The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-14

thickly dotted with fir trees, crowded to-
gether still more visibly as thsy neared the
top OF the hill. Lady Kesterton stepped
out briskly on the NOISY ground, and Miss
Lester kept close behind her or at her side.
being wishful TO show that she could mount
hill as we'll as nyboiy.
Here we are at tAs Jopl" said the old
lady at last, in an am able voice. at IS
charming view, Is it notf We have the Sc
before us, and the ground slopes away from
this point towards -"
She did not finish her sentence. She was
looking complacently down tho hillside
| when her eye lighted upon couple-a man
| and woman-who we're standing beside a
little heathery. knoll, overshado we'd by a
great elm tree. possibly in the belief that
they could not be observed. The man wore
| brown shooting clothes. the girl, a gay pink
cotton frock and white sunbonnet, her face
| was upturned to bis, and his arm was
around her waist He was about to kiss
her-yes, be bent his head, there and then,
and kissed her on the mouth. He was
tall, good-looking man, and she was as
| beautiful as the day, 30 that, from purely
human point of view, they were a capital
| match for each other; but then Lady Kes-
terton did not regard them simply fro n a
| human point of view. For the man was
her son. Sir Anthony; and the woman
we'll, Lady Kesterton did not know her
name, but it was plain that she was a coun-
!
| perhaps keepers daugh or.
She seized Mss Testers arm almost viz
lently. and pushed her back. Don't look
| Don't look!n she cried. 1--WE will go back,
| Then. repentiDg of her impetuosity, she
added, as they retraced their steps, Some
foolish filtration going on. Not al all
proper thing" and she looked at Eva an
prchsnsively. Perhaps. after all, Miss
Lester had not seenf And in that case
Lady Kesterton was not going to tell her.
But Eva had seen, and knew-perhaps
| better than Lady Kestertou could have told
her-how much was signifisd by the en-
brace which they hal witnessed. For Sir
Anthony was by nature a cold man and
fastidious one, and not given to kissing for
kissing's sake. Miss Lester felt herself
| slightly insulted by the preference he had
manifested, and planned return home
| upon the morrow.
Sir Anthony did not appear at afternoon
tea. He presented himself as usual five
minutes before dinner time; cool, immacu-
late, courteous and refined as ever. Miss
Lester caught herself looking at him with
curiosity; she wondered how he could man.
| age to be 50 unconcerned. And Lady Kes-
terton was funeral in her solemnity.
Eva retired early to her room. and Sir
| Anthony went TO the library. But he was
| not to remain undisturbed. To his very
| great surprise. his mother walked majestic
| ally into the room, and seated herself on a
chair near his own, with the air of one who
wished for a conversation.
This is an unex oected honor" said Sir
| Anthony. Twill YOU not take more COM
Portable chair. motherp
Thank you, Anthony, am comfortable
whore am. May l trouble you to lay
down your book for moment or two2 l
have something to say"
Her son slightly elevated his eyebrows,
| Rathnr lnnf nflvr ,,h1
/ paper cutter inside the book at the point
which he had reached. Lady Kesterton
| glanced at the title and Shuddered It was
| volume of poems just issued. remarkable,
as she had read in an evangelical review,
for its beauty of diction and corruptEess of
sentiment. II this was the kind of book
| which Anthony was reading-small wonder
if he wooed a fair peasant maiden In the
soft September days. She shuddered and
then she sighed, and looked at him with a
critical eye.
He was certainly very distinguished
| looklng-not coarsely handsome, as friend
| once expressed it-but thoroughly aristo-
cratic, if a fine, white skin, clearly cut,
thin features, and peculiarly beautiful hands
may be considered to betoken aristocracy of
| race. he had gray eyes, with black lashes ;
| very fine and soft dark hair on his head, but
| neither beard nor n1ustache. His face had
1 nothing OF the unfinished look which some
| times stamps the countenance of tho un-
cultured. Every feature seemed to have
| been chiseled with extreme care. It was a
remarkable fact that to some people, never
theless, Anthony Kesterton's face was UNI
| pleasing. in spite Of its delicacy of outline
| and its refinement. The nose was little
| too long, the nostrils little pinched, they
| said. But possibly it was the want of
| geniality in the mans expression to which
they objected in reality. and not any fault
| in the features.
Lady Kesterton, however, thought him
very handsome. It was the very strength
| OF her belief in his beauty and virtues that
made her voice tremble as she spoke:
Anthony, am exceedingly distressed :"
~ am sorry to hear it, nj )ther"
II went out with Mis- Lester this after
noon about o'clock and we made our way
to the fir-tree plantation"
Here Anthony began TO look disturbed.
when reached the top of the hill ]
looked down, and-I saw-need l tell you
what | saw1my son and "a young
| woman-n
Sir Authony's complexion was of the
cameo-like pallor which does not often vary
but at this Doint it became sufused with a
dull red. He altered his position a little,
| and turned his face from the lamp.
"Well, motherP' he said quietly
sis it possible, my dear son, that you were
kissing that grill"
There was a moments pause The horror
i'll Lady Kesterton's voice was not to be mis-
taken nor trified with. Sir Anthony felt
that.
II suppose must plead guilty." he said,
with cool little laugh. ''She is the pref
TEST girl have ever seen, and these country
lasses think little of kiss or two. My de r
mother, you need not alarm yourself. / am
not going to indict dairy-maid upon you
by way of a wife"
He spoke with an infection of 'languid
scorn, and his attitude was the perfection
of carelessness. He looked as though he
were studying the scarlet silk sock and pat
emit leather shoe which adorned his we'll
shaped foot, and thinking of nothing else.
But when he had surveyed them long
enough he gave his mother quick-alnost
furtive glance-which spoke of an unde-
waiting watchfulness. Sir Anthony was
was largely dependent upon his mother.
and rather afraid of her-two facts which
he never by any chance forgot.
II am glad to hear that there was moth
ing serious In it, said Lady Kesterton. II
must warn you that such practices tend to
deprave the female mind and lower your
own character in the neighb rhood; and !
must beg that such an occurrence be not re-
peated"
Every we'll. mother. I can safely prom
Use you that"
Sand what was the name of the yo1no