The Sunday morning news. [volume] (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1886-1891, 1891-10-18


what they called art. with . big a,
whatever that might mean. Then they
made up their differences with a merry
laugh, and Mics Agnes sang an old ball
lad as she sat and seWed, with the front
door open and the sunshine and fresh
air coming IN nilnbly. and bees aad birds
fitting about; and the hills showing
their pleasant faces, with the scent Of
clover and honey dew and the peace
and restfulness Of the country stretch
ing to an infinite distance. Fallon had
brought bis banjo, and sometimes ac-
companied Agnes while she sang, for he
played with. spirit. Then Burns and his
wife would stand just round the corner
of the house listening to the concert.
"Golly,' said John, wiping his brow,
sif that ain tmost as good as camp
meetin.n
Fallon, with his easy manners and
geniality, had wormed himself into the
regards of the Burns family. He some
times smoked pipe with the farmer.
sitting on pile of logs behind the barn,
and talked so learnedly Of top dressing
land and q rotation Of crops that he
made slow John open his eyes and wink
with surprise. Mrs. Burns thought she
had never seen such pretty hammered
man. He praised her form, and said he
would like to paint her Is Andromeda
chained to the rocks, and, although she
had not the slightest idea who Androm~
eda was, she felt dattered by the COM
pliment, and declared Mr.. Fallon to be
perfect gentleman. He seldom appeared
at Scrabble Fill until after Miss Ram
SONS return from market. Then be
read to her, Longing on the doorstep In
his artistic velvet coat and negligee dress
that so well became his handsome per-
son. or set up his easel and white UNI
brella on the green in front Of the house
and worked away for d time at clever
little sketches Of the queer old dwelling,
the big buttonball tree and bits of SUR
rounding scenery. Soon these TRIES be-
gan to adorn Mother Rollins keeping
room, being pinned asainst the wall
paper. He had brought over all the new
magazines, and they lay strewed about
the table where his hat and meerschaum
pipe and walking stick and banjo often
lay, and these additions to the old rustic
room seemed to make it quite perfect
from an artistic point Of view.
There had been no explanation be-
tween Percy and Agnes. He had never
asked question about her fathers fail
ure or the rupture with ssLord" Darcy,
if such had taken place. She had never
once alluded to his European travels and
the quarrel that preceded them sincs
their first meeting. They seemed like
two happy children, forgetful Of the past
and regardless Of the future, content
with the sunshine and delicious summer
of the present. Agnes. in her brief visits
to her mother in town on market days.
had forgotten to mention Percy's pres
ence in the country, and Mrs Ransom 40
yet had not found her way to Scrabble
Hill. There was now prospect of saw
ing remnant Of her husbands fortune.
and her hands were full Of business.
One day In early June, when the roses
were coming out in the garden, and the
strawberries reddeRing In rich profusion
on the sunny slope, and the roadsides
were white with elder and blackberry
bloom, Agnes with her sewing, in a
light summer gown and large shade hat,
was seated in low chair under the
great buttonball, while Percy Fallon,
near by, with his easel set up in the
shade of tine house, was calmly dabbing
away at q little sketch Of some men load
ing hay wagon in neighboring Held.
phar,v who Rad baan gaicl<if,O berries