St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-12-24
Written for the CALEDoSIAS.1
THE COUNTRY COUSIN.

i can't have her here; it would
poil all my pleasure. mamma.
now she will be Just horrid, a great
ereen, awkward country girl. What
vii the Pearsons say to know we
I've such vulgar relatives? And
xh ere is our Christmas gathering to
bf held in our parlors. Oh dear, l
ever can endure itp' and Reta
Reynolds sank into luxurious easy
cb air, the picture of despair.
a Mrs. REYNOLDS looked at her daugh-
fer with a troubled face. How often
he, with her husband, had tried to
10 the culture of country people. A
Y false idea of the opinion of Others
Vas constantly making trouble for
"A her, and indeed that seemed her only
& fault Bright, sunny and generous
81 with those she loved, she still had
4hat strange idea of what people
Reynolds had often said they feared
Il would take bitter medicine to cure
Her All this flashed through the
Iady's mind as she looked at the
sobbing girl but she quietly replied:
II think, Reta, you are much mis-
taken in your idea of Mildred. Your
{ather was highly pleased with her
last summer, and said her home was
Il lovely one | think she cannot be
" Very rude with the father and mother
The has You will displease papa
4 Fery much if you are not kind to her.
3 When did she write she would be
here 2''
THE twentv-frst, Reta replied as
. she lifted the letter from the floor
where she had thrownit. "Of course
4 j shall have to treat her well, but |
don't see why she should have chosen
This time to come and display her
greenness. What will the Pearsons
say, and the Shermans? Ida told
me her brother was coming in to
#spend the holidays. He is very
Il smart and a wonderful musician. /
\ wonder if this girl knows one note
from another 1t is to be hoped she
won't stare Mr.. Sherman out of
countenance. Well, what is it Kate ?"
she continued as a servant entered.
ga lady to see you" the girl replied,
turning to Mrs. Reynolds; ''she is in
the library and has been for quite
awhile; she did not give her name"
ooh, Reta; what if it should be
your cousin said Mrs. Reynolds, as
she noticed what she had not before,
that the heavy portiers were drawn
back through to the library. ''She
must have heard every word you
said, for in your excitement you
spoke very loud" and she quickly
passed out, leaving Reta in a con-
fusion of thoughts.
"Probably it is she, and she will be
in a fit of sulks for the next few
days." thought this very unreason-
able young lady, never remember
ing that she was herself doing that
very thing.
AS Mrs Reynolds entered the
library she saw tall, graceful
young lady dressed in a quietly
stylish travelling suit of grey, her
eyes very bright, winning smile
about the mouth; but painful flush
was on each cheek.
Fl etiA foiCiu ~ ~ y va,
81 although it has been so long since l
Z have seen you. Now come, let me
Il take you to your room where you
Fl can rest a little, then we will have
/ lunch
mo, auntie." l know you are glad
| to see me, but pardon me, 1 have
been compelled to hear Cousin Reta' s
s. words. Now please let me go to the
hotel"
mo, indeed" quickly replied the
elder lady. Il am sorry you heard
what Reta said, and still you may
help US to cure her. have an idea.
Reta's fault has troubled us so
much. 1t has been a subject of pray
err with her father and me often now
you may be an answer. Will you
consent to appear to be what Reta
thinks you are? 1t may be diff
hcult part for you to play, and
equally hard for your uncle and my
self, for he has told me much about
your musical talent. Do you think
you can act as though you knew
very little ?"
For reply Mildred Hathaway as
sumed a most unintelligent face and
manner, and spoke in a slow hesitat-
ing way.
Mrs. Reynolds laughed heartily
and said: you will do finely, but
do hope you won't need to assume
that style long ~
The next three days were days of
trial for Reta, for her father insisted
that she should take her cousin out
with her, and they often met many
fashionable acquintances. She tried
to comfort herself with the thought
that Mildred does not know great
deal, and she shows it in her face,
but she did hope they would not
meet any of the Sherman family.
Scarcely had she finished that
thought when she saw coming
directly toward them, Ida Sherman