender
fumed and demonstrated and preached
diatribes on vanity and folly. Tessa
who had always a retort and an
answer ready only smiled blandly,
tossed her pretty head, and went on
her wilful way unheeding. 1t was in
vain too that Mrs. Calender, annoyed
and indignant at her failure, Mt last
entreated her brother TO exert his
authority.
Austen only smiled-declared ne
knew nothing about ladies' dress, but
that the flowers and the pretty dark
head made a nerfopt com animation of