The morning call., 1890-06-06
PEAS-BLOSSOMS.
CHAPTER I.
THREE OFF THEM.

ENAS started three falr girls, 10 Iuo tnei, e3oo
lnd listen, and nUaliy sink back on tnelt plIipM y
murmuring that they must nave been ufedhi,u =.
But hark again! The sound that broke i,i iiIII i
sumber Is repeating itself IL Is ilie siltIii & tih
tarata of a bell pulled with vigorous hahu.
There is no mislakng Il now, as II Is renewed AT
brief Intervals the person who ungs eVldentH
intending to be responded To- - r,o
The souuds reach The servants quarters. Inc
far cOmely cook draws the clothes over her
head and thanks her stars that II Is not 10 sum,
mon her. The TWO housemaidS sll up 10 OIu anu
dispute which of the TWO shall rise ana llght a
fre but finally decided that neither OF them need
SIR IN they called, aud the butler, WHO IS
growing old and has twlnges oi rheumatism,
mutfers an eXecratl0n on tidgety old maids.
"MiSs Kity at it again." lie adds. whats
the Wnim now, wonder? Not even the lros-
pecI OF u legacy pays for catching Dad coId' L
shall be- conveniently deaf"
The three glIs who had been the nrst TO near
the bell might have acted as the butler was do
iug but for the vigilance OF the gaunt pony
maiden who presided al Miss hitty Mayout4
lnlIette Ouening one door alter another sue
thus Invoked them, taxing care that her Volce
should be exalted As TO reach Tue sh3fp ears ol
her mistress: " Hoh, Miss Pernelle. Hon, Young
aides How can you lie there, with your PIE
cIOus aunt >uffeTn as shes been a-suuerlh lnis
night, Is more than l can make out Hon, 90 let
me beg and pay Of you 10 come 10 HeI. oAe
tuat thoughtful she never do like 10 disturb you.
I'yr lived 10 tie best of families. but never win
II lady ike her, and il do rack me to see her lelt
10 die with no one but me o feel Tor her SpaSms
and agOnles as If them tiiafs she's brought up
all these years wasn't in Tie same house with
her" -,, .,.
Aunt KHty really illY'
Really nil To think of asking that OF me.
thai seen her garsping Tor her breath, ana cont
hardly expect 10 hnd her alive when get DaeK
Another Naturalization checked the speaker,
who shuited on, but not without leaving sung
"YWould really get up young ladies' if l were
YOU The uneasy mind yUu'H have when that
dear, good lady Is gone, It dont 90 10 lhihK
Before this speech was finished the three Sis
iers-MiSs MaybuTy's nieces aud adopted daugh-
iers-were out OF bed, aud hastily dressing thei-
selves. If Aunt Kitty must nave these al.
lacks" pOuted one OF The young ladies', WHY
ean't she be seized with them IN the daytime ~
Harsh words Tor such rosy lips TO uttel, Dut
then this was not the nrst time by many mat
Miss MayburyS nleceS had received eIihl!II
summons TO her chamber, and The awe win
which they used to obey them had worn on
TwiDges Of what she declared TO De an lncuraOe
heart disease-Out Which her medical men, one
ana all, attributed 10 indigestlon-would always
he the cause. The suffering lady invariably pro-
tested that her moments were \ nuuioertu, anu Ic-
quued her young relatives 10 come anu near heF
last wishes.
Someone's these referred to private doctor
WIth whom she had QuaIleled, OF tenant win
whom she had wTangled, or village malrOn VINO
had refused 10 act on her advice She would
Cmphatically protest that she could not die
happy Ill she had eDl0ned her nleces 10 impress
upon lie culprlt lnAt his OF neT couduct usu
be, II UupardOnabe; and, although she tN!lSs
MayburyJ forgaye it, she hoped they would re-
pent It as deeply as they ought 10.
After one OF tneSe naTangues and solemnly
spvken entreaty thai no attempt would be made
10 ayenge her death on The heartleSs cause OF H.
Miss MaybuIy would swallow half pint OF beef
tea permit heI self TO be covered up, ana SINK
into a balmy repose. her shYering nieces not
Daring TO move I'LL her l0Dg-drawn breathing
some might call II snOrins-set them al Il0er'y 10
creep DAck 10 their beds.
what can be wrong now?" they asked of each
other on this occasion. "Aunt Kitty has been so
nice for months past. She is dear old thing
. Tan that Wretched Marianne have forestalled
me7" whispered PatIie MaybuTy anXlOusly.
"a | had made up my mind 10 tell Annlle in the
morning that II Tom Bently Is only fafmer 1
Marianne is a hag," said one of her sisters,
but don't think she has ferreted out that little
-1TIaliOn of yours. II Is more probable that
lfnm her window she saw me part with Mr..
Landor yesterday and deyiHes that I've re-
HHquisheu all my ambitious views, ana mean 10
be the wife OF poor curate."
MaybuTy loud enough 10 make them hurry into
I've called Them ma'am," her maid was reply
ing; - Eve begged aud prayed. Eve almost gone
on my beuded knees 10 get them 10 come 10 you.
Hon, ma am, If there's anything on your mlnd
that wont let you go on heaSy, can't you trust II
10 your failllul Marianne, as would 60 through
hie and wafer 10 ObHge yOu?"
"tIet along; you're an idioti" said Miss May
bury. al You weren't so busy cbatteTing you'd
lows and 90 away. You need not be so '0nd OF
me. expect youll be bundled out neck and
crop as l am gone, and I've not remem-
beIed YOU III my VIII"
Msrlanne snlffrd and sighed as she shook up
the pillows, retiring with her handkerchief al
her eyes, aud coming back from the door 10
WnImper a hope that she should be allowed 10
see the last OF her dear, good mlStressl
Lock the door after her, ana stuff something
in the keyhoieg' was Miss Maybury's next mau.
anIe Then draw the lamp nearer, and stand
al the foot of Tie bed, that / may look at YOU"
She could not have Dehed more graceful
group than those three sisters presented. The
elder ana younger were very fair not inslpld
bi0Udes, but healthy, handsome English girls,
ihe middle one had darker hair, eyes OF hazel;
aud mote penslye expression; yet, II her smiles
we're less frequent, they were equally sweet and
those who knew the maidrns best were heard 10
say that il was hard TO tell which was the most
l0Feable-lhe clever Prissy, the thoughtful far-
nellie or Tie merry, practical Pattie.
Doctor Nining, tie shrewd Old practitioner TO
whom. after every course OF quack medicines,
Miss aybury was sure 10 return, had petted and
loved the eiris ever since they were brought 10
Maybuty House, mali dead with tue fever that
had carried OF their parents. 1t was he who had
first punHed Oh theH names, calling them the
three Ps, and peaS-blossOms. and other faneful
appeilations. Moreover, 1t vas rumored that
when lie discovered thai his son and clever as
sIsIant " alter was falling IN love with Pernelle,
and II had been hlnled to bin that Miss AiEy-
bury would have TO be managed, he answered
sIoutly That ueiIher lie nor his BOY would humble
10 her for her gold. Should little Perry be will
wedding clothes himself if her aunt refused to do
Miss Maybury propped high on the bed, her
clear cut 1 atuTes hall hidden IN the wide lace OF
her elegant nghl-cOn, gazed at the three girls
for some time in silence, and there was tremor
in her tones when sue addressed them.
IVY pretty peas blossoms, / should have liked
10 live 10 see ali OF you happily married"
Startled by this unexpected address, they
looked doubIfuly at each other.
But never mind that" she went on TO say, 81
have not sent for you to talk about yourselves but
TO let you know that II l am spared I'LL the day
dawhs shall alter my Will"
'She has heard Of Tom Bentley" thought Pat
tie, hanging her head guiily, land despises him
because he farms his own land"
''She knows Mr.. Landor has asked me TO be his,
and objects because he is poor" sighed Prissy.
"Only sufficiently TO do an act of justice,''
Mss Maybury went on. Neither OF my dear
children will suffer by II. Give me the eau-de-
cologne, and don't Interrupt me, lest l should
expire before you have pledged yourselves 10
obey INV wishes"
1--WE win-we DO !" they assured her.
Listen then few years before you, Prlssy,
wrTe born / was requested to stand sponsor 10
The little son OF cousin and school fellow.
consented. held the infant at the font; 1
named him Julius AphoHsO; | presented him
with cup ana coral; and, until you three
girls We're begueathed TO me, did my duty by
my godenlld."
INJURED Pattie tenderIy, and Ienelle crept nearer
70 KISS The hand that lay Oh the coverlet.
Don't agltaie me, my loves, but let me finish
ny SlOI1. u Say tldl dS titilt
went on contrived 10 forget Julius altogether
and The responsibilities l had assumed. / am
appalled, at my own heartlessness. must and
will atone for ii. Some more cologne, Prssy;
can hear that my voice is growing fainter.
Eyes, L will atone for IT," she repeated. j
have written TO my gOds0n; he has answered my
letter. j have desired him to come to me; lie
assenIs, aud this Is The form my atonement shall
take"
They all listened eagerly.
shall permit him 10 marry one OF you. He
shall make his own choice; are you not equally
deaT TO me? And with his bride he shall have
this house, which l had formerly intended 10
convert into hospital for homeless cats, as well
as that third OF my property already set aside
Tor each one Of my adopted daughters"
Neither OF her auditors ventuTing a comment
on these astonishing tidings, Miss Maybcry
waved her hand toward the door
-" While am easier you may as we'll admit
Marianne with my be tea; but be as quiet as
you can, that may mediate awhile"
And she meditated herself into the customary
slumber
CHAPTER II.
IN CONSULTATION.
"Ips horridl" groaned Prissy.
I'd rather die Than be false 10 my trothi y
said PerneIle, with her Dands clasped and lei
face raised heaYenWard