Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-11

moment she heard me speak. And You can't
imagine how kindly Lady billy talks with me-
She says she feels so much for motherless girls
and feelS like a mother to me and wishes were
going to stay with them here till they go back to
Dillydallydale Tower. It's an old Irish round
tower, with some modern additions, among
the wexford hills. But they can't afford to
live there; and it's usually rented. She says il
one had money, living there would be all ono
could deFire on earth. She's not at all ashamed
themselves you understand; only this old Irish
estate is i'm the family"
"Yes. know what old Irish estates are"
How prejudiced you are, Priscilla! must
say should like to see it,
And but it in order with the proceeds Of
your dis monds2 Half Of them are yours"
mo, Indeed. Lady billy would want me to
wear my diamonds when she presented me to
the queen"
''Oh, my gracious. has it gone SO far as that"
'She Hasn't exac tly said So, you know"
what has she said?''
''She said how magnifcently they would
look on bride who went to court. and she
should OF course present Huberts wife. And
she had aaid she wanted me to know Hubert,
and learn what really fine character he 10;
just what an English nobleman should be-"
"A pretty character to give one-an English
noblemah! And what slse-what elss3" de-
manded Priscilla
Not nluch-only-"
'Well-t only?'
"That-t HI was-a dear child-and-and
just the girl she would like for her son Hubert
Aud she knew-because mothers know things
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Hubert felt as she did only
he was sd modest"
"The great, gawky, slow. stupid, hunting.
beer-drirl king dolt!' cried Priscilla. And she
suddenly swooped down on Anna like young
eagle and caught her shoulders as if she meant
10 shake her and burst into tears and threw
her arms round her sisters neck. ''Oh,
Anna, She said, don't you be q fool. Just
as soon as it comes to marriage settlements
they won ID find you had no fortune, only that
remnant pf Aunt Priscillas husbands stock in
trade between us. For, OF course, l shall di-
vide it with you, you know. And what would
that be in their eyes3 Not enough to mend
the fence around Dillydally tower"
'Fencesr
And then, if everything isn't broken OF in
a way more Notifying than their first treat
ment of u was, then what sort Of treatment
would yoh have all your life from those people
who wors hip money and rank and all that"
What bort of treatment? Why, Lady Oily
told me she felt like mother to me now And
some day you know, should be Lady Oily,
too"
"Oh, ANNA cried Priscilla, in fury. II
do believd you are q fooln
II don't think it's RICH. for you to talk to me
80, Priscilla, said Anna, with great dignity. III
l can't haye sympathy from my own sister,
know whbre can have it. Lady Oily would
like nothing better than for mo to marry him
tomorrow. And it would be romantic, too
runaway match with a noblemans son."
"A nobiemans hddlestick! l don't believe
he anything but an accidental knight who got
his title fpr tattening prize pig or presenting
an address or something of the sort-that red
old rough Sir John-and he's the best Of the
bunch, anyway
And theh Anna burst into tears and had to be
assuageo, and finally Priscilla left her in a
comforting slumber and went down to the
white bedch, where Jane Storer, the person
whom their father had taken with Them, and to
whose unslccustomed services they never could
wont them selves. was picking up the wonderful
shells of the warm seas.
Il wantyou 10 keep your eyes on her every
moment that am not by, Jane, said Priscilla.
And the rest of the time be getting things to-
getner so That we can pack and lock the trunks
in no time. / don mean to let her 20 out of
our sight and hearing till my father comes
He ought to have been here before this.
| don't see what keep. him. oh, if
he shouldn't come; II he should be
wrecked br drowned-oh, poor dear papa"
cried Irisey, with shudder, and covering up
her eyes-f't / might as well throw myself
of the Cliff and be drowned too. But / don t
believe ii. Jane. He has had head winds; he
Will be here presently. And, Oh 1t would
break his heart to have Anna treated as these
people would treat her. And she is go
simple and yielding, they-they will kidnap her,
Jane.'
My goodness me ~ cried Jane. And with
out another word she dropped her apronful OF
precious shells and ran UP the beach to mount
guard from that instant
Priscilla sat down a moment to have a good
quick cry, and then she wiped her eyes and
laughed just Historically, and in between
while she searched the sails on the horizon as a
young fish hawk scans the waves. How softly
the sails stole by, like dreams OF clouds, far off
and low down. None drew near. "Oh, why
a no c1av
claimed again. And then it was timo to go up
and dress for dinner and relieve Jane Sturef
Twenty times the next day did Priscilla at
unoberved moments take her opera glass and
survey tho horizon, the ofing, the ships COM
ing into harbor. There was a red and yellow
glory Of Spanish nag just going out; dis
appointing French one that for a second
half misled her; half dozen English ones,
more or less that excited all the evil spirit in
her. Not single ship from home; nor was
one likely to enter, unless putting in in dis
tress. till her father should come for them
She used to row out on the placid water in a
skiff for u mile or two, and again put up the
glass, but all in vain. And one day and an
other wont by, and whole week of them;
and they seemed eternities to Priscilla as she
levelled her glass from tine galleries, from her
windows from the shores, and never saw
the ship she wanted. And before the week
was out Anna had become aware that she
WAS under surveillance, and was evidently
making up leT mllu 10 something desperate
And by that time the first terror of all had
retaken possession of Priscilla, the terror that
was always in hiding near her heart from tho
day her father sailed till he came back-if per-
adventure he had suffered shipwreck; if he were
lying among the coral sea caves, dead and
drowned; OF if he were starving and scorching
on some barren rock. She left off caring for
her pretty gowns or her fluffy hair or
for Annals tea-rose color ana Jewel ewes;
and when one day Hubert awkwardly
asked her if she were ill. and she an
swered, in Francisco's phrase, that it WAS
bitter cold and she was sick at heart and he
replied that he supposed he was SLOW but he
was hangedif he knew what she meant by nam
ing it cold with such a beastly sun AZ this pour
ing down, she burst into such uncomfortable
laughter that the young man became dread
fully red and embarrassed. and standing first
on one foot and thon on the other, exclaimed
to Anna:
"Oh, l say now There isn't 1t can't be
Is there a-a-a mad streak, eh, don't you
know, in your family
And at that Priscilla laughed all the more.
son, she cried to Anna, when they were
alone again, "what can he want to marry into
family for where one is fool and the other
is madY and she rushed down to the shore to
cool her wrath.
An official whom she knew was pacing M and
down there; and presently, a. he saw Priscilla
gazing over the water, he came up and offered
her his glass, which was vastly more powerful
han, hnr Sha tnnEs II