The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1890-02-27

ti"ihNiiu' bNhe nuPPoso ehoy WV
heard of it, Well, haven't been down
this road before, but have about every
other here, and I'll wager it's the only
sport in town-in village would, perhaps,
be better"
eyes" answered his mother. al like
to see them myself, but some people do
think it's II little rompy for girls"
"If those ''some" had only been there
then, 1t was near the close of an excit-
ing game. Three girls and boy made
up the set, and the grace of the former
was well brought out by the coltishness
of the latter, though his noise in the
game counted for much more than a
background.
When the Worthingtons opened the
gate the players stopped by mutual con-
sent, and them
"Good evening, Mrs. Worthington,"
said Gladys's fresh young voice. "Mam-
ma will be very glad to see you"
"Good evening"" "Good evening""
came from the other girls, while Joe
muttered, "How de dog" in a sheepish
kind of way.
"Good evening, my dears," replied
the good lady. "Will you allow me to
present my son Louis, Miss Chester and
Miss Dorothys Miss Crawford you know
already, Louis" And she bowed In ac-
acknowledgement of the new acquaintance
and the old"
"And this is Joe Chester" she added.
Louis turned with good-natured
smile.
81 am glad to know joe" he said.
'Im going to beat you at tennis many
time, young man"
This reused Joe from his shy silence.
"Humph," he ann ,unced. "Guess l
can play some!" and they walked toward
the house. Louis found himself with
Miss Chester, Miss Dorothy entertaining
his mother, and Mary talking with Joe.
''You must be very glad to be back
here, Mr.. Worthington, Gladys was say
ing, ''even though it is stupid after
Europe
"Stupid !" he said. 81 don't think l
ever put it in that light. lam very busy
in getting the hang of things at the mills.
And you see, it is years since could
really feel had mother to myself
Gladys thought it 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 rather shabby, big old house,
very plain outside and in, and he was
agreeably surprised to find it with great
veranda around three sides, being else
where improved in proportion. Nothing
was costly or elegant, but everything 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 everything before
it. Dorothy one insisted on call
ing her Dotty or Dot-was not as tall,
but as slender, and had a quiet, bright
way that would doubtless rival Gladyss
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 III face and
manner.
Louis spent very pleasant evening,
and the next Observation-Disclosures four
found him approaching the Chesters in
tennis suit The rest of the party were
on the lawn, Joe and Gladys playing a
careless 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
well, Dorothy did remarkable work for
girl, and the game was very even.
When at last the supper-bell rang Louis
had passed delightful 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
discovered that, after all, Louis could
beat him at tennis or almost anything
else he suggested, and henceforth looked
up to him as model of athletics and
manliness in general.
The days and weeks passed, but Louis
found it harder every hour to decide.
The sweet reserve of Mary OF the quick
wit of Gladysl He would have chosen
the latter, perhaps, but for his mothers
evident preference for Mary. Dotty sur
prised him most of all, and was by no
means an unimportant member of the
group; she was so full of life in the ten
mis- 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 cither-but
whichs The preparations for the fete
were extensive, as all the mill hands
his own and those from the cotton
mills--were invited to grand supper
on the lawn, while the house was re-
served for his own friends.
The night was glorious--not moon
light, but with multitude of stars. The
lawn was brilliant with japanese Ian
terms, and frequent fireworks delighted
the younger and the older of the mill
people.
After Louis had inaugurated theil
supper he felt at liberty to join his Other
guests. These he found enjoying the
fine music of the city orchestra, and, fol
the most part, having thoroughly ex
amined the beautiful house, making goot
use of the melody for dancing.
After greeting again various people
Z