Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-02-14


Villa was a mile OF. St. Lukes church
was about third of the way; she would
walk to that church and tell him there.
He WAS, perhaps, counting up the
amount Of pleasure In store for him, for
he asked, whereabouts In Kensington
is Sutherland villa7
II am afraid II would be difficult to
make you understand. II you go as far
as Kensington / will show it to you"
"Of course l shall go "a far as Ken
sington. You don't suppose 1 would lose
any part of the pleasure Of walking with
you'll Besides, am curious to see what
your home Is like"
"All homes of certain class are very
much alike in London" she answered
ourtly. She could already see the tower
of st. Lukes, and wished she had fixed
on a place little further off. A few
heavy drops Of rain fell on the pavement
in front Of them.
"Won't you let mo put up your um-
brellaY he suggested.
at is scarcely worth WHILE" she an
swered, clutching the blue ball firmly.
"Oh, but l am afraid it is. Let me
open IL Tor you.
She quickly opened it herself.
LET me hold it over you, then"
ooh, no, like to hold it myself" she
said, and walked on in silence, for the
church was very near now, But why
should she wait for the church when the
thought Of what she had to do when she
arrived there was poisoning all her
pleasure in the present. "Mr. Carlton"
she said almost humbly, 81 want to tell
you something"
Speak" he answered. "'tis mine to
hear"
~ am going to speak, but as therain is
over l will shut up my umbrella, and then
l can see your face while I am talking
Extreme nervousness was making her
think aloud.
"Allow me, he cried, and in spite Of her
resistance took the umbrella to close ID
former, saw blue handle and exclaimed:
"a blue HANDLED Oh, can't bear to see
you with an umbrella that has a handle
like that
"Why notf' she asked family, for she
was afraid; she knew why
because that virago who did her best
to smash my finger had one Of that
kind"
"Did her best to smash your finger"
she repeated in dismay.
Eyes, the boys had been stealing her
lilacs, and was passing and saw great
branch which they had partly broken
and used to drag themselves on the wall
by l thought it was a pity to let it
be quite torn off, 50 l tried to put it back
over the wall, and she camo stealthily for
ward and gave me q blow with an un.
brella which had a handle-a remarkably
solid blue one just like yours. 1t is de-
testable to think of that creature having
an umbrella like yours"
Poor woman! don't call her names;
you might even like herif you knew her"
THAT creature! Niraco!' 1t was all
but impossible to make her confession
now.
Il am quite sure I should not. How
could l or you, or any one, like a woman
who plants herself behind d wall and hits
out at all corners at a venture with q
dangerous weapon like that? 1t is chart
table of you 10 think of giving her the
benefit OF the doubt, but ! know. if ever
you saw her, you would think Of her as
do. 1t is a womans first duty to be
feminine; no lady could have done what
she did
"What would lady have done then
uAder the same circumstances, l mean"
"Oh, you know that a thousand times
better than l, Ican'u help thinking that
she would have felt great deal of pity
for the poor little children who came into
her bright neighborhood from their own
dark dismal homes, with never a bit of
green, much less A flower, to gladden.
their eyes. and when they saw the lavish
plenty of both on her trees could not re-
strain their hands She ought to have
understood what they must feel, and
have given the poor children share of
her own abundance, instead OF trying to
hurt them. Such blows as hers
"Oh, | don't at all agree with you,"
said Miss Falkland, boldly interrupting
him, for sho was fighting for all she held
dear. If the children rang tho bell and
asked for flowers it was her duty to give
| them, and give them freely, but it
couldn't be her duty to encourage steal
| ing, or to let the children destroy the
growth of years in few minutes"
You are logically right; you have the
! law on your side, no doubt but all the
same / have horror of that girl, and
now that my hand is better, l may say
| so. BY the bye, | must not let you for.
| get that you were going to tell me some
thing
y have changed my mind-at least I
am afraid shall not have time to tell
you now, for have just remembered
| that I want TO call at the third house
from here to see "A poor old friend Of
ours who is H.
Don't 80 today; you said | might
walk Is far as your home. 1t is the first
walk have ever had with you, and you
are going to cut il short
81 must call and see her today. I
ought to have gone long before this
lit is too late to So land see any one
now, 1t is much latsr than you think.
1t Is after g.
That does not matter, She won't
mind its being late