Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1890-09-19

been called away sooner than he expected,
and well-hang I'll The girl is ac-
tually on her way here now"
"Alonaf
IL suppose so. You know one thinks
nothing of that here"
cor any other propricty, for that mat
ter"
For heavens sake, Josephine, don't be
ridiculous! OF course it's stupid her com
ing in this way, and Mallory ought to have
brought her, but she's coming and we
must receive her. By Jovel Here she is
nowl" he added, starting up after a hur-
ried glance through The window. "But
what kind of a id turn out is that, any
how?'
1t certainly was an odd looking convey
ancc that had entered the gates ind was
now slowly coming up the drive toward
the house; A large draft horse har-
messed to n dust covered buggy, whose
strained forcaxle, bent by the last mile of
heavy road had slanted the tops Of the
forewhcels toward each other at an alarm
ing angie. The light, graceful dress and
elegant parasol of the young girl who oc-
cupicd half Of it's single seat looked ludic-
rously pronounced by the side OF the
slouching figure and grimy dpster Of the
driver, who occupied the other half.
Mrs. Randolph gave gritty laugh. 81
thought you said she was alone? Is that
an escort she has picked up, American
fashion, on the road}n
"That her hired driver, no doubt. Hang
! It'll she can't drive here by herself, " retorted
! the major, impatiently, hurrying to the
door and down the staircase. But he was
! instantly followed b. his wife. She had
no idea of permitting possible under
standing to be exchanged in their first
greeting. The late NJ LHommadicu had
been able to impart whole plan Of in
trigue in a single word and glance
! Happily Rose Mallory, already in the
| hall, in few words detailed the accident
| that had bcfallcn her to the honest sympa-
thy of the major and the coldly polite con
Cern Of Mrs. Randolph, who in deH beratc-
! ly chosen sentences managed to convey to
the young girl the conviction that acci-
| dents of any kind to young ladies' were to
be regarded as only shade removed from
! indiscretions. Rose was impressed and
even fattered by the fastdiousness Of this
| foreign appearing woman, and after the
| fashion Of youthful natures accorded to
her the respect due to recognized autLori-
ty. When to this authority, which was
| evident, she added a depreciation Of the
| major, | fear that some common instinct
| Of feminine tyranny responded in Roses
heart, and that on the very threshold Of
the honest soldiers home she tacitly agreed
with the wife to look down upon him
Mrs Randolph departed to inform her son
and daughter of their guests arrival
As a matter Of fac', however, they had
already observed her approach to the
house through the Sits of their drawn
window blinds and those even narrower
prejudices and limited congratulations
which their education had fostered The
girl Adele had only grasped the fact that
Rose had come to their house in fine
clothes, alone with n man in a broken
down vehicle, and was moved to easy
mirth and righteous wonder. The young
man Emile had agreed with her with the
mental reservation that the .,uest was
pretty and must eventually fall in love
with him. They both, however, welcomed
her with trained pOliteness and a super
fetal attention that, while the Indifference
Of her own countrymen in the wheat field
was still fresh in her recollection, struck
her with grateful contrast. The major $
quiet and unobtrusive llindlinesS naturally
made less impression or was accepted as Il
matter Of course.
"Well, 80 said the major, cheerfully but
tentatively, to his wife when they were
alone again, she seems a nice girl after
all And good deal Of pluck and char
acter, by Jovc! to push on in that broken
buggy rather than linger or come in Il farm
cart, eh?'
she was alone in that wheat field, " said
Mrs. Randolph with grim deliberat on,
for half an hour-shc confesses it herself
talking with a young man
"Yes, but the others had gone for the
buggy And in the name Of heaven, what
would you have her do, Hide herself in
the grain?' said the major, desperately.
"Besides' he added, with recklessnes-
he afterward regretted that mechanical
chap they've got there is really intelligent
and worth talking to-
Il have no doubt she thought So" g0il
Mrs Randolph, with a mrtlless smile
''n fact | observe that the American free
dom generally means doing what you want
to do. Indeed | wonder she didn't bring
him with her! Only | beg, major, that
YOU will not again in the presence Of my
daughter-and may even say Of my son
talk lightly of the solitary meetings O.
young ladies with mechanics. even though
their faces were smutty and their clothes
covered with oil"
The major here muttcred something
about there being less danger in young
lady listening to the intelligence OF q
coarsely dressed laborcr than 70 the com
. plimeuts OF n rose scented fop, but Mrs
Randolph walked out Of the room bcfor,
he finished the evident plattee
That night Rose Mallory retired to hel
+ room in u state Of self satisfaction that she
even felt was to a certain extent virtue
She was delighted with her reception auc
/ with her hostess and family II was
strange her father had not spoken more OF
Mrs Randolph, who was clearly the supe
rior of his old friend. What fine manner,
they all had, SO different from other peopl.
} she had known. There was quite an Old
World civilization about them; really il
; was like going abroad! She would max,
. the most Of her opportunity and profit BY
I her visit She would begin by improving
her Fruch-they spoke it perfectly ant
!, with such pure accent She would cor
@ rect certain errors she was conscious Of in
c her own manners, and copy Mrs. Randolph
r as much rs possible. Certainly there was
a great deal TO be said of Mrs, Randolph's
l. way Of lookinsa ut things. Now she Thought
p of IL calmly, there was too much informal
u ity and freedom in American ways Their
was not enough respect due TO position anC