Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-25
Miss LEAGUES BEHAVIOR
WRITTEN FOB THE EVENING STAR BY
E W. H0REUNa.
CHAPTER L.
IJTHEN THE ELDEST MISS TEAGUE


persons than are usually affected by the hap
piness Of one. Also it looked Is IL she had
broken . certain undesirable spell, at any rate
risd within that year.
Now. the Misses leagues fathsr-ths re-
spected rector Of RiI-might or might not have
besn able 10 tell You, of hand, how many Miss
leagues there were. All he cared to remsm-
Der was that be had one son to succeed to the
living. His future was assured, and indeed he
vas already . rector in his own right. else
where, for the time being. But what future
had the girls. II they did not marry? They
had no money Of their own; neither they nor
their father had any notion Of their making
any; srch notions do not travel to places like
RiI- They had no mother. They saw very
few young men 1t was really wonderful how
one Of them had become engaged and smother
actually married. But the younger ones did
not follow suis; and the younger ones were not
very young; yet al they did was 10 play
tennis very hard, dance whenever they could,
have the greatest fun among themselves In the
school room and take life st all points less seri-
ously than their eldest sister, who was in for .
long engagement
Mise Teague-whoss name was Carolins-was
perhaps . thought too serious, but then she had
serious responsibilities to fulfill II had been
90 from her earliest girlhood- She kept house
ct the rectory. played the organ in church and
did moro in the parish than the rector himself.
IL would be . difioult task to describe Miss
league, for the reason that her beauty was
hrgely spiritual II Law in her large clear gray
eyes, 50 kind trustful and sympathetic. You
could lock through and through her, at least
keen judge Of human nature could Thinking
well Of everybody she had no reason for con-
cealing her thoughts. She didn't know tina.
she 20 honest. The harmony of her nature
was hike ths song birds melody-poured out
rather machine like. She was one of
those women who find 1t easier to trust pso-
pie than doubt them. And yet Caroline was not
devoid Of physical grace and beauty. Tall.
slender and with exquisite complexion,
tribe pale, perhaps, but strangely white and
perfect, . great wealth OF dark chestnut hair
and teeth unusually free from blemish or de-
feet, all these added to that charm which Law
in the trpstful gaze Of her large gray eyes IL
need hardly be said that she was very much
liked in Xix and that shs was devoted to the
people
1t was long engagement certainly. Caro-
line had become used to her engagements ring
before Fanny met her fate q. the county tour
nament, and Caroline csressed Fanny's baby.
as Miss league still, with shapeless feelings.
which shs herself but imperfectly understood.
She had been engaged three years and for
eighteen months she had no. seen him. He
was . clergyman. too-the Rev. Noel Penny
man He bad q pedigree, / believe, but IL
would haze been better if he had possessed
some private means As 1t was, he had taken q
curacy a, the other end Of England, where he
was working very zealously in . busy, grimy
city. His letters came regularly twice o week
70 the lazy, rustic rectory at Rx-letters from
another world They were always interesting
and amusing and written with care in Penny
mans pretty, scholarly hand; and Caroline
though so alert and practical, had her own
spot In the old garden, where she used to read
them, three seasons out Of four; while even
happier hours were spent in her own room late
At night In answering these letters.
NO, We re going to wait till Noel has liy-
ing, she used firmly to reply to inquisitivs
friends Were perfectly resigned, thank YOU
II would he miserable to marry now on the
little he has-I mean il would make Noel mis-
cradle. BE IL working tremendously in his
parlsh-and i am In mine, you know-and
ve're both content to wait He is certain to
get something some day il he sticks to that
diocese. Do i wish he we're nearer? Well /
should Ike TO know the people he 10 among.
certainly; he tells me all about them. know
their names. but i should like to know them.
sensible about it-you don't know how sensible
he $50 surely can be, too. You ZEE, We are
neither Of Us chickensT'
He was too sensible even 10 quarrel With thu
Irritating set Of circumstances that kept them
apart for eighteen months. He wrote bis neat
and one AZ the end, that brought tears Of 10Y
to Caroline wise gray eyes.
She took il to the rector In his study and
told him, very simply. that at last Noel would
come. II they could do with him. OF course
they could do with him; and the proud old
parson. lescing back from his desk, kissed bis
daughter in kind congratulation-
But dear me. !" said be, ''how long il n since
be was here-what time he has been up yon-
der! Really be ought to be getting something
better; he deserves il. / am sure. Do you
think he LOOKS out enoughT'
"Dear father" said Caroline in her gentle
way, 'hs IL very fond Of his work up there; he
loves IL and the people, and, Of course, they
ere devoted 20 him. You know we look at it
very sensibly. You shall marry Us somo day ~
Il am ready when you arc, my dear" said
the rector, dryly his spectscies were lev ,led at
the buttercCps and daisies through the open
window. He was rather serious and must
say shall be glad when you are ready You
have been engaged three years, it is . long
business. ! shall miss you dreadfully, Car oiine.
and there il no one to fill your place-I realize
that But want to see you happy, ny child
do want to see you happy"
Father! can never be happier than an
BOW cried Caroline. with her whole heart
But she left the rector still thoughtfully re-
garding the unshora lawn He was looking
back at his own case. perhaps; he had married
On curscy, and poor one, long before bis
succession to the family living; IN his day-in
fact. as he remembered it-yo1ng people who
wanted one another had not been SO sensible.
Caroline had told her father she could never
be happier than sho was then, and perhaps
tie fortnight that interviewed between the re-
ceipt Of Noei Pennymans delightful news and
WAT young c,ergyInans actual arrival was the
happiest tins she had ever known. She spent
II In the cloIdless nook of anticipation He
Nas coming sgGIr, the man IL was her pride to
love, and sne had not seen him for a wear and
half. She wondered how the time had passed.
now she looked back upon it. She shuddered
~ the thought Of another such term Of separa-
Non and divided labor and patient waiting and
faith and hope. Ye. her home life was par
neularly full. interesting and responsible
Her love scded luster to o life already shin
ing with . kindly light. 1t beamed upon
those privileged souls who peopIed her little
happy world Ii made the large soft heart Of
Caroline league softer and larger yet 1t
widened her sympathies, it broadened her
mind II gave to her fingers, even on the
organ keys, q tender, soulful touch which
Some loving listeners discovered that they had
missed in her playing hitherto.
Now that he was coming again, after so long
IN absence. these kind signs increased and
we're intensified But Miss league did some
quite weak things In private. She surveyed
herself IN tbs glass repeatedly, one might say
srnaustiveiy. She gave more thought TO her
oress Than she had ever given before.
hitherto the idea had scarcely ever sug-
gested itself 10 Miss league that a woman could
oy careful and intelligent study of her COM
Plexion aad figure, of her peculiar style, as it
Is ulteiy termed, increase the charm Of her
personality. she would have been loath to
hdmit that a young woman had any right
20 attract mans attention by leading him
10 think that she was possessad nj eithar