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

30 much. The boys break the lilacs and
won't go away for speaking-thats what
made me do it. thought it was one of
them"
She could see that he raised his hat
and heard him say, eyes, they destroy
the trees shamefullyW
"Have hurt your" she faltered, and
her voice might have revealed that tears
were very near her eyes.
"Oh no. not much. Pray think no
more of it. Stay, if you will allow me,
I think, before / go, had better finish
putting that branch over the wall"
He did this, and with much shame at
receiving SO much good for evil Miss
Falkland thanked him and he went on
his way. She had not seen his face, and
sincerely hoped that she never would,
and what was still more important, he
had not seen hers. Never in her life had
she felt SO miserably small. The hlacs
suffered for it; she could no longer en-
dure the sight Of them. Gathering to-
gether her gardening tools and the Of
Tending umbrella, she went into the
house and left the trees to their fate.
When Dlacs are in season in London 80
many other things that are delightful
are in season too. Miss Falkland had
little enough time to brood over oppor-
.unities too well used. She had a dinner
party, two dances, and musical party
before her, and must dress. Her father
met her on the stairs and said, my dear,
tell me where we are going tonight. 1
know about the dinner and the Varleys'
musical party, but l hope we have not
to go anywhere else. l met that silly
little Mrs. Marley this afternoon; Mr..
Carlton is to be there tonight, and am
SO anxious to hear him sing"
1--WE have several engagements, father,
but, if you prefer the Varleys', let US
give up the others - they are only
Dances"
Thus did girl Of twenty speak of one
of the greatest pleasures Of her life; but
how could she do otherwise to father
who was father, mother sister and
brother to her?
'By all means replied Mr. Falkland,
all unconscious of the sacrifice that his
daughter was making. 81 am told that
Mr. Cartons singing is magnificent and
it is so difficult to hear him. he will sing
for Mrs. Marley, she says, because he is
an old friend Of the family but he won't
sing at other peoples parties"
The dinner was dull, and the only
occasion on which Miss Falkland felt any
emotion but WEAKNESS was when either
Of the gentlemen near her spoke of the
tender charm Of the young green leaves
in the parks or the beauty Of the flower
ing shrubs in the little London gardens.
Flowering shrubs was almost the same
thing as saying lilacs, and lilacs was a
word which to Miss Falkland was simply
insupportable.
"What crush it is going to bel" OBJ
served Mr. Falkland as he and his daugh-
ters assembled the Varleys' stairs. Near
the drawing room door they saw an old
friend. "Stay here with me till Mr..
Carlton goes to the piano." she pleaded,
"Oh, there he is--lookr'
Miss Falkland looked, and was aware
Of tall, fair haired, bright eyed, hand
some young man threading his way
through the crowd. After all, he was
only one of many celebrities there pres
ent, so Miss Falkland turned back to her
friend and talked as happily to her for
some time as if no such things as lilacs
existed. Suddenly she felt a quick touch
on her arm and saw Mrs. Marley by her
side, looking eager and anxious. my
dear Margaret" she said despairingly,
she can't play his own Accomplishments
tonight. never knew anything so I'M
Fortunate and / haven't the least idea
whom to ask. He is 30 particular, you
see, and people do make such a hopeless
muddle of everything if they accompany
badly. Will you try, dear? You play at
sight thousand times better than any
one else that know here-rve told him
So"
81 play Mr.. Cartoons accompaniment
Yes, you. Why not, when we are in
such troubled You can do it quite
easily. He has hurt his hand so.
who has hurt whose hand2" asked
Miss Falkland.
"Mr. Carlton has hurt his own. You
may be quite sure that he wouldn't let
me ask any one to play his accompani.
ments if he hadn't; he hates any one to
play them but himself"
"How did you say he had hurt it?"
asked Miss Falkland with sudden fear.
"How absurd I ami" was her next
thought, but still she made no attempt
to follow Mrs. Varley, who was hurry
ing away without giving her any an
swer.
Come, dear, come" said that lady,
at won't do to keep him waiting; it is a
favor for him to sing at all. II is SO unfor-
tunate about his hand, and it is the right
one"
"Oh, is itY' said Miss Falkland, walk
ing mechanically to the piano.
eyes, 1t is the right hand and he
doesn't seem to think that 1t will be well
again for don't know how long"
"But how did he do itg' she again
asked, for she was anxious to have a
faint suspicion that seemed bent on tax
ing possession of her dissipated.
81 don't know. l asked him, but he
only laughed, It's all very well for him
to carry off an accident with laugh,
but am quite sure that shouldn't laugh
I k,,,.