The Globe-republican., 1891-11-05
AN OLD LADY'S PLANS.
Sharp Foresight Gives the Proper
Turn to Events

Mrs Fredericks held letter in her
hand. She had been reading it with
out glasses. Would she ever have any
of the infirmities of age? Her puffs
and curls of snowy hair under the or
namental "coiff of lace and ribbon.
her gold-headed cane by her armchair,
seemed simply to be the effective prop
critics of well-mounted play.
I'm short, Lena. 1 have resolved to
marry you to this young man-if he
suits me-"
Firm. calm, crisp words, spoken in a
voice correspondingly clear and mis-
tress OF itself.
''Grandmamma-"
Don't interrupt, child! 1 know
everything you could possibly have to
say. have not lived in the world for
seventy years for nothing! Yes,
know. You have never seen this young
man; you don't know whether you can
love him, etc. All that is nonsense. If
you don't know him now you will know
him tomorrow, when he arrives. If
you don't love him now you will love
him-well, perhaps not tomorrow, but
next day. have shown you his pic
ture. He is handsome; he is of suit
able age. l believe in young people
marrying while they are young. Henry
Bowen is three and twenty. You are
nineteen. Very suitable. Very suit
able, indeed. Put on your blue gown
and look your best. AS for young
Bowen's uncle, Capt. Charter, you need
INT, lot hon Of hsc
coming. He is a grave and silent man;
he does not occupy himself with young
girls. He rests on his laurels now.
He was favorite with many women;
but when man enters middle age he
drops those things. Young Bowen and
yourself can come to an understanding
unmoles.ed by his presence. The cap
tain and / will entertain each other.
We shall have many things to talk Of.
1 knew his father weli-now go; l am
tired; have chatted too much"
Mrs. Fredericks turned her cheek,
cool and smooth as old ivory, to the
touch of Lena's fresh lips.
Good night, grandma ANNA"
A radiant sunset after a cloudy,
sultry day. fresh breeze springing up
from off the sea, large old shaded
house reached at last after long
drive and day of dusty railroad
travel-these were grateful things.
But still more grateful, thought Capt
Robert Charter and his nephew, the
picture that confronted them in the
wide, cool old drawing-room. with its
windows open to the summer evening.
when, the stains of the journey re
moved, they descended the winding
oaken stair in the center of the house
and were greeted by their hostess Up
right, near her grandmother's chair, in
her blue dress, with her fair hair in q
halo about her face, stood Lena, like q
Madonna.
Welcome, gentlemen" said Mrs
Fredericks
Young Bowen had preceded his
uncle-a boyish muscularly-knit Her
81 knew your mother WELL" said the
old lady. And you, Captain Rob?"
Gently her fine. pale, still pretty
hand rested in that Of the tall, dark
man. He bent over it and softly. def
erentially brushed it with the long
black mustache, whose military sweep
seemed to harmonic with the bronzed
hue of his serious face.
''WelN well!' murmured the old
lady. "Just like your father, Captain
Rob. He, too, had the manners Of the
old school What does the rising gen
Grafton of to-day know of the correct
way in which a gentleman should pre-
sent himself before lady? Particu-
larry an old woman like me? No
offense, young man." turning to young
Bowen. Doubtless If you were to
kiss anyone's hand you would prefer to
kiss that of my granddaughter here.
Don't mind my chatter. What else can
old women do but talk Of the past and
its customs?"
The Madonna, her delicate oval face
disappearing under a pink cloud of
blushes. received upon her dmidly ex-