River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-03-20
alary. Gladys fairly leads the town in

bad breakfast, luncheon and supper, and
Louis mischievously complained that he
had only had dinner twice since he had
been homs-Sundays-w it was al
lowable to. have il late
When the meal was done be suggested
70 his mother a walk over 20 the Chess
tiers.
Il mustn't be so unneighborly," he
said They will think have forgot
ten my manners 1t isn't very far"
So they went 1t was still light, for
the calling-time in Trainville was at
half-past seven. and on this July even
ing it seemed very early. As they came
in sight of the Chesters Louis whistlea
long and low with astonishment
I'VE gods and little fishes! Tennis in
Trainvillel Didn't suppose they'd ever
heard of il. Well, haven't been down
this road before, but have about every
other here. and I'll wager it's the only
haps, be better"
"Yes." answered his mother II like
to see them myself, but some people do
think it's little rompy for girls"
If those ''some" had only been there
then! 1t was near the close of an ex-
citing game. Three girls and boy
made up the set, and the grace of the
former was well brought out by the colt
ishness of the latter, though his noise
in the game counted for more than a
background
When the Worthingtons opened the
gate the players stopped by mutual con-
sent. and then:
''Good-evening, Mrs Worthington,"
said Gladys fresh young voice. "Mam-
ma viii be very glad to see YOU"
Good evening" Good evening""
came from the other girls, while Joe
muttered How de DOPE" in sheepish
kind of way.
''GoOd-evening, my dears," replied the
good lady. ''Will you allow me TO pre-
sent my son Louis. Miss Chester and
Miss Dorothy? Miss Crawford you
know already, Louis" And she bowed
in acknowledgement of the new acquaint-
ance and the old.
And this is Joe Chester" she added.
Louis turned with a good-natured
smile.
Il am glad to know Joe," he said.
I'm going to beat you at tennis many u
time, young man"
This reused Joe from his shy silence.
''Humph." he announced. Guess l
can play sOnaei' and they all walked to-
ward the house. Louis found himself
with Miss Chester, Miss Dorothy enter
tanning his mother, and Mary talking
with Joe.
You must be very glad to be back
here. Mr.. Worthington. Gladys was
saying, ''even though it is stupid after
Europe"
.Stupid.'' he said. Il don't think /
ever put it in that light ! am very busy
in getting the hang of things at the
mills. And you see, it is years since l
could really feel / had mother TO my
self"
Gladys thought il very nice in him to
prize this companionship of his mother
so much, and decided Immediately that
she should like him. Mrs. Chester met
them on the broad veranda, and Louis
found her charming. He remembered
the place as a rather shabby, big old
house, very plain outside and in, and he
was agreeably surprised TO find il with
4 great Veranda around three sides,
being elsewhere improved in proportion.
Nothing was costly or elegant, but every
thing bore the impress of refinement and
artistic taste.
Mr.. Chester soon came in, and Louis
found him fully up to the family stand
ard. In person, Gladys favored, =" as the
phrase goes. her father, being tall, slen-
der and dark, with swift. easy grace
and dash that carried every thing before
il. Dorothy-every one insisted on call
ing her DOtty or Dot-was not as tall.
b. : as slender, and had quiet, bright
way that would doubtless rival Gladys
brilliancy IN time TO come Joe was a
very fine sample of the average dark
haired and dark-eyed boy of his age.
Mary Crawford was lighter than the
Chesters, and very sweet in face and
manner.
Louis spent very pleasant evening,
and the next Recommendations four
found him approaching the Chesters
in tennis suit The rest of the party
were on the lawn. Joe and Gladys play
ing acareless game, while Dotty and
Mary talked TO Mrs. Chester. Mary
did not care to play, and Louis found it
quite natural somehow to play with
Gladys. He was, or had been, quite an
expert at the game, but, although
Gladys played awell, Dorothy did re-
markable work for girl, and the game
was very even. When at last the sup
per-bell rang Louis had passed de-
lightful two hours, and needed no
urging to promise to come again soon.
Day after day he played there, or
they all played at the court he had had
made at the new place" as his uncle's
house was called. Mary Crawford was
always of the party, and often one or
another of the village youths. When it
rained they played quOits in the
Chesters' barn. Joe disc overed that,
after all. Louis could beat him at tennis
or almost any thing else he suggested,
and henceforth looked up to him as a
model of athletics and manliness in
general.
The days and weeks passed, but
Louise found il harder every hour TO de-
eide The sweet reserve of Mary or the
quick wit of Gladys? He would have
chosen the latter, perhaps, but for his
mothers evident preference for Mary.
DOtty surprised him most of all, and
was by no means an unimportant mem
Der of the group; she was so full of life
in the tennis court and so quietly kept
herself in the background elsewhere.
Finally, about the first of September,
the WorthingtOns decided. as their new
home was ready for them, to give a
'.house-warming." Louis told himself
that he must settle the question that
night Two months were gone, and he
must have some time after his decision
for the woOing and winning. He felt
sure he could easily love either-but
which2 The preparations for the fete
were extensive, as all the mill-hands-
his own and those from the cotton-mills
were invited TO a grand supper on the
lawn. while the house was reserved for
his own friends. lie liked the English
way OF doing that sort of thing, and did
il in very generous manner. lie had
found. after all. that there were other
eligible girls in Trainville. though he
had not turned toward any of them with
matrimonial views; and with these, their
brothers, and a few college friends, inn
ported for the occasion, he thought the
affair might be a success 1t was
The night was gloriOus-not moon
rir-bs buf with n multitude of stars