The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-06-19
A FOURTH OF JULY PARTY
by MARY O. HUNGERFoRp.


live. They had COW, it is true, but a
procession of small boys came every
night and morning to the widows pretty
cottage with pitchers and pennies in
hand for tho daily measure of milk. One
little egg cup Sull Lefty poured from the
pail as she brought it in frothing, for
her mothers tea. The rest was all con-
verted into money, and except the micro
scopic insurance that came from the
friendly brothers of something to which
the late Mr.. Ely belonged, very little
other lucre found its way into the small
cottage.
Not hundred yards from this tiniest
Of cottages was an imposing stone gate
way leading to the well-kept grounds of
Squire Melvill. His grand house was
closed all winter, but one Of the symp-
toms of spring well known to the villa
gers was the renovating and house-clean-
ing which always presaged tho coming
of the family. 1t was tho only house of
any pretension near, and was the tangible
evidence of the great financial success
which had been won by this one of the
town boys of the previous generation,
who had left his early home and taken
his chances in ono of the worlds great
marts.
The battle of life had left Squire Mel
vile cold, hard and purse proud, and
with enough pride of another kind to
make him take pleasure in exhibiting his
glory to the eyes Of his old associates.
He had meek and invalid wife, whose
fortune had been the stepping stone to
his prosperity, and son and daughter,
who were we'll liked in Snowden.
The latter was engaged to California
nabob's son, and so was of more conse-
quence IN her gratifed fathers eyes, than
she had ever been before. But the son,
around whose future every ambitious hope
of his worldly father centred, had fallen
In love with pretty Lefty Ely, and the
fact had but just come to that disap-
pointed fathers knowledge.
"John Melville" he had said, "you
are driveling idiot. Do you suppose l
am going to see the fortune I have spent
my life and health in getting, poured
Into the lap of beggar, a scrub, q dairy
woman. A low creature like the servants
in my kitchen"
There was storm of angry words be-
tween them, for no man could listen
calmly to abuse of his loved one. Then
the older man, more polite than the
younger, forced his tongue to mildness
that found no echo in his heart, and tried
spathetic appeal to his son, begging him,
for his sake, to surrender his fieeting
fancy. But threats and entresties had
no effect. Raging with anger, the son
flung himself out of the home followed
by the wrathful insults of his father.
In the vine arched doorway of the lit
tie cottage, Lefty stood with her flower
like face lifted as her eyes looked dreamily
into the blue glory of the summer sky.
Roses massed themselves above her, deli.
cate sprays heavy with bloom waved
about her, and climbing vine of the
York and Lancaster wreathed the pillars
that upheld the roof. There were roses
on both sides of her, and in the pink per
lection of her setting she was the lowell
est flower of all.
"My Rose of Summer" whispered
Jack Melville swinging himself over the
low rail and stealing an arm around hel
slight waist.
"You are worth fighting for" he con,
tinued, as they stepped together into the
little house.
"Fighting, Jack2'
"Yes, my precious, have just had @
battle royal with my father" and he
flushed as he remembered the SOOTHING
sights which had been heaped upon his
darling.
Lefty grew pale and weptas Jack gave
her an extended account of the stormy
Interview which had left its traces on his
words and looks. When he finished he
saw look of severe resolution in her
lovely face that astonished him. He
bent to kiss the red lips that q few mo.
ments before had worn such tender
curves, but she turned her head away.
''Listen, jack" she said solemnly, 81
will never, never, never marry man
whose father refuses to welcome me-"
'Letty," he exclaimed, sis your pride
more to you than your love. Don't yor
know that I can make you happy fal
away from ell this2"
"You will not be happy if you disobey
your father, and if you are unhappy
shall be wretched."
Pleadings and protestations, although
her own heart echoed them all, failed to
shake her resolve. Her only answer was
the repetition of her determination never
to enter family without welcome.
The painful interview was ended al
last by Mrs. Ely's hurried entrance witt
message brought in hot haste from Mrs
Melville. The Squire had been found
unconscious on the floor of his library
and the frightened wife had sent for hel
son where past experience taught he
be could be found.
There were several days of grave anx
fety for the family and much excitement
and sympathy among the neighbors
Then for time all danger was over ant
Mr.. Melville, pale, broken and aged
was seen driving about again. But i
was known that the family doctor, sum
moned by telegraph at the time of hi
seizure, had said that his life depended
upon an equable quiet routine. An,
sudden event or shock might be fatal t;
him.
For dozen years the great social even
OF the summer in Snowden had been
lawn party and evening dance at Melville
Court, given always on the Fourth O
July. Mr.. Melville enjoyed overwhelm
ing his country neighbors with his mag
nifcencc; so no expense was spared OF
music, refreshments, decorations ant
fireworks. And even now, while he wa
only pale shadow of himself, he in
sisted on preparing for the usual enter
tainment.
The only house Of any pretension i.
the whole pretty village, where card
were not left, was Mrs. Ely's. Grac
Melville had run in at dusk one night +
make hurried protestation of her own an,
her mothers innocence of the omission
and to tell her dear Lefty of Jacks grie
and race which had IN hn rastrainod he