Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-06-23
THE ATHELSTONS; VICTOR AND vANQUISHED.
BY MARY CECIL HAY.

cause Q young lady was about who had given him sixpsnce, and that, if the old governor had been there, he would have had him turned of the grounds. My honored parent saw the mistake, and en- couraged it Are you sure you did get . sixpence ? he said. 'Show it up.' The man exhibited 1t in his dirty palm, and the squire-his great-great-grandfather once sold all his plate and jewels, and laid purse of forty thousand pounds in the lap of his hunted and impoverished Queen l-took the coin out of the dirty hand, pocketed it coolly, and then went chuckling up to the house, telling the man that tho old governor t0outd have him turned of the grounds. Then he came straight in and scolded me for an hour. Oh, felt so benevolent after that could not tell you what good deeds was perpetually performing while the influence was upon me. Do you feel as if you knew Q little of my re- spected parents peculiarities now, Miss Chester? If you happen to come up to the manor some day, and see an old man felling trees. you may be pretty sure that that is the squire. have known people accost him at his work, and ask if MT. Castillain were up at the house. He saves a mans wages by this, you know, and that is 8 consideration. By these and other means he has succeeded in amassing an immense fortune for each of his daughters. shall have 8 little more than Louisa, because my godfather left me two or three thousand pounds last year but that seems to make very little difference when we each inherit about seven thousand 8 year. So we cannot be jealous of each other, can we? Oh, no, we never are. When hear Louisa's beauty praised, I only sigh and say I wish it were more than skin-deep; and when she hears me rebuked, she only sighs, too, and says, Poor Marjorie it is pity she cannot be like other young ladies' hope you have not an elder sister, Miss chester i; and not only hope it for your sake, but for hers, too," added Marjorie, with a comic seriousness, as she gazed at the lovely face opposite her.
 "No, have no sister but have al- ways thought it amisfortune instead of 8 matter of congratulation."
 "Well, let me advise you from hence forth to rejoice about it." returned Mar jorie, concisely, "for have had wide experience, and say that elder sisters are mistake of nature. Oh, shall be awfully glad when Louisa marries Why are you smiling? I said lawfully did IF What bore! I meant exceedingly glad. suppose-of course" (Miss Castillain faltered little, but not nerv- ously. for her eyes were full of fun), "Lady Athelston has told you that am engaged to Sir Neil, has she ?"
 The question was asked sodebopnairly that-being what it was-it took Lima by surprise, and she could not help show ing this. Marjorie laughed merrily.
 cause she generally takes the very earl to every one whom itdoesn't in the least concern, just as if she were preparing a mass of witnesses for possible breach of-promise case. Yes, have been en- gagged to Sir Neil for-how long ?-three years at least, and don't know why, any more to-day than did on the day he proposed to me. Very hand some he looked, I remember, and very chilly it was in the autumn woods. But we did promise to love each other, and that sort of thing. think we considered it rather jolly arrangement-Ib beg your pardon, Imean rather an amicable sort of arrangement. As we had so long been badgered into it-I mean leased into it-I suppose we though it best to get it done, and so we did it. Still there was romance in the matter, too. I don't know whether there wasn't more romance than there is in the generality of cases indeed, am inclined to feel sure there was, Neil was so very nice, and looked so-so like Baronet with rent-rol of ten thous- and year, and the lion of the last sea- son and was SO very much obliged to him, because I wasn't the belle of any season, and never shall inherit in my own right @ magnificent place like High Athelston. I was mildly pleased and grateful and so you have no idea what a satisfactory and romantic matter it was altogether, and how the nation re- joiced over it-Im mean the county. Can you fancy it? The mothers of the pen- niless daughters. who had been absurd enough to fancy that Sir Neil Athelston had enough without my paltfy seven thousand a year, and the penniless bachelors who had fancied that that pal try seven thousand might help them to bear the expense of matrimonyl CAn
 SoO a1 hAA, 1Aiu A1AAh, meTIuy.
 Some day" continued Marjorie, "I really must show you the spot where 'the low -breathed VOW was uttered I forgot whether it was low -breathed. but, at any rate, it was g VOW, and 1 suppose we are bound to keep it still death do us part; I didn't mean to say that; l hate using those words too familiarly. That was three years ago. Neil must have been quite young-what age?"
 "I could calculate better if I knew what age he is now," said Lima. -
 He is 25 this summer"
 "Two years younger than myself" put in Lima, almost unconsciouslY.
 "Yes, he was born with the June roses-1 like to express myself poetically whenever an opportunity occurs. Then he must have been 22 when Ae did it. How young to plight his troth for good and all l How young to have discovered the advantages. of marrying one of Squire Castillain's daughters But after al1," continued Marjorie, with comic