The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1890-06-19

/ y
"Come into the library" she said, hos
pitably, ''you cannot be dusty with such 9
short journey. Tea is in full swing and
Mr.. Darlington has promised us a banjo
performance presently"
so Mrs. Trafford went with Lady Luci.
fer into the pleasantly warm and we'll
lighted library, and Julia followed less
quickly with Stephen Howard, who had
not met her for three days and was quite
overjoyed to see her again. Nearly all the
| guests were there, and they seemed quite
a crowd of people. Mrs Markham smiled
and made room for Mrs. Trafford beside
her.
"Come and sit by me, Mrs. Trafford.
do" she said. "You are just in time to
hear this wonderful banjo. Mr.. Caring
ton is really quite genius at it. | tell
him he ought to go about the streets and
sing all the time He would make quite
a fortune"
She was very gay little woman, and
came out as Mrs. Trafford had not thought
it possible for her to do. OF course it was
gaiety of very gentle order, for Mrs.
Bob, as everyone in the house seemed
to call her, was the least noisy person pos
sible.
s'You know there are to be great doings
here this week." she said to Mrs Traf-
ford, "a lot of people to dinner tonight
a big lunch at Sir Simon DANGERS to-
morrow. A ball here in the evening. A
ball at Plackington the next night and so
on all the week / feel like a schoolgirl
just coming out"
''And you will look like it, said Mrs.
Trafford, smiling.
'Well, / hope So" said Mrs. Bob, sim
ply; 81 have got some of the loveliest
dresses you ever saw, and I've been hard
at work all the morning cleaning my dia-
monds."
"Ah! you like to do them yourself" said
Mrs Trafford.
ooh, no: I DON'T" rejoined Mrs. Bob,
quickly, "but I am here without maid,
| have the best maid in all the world, but
yesterday morning she had a telegram to
say that her mother was dying and she
must go at once if she wanted to see her
alive again. so, of course, she had to fly
off and leave me to get on rs best | could.
And the very last thing she said was,
oh, ma'am, if I'd only taken your dia-
monds in to be cleaned at a jewellers
instead of doing them myself But"
Mrs. Bob added-''when you are strange
to a place you don't care to trust your
diamonds to anybody but yourself, do
your"
Mrs. Trafford laughed merrily. 81
don't know, am sure. haven't got any
diamonds except one or two little orna-
ments that would be quite safe with any
body"
well, have som. rather nice dia
monds.'' said Mrs. Bob, modestly-and
added with Il meaning look You see l
haven't any daughters, Mrs. Trafford."
.'And you would like children?" Mrs.
TraffOrd asked.
The other caught her breath in u sharp
sigh Shat was almost sob. ooh! if you
knew how l long to have dear little
child Of my own-of my very own. !
had one once" she went on sadly, ''but
she only lived fortnight had no joy
of her. And how gladly would give my
diamonds, my everything except Bob, to
have little child to love, Icould not tell
| you. 1t is great want in ones life to be
childless.''
Perhaps by and by" Mrs. Trafford
| began.
81 fear motif is more than eight years
since my little babe was taken, All well,
| i
| believe it..
| Mrs. Trafford's kindly heart ached for
| the poor soul who had lost her one little
child and had found that diamonds did
not help to fill the void which the babe OF
fortnight old had left behind it. She
was so sorry for her-and the conversation
of ten minutes had made her understand
what had seemed before tOSbe so strange,
had explained away the sadness in the
| fair face and the shadow which seemed
always to settle down upon her eyes when
the smiles had died away.
| Yet ten minutes later Mrs. Bob was
laughing heartily at Mr.. Carrington's song
and you might have thought that she had
not trouble in the world.
However, when the song was finished,
she got up from her chair. 81 am going
off-well, not exactly to dress, but to
see after my things and have quiet
time By-the-by, am next door to you,
so 1 can show you your room if you want
to CO."
81 will-thanks, Mrs. Trafford replied.
! AS they went to the door, Mrs. Bob
stopped beside Lady Lucifer's chair. 81
am going to show Mrs. Trafford the way,
| Violet" she said.
''Oh! you are next to each other. Do,
! DEAR" said Lady Lucifer. "Stay, I will
come up with you myself"
mo, DON'T" cried Mrs. Bob.
''Oh, Mrs. Markham will show me-"
began Mrs. Trafford.
My dear, am coming" Lady Lucifer
answered, ST want to see what gorgeous
'confection' you are going to dazzle us
with tonight"
Nothing very gorgeous" Mrs. Bob an
swered with laugh. "Only plain white
gown"
SIS that SOP Now, Mrs. Trafford, this
is your room, and your daughters is
out of it. And you will ring for anything
you want, won't you? One of my wo-
men will come to see if you want any
help"
''Oh! We shall not need much help,
thanks" Mrs Trafford replied you see
we are used to doing without a maid"
"Well, as you feel Inclined" Lady Luci-
fer said 81 hope you will be comfortable
! We think the rooms on this side the pleas