The record-union., 1891-02-01

that wherewith our little story opens.
When Hattie had been two days at
Windbourne, and had not in that time
made any fresh acquaintance, her mother
had been almost surprised.
She IS beginning to see; her eyes are
getting opened" Mrs. Chevenix told her.
self, well pleased. IF she only goes on as
we'll as she has begun, / shall breathe
freely at last. OF course it is strain hav-
ing great grown-up daughter, with such
strength as Hattie has. She never tires;
she flies about all day long from one
thing to another; and how can I, with my
poor nerves and delicate health, fly after
her? But if Hattie will only sober down,
and be content to sit quietly with me in
the park"
The next moment, however, showed
that Hattie was not going to sit quietly
with anybody in the park
" Mamma, | am off to the downs. There
IS the most nos magnificent view of the sea
from place above the golf-links, Aunt
Sophy says; and this is just the day on
which to see it.''
{" A place above the golf-links, my
dear! Above the golf-links." Mrs.
Chevenix had never yet been above the
golf-links, and had only once driven as
far as the salubrious spot Then sup
pose you will not be in till dinner time"
she added plaintively.
She did not put stop to the expedition,
be it observed; the fact being that she
would have had to answer for it to her
husband had she done SO, and Major
Chevenix had opinions of his own about
Hattie. 'Be content with dwelling
away your own life, and be-dabbling
he had once brutality told his wife; 81
won't interfere with you. But if you
Interfere with Hattie, by George! you
will have me to reckon with. / will
stand no nonsense, madam" he had sub
Joined, SO sternly, that from thenceforth
the only daughter of the ill-assorted pair
had as absolutely lost mothers control
as she had formerly missed her tender
ness and care.
This will account for the tone of indie
pendence adopted by young girl of
eighteen-a tone which must have struck
our readers.
We will follow Hattie through the day,
the day which shook all her mothers
faith in her afresh, but which at the same
time turned the tableS-nay, we will not
anticipate.
Understand, then, that it is the after
noon of Hattie's third day at Wind
bourne-by-t he-Sea, that she has so far
been a demure, elegant specimen of
young ladyhood, trotting hither and
thither beneath the shadow of the mater
nal wing, and that she is now about to
"
chatter and tinery by relapse into her
real self, congenial company and amid
soul-lnSplrlng surroundings.
The two Springing youthful figures
then, whom we see breasting the hillside
in the summer sunlight, are Hattie and
May Chevenix, both only children, both
open, joyous, light-hearted little maids.
How the two frolicked and TESTED as they
Went! Hattie would push May, and May
would lie in wait to catch Hattie I'M
awares.
Hattie would pretend to be lost, and
May would affect not to find her, and
presently there would be a game of ''Catch
me II you can y to sharpen the point of
the double fiction.
The two raced, and tumbled, and tossed
about on the nights.
We do not, of course, mean to affirm
that any one strolling along the high
ground above the skirts of the town would
have seen any exhibition Of tomboyhood
in the two pretty girls, who for all their
simple cotton dresses and straw hats
could never have been mistaken for vii
lage maidens; but it is indisputable that
severe gravity and downcast eyelashes
had often to be reSorted to when strangers
passed, as the only safeguard against the
merry laughter with which their lips
were ripping, and that the coast would
be but barely clear ere the fun would be-
gin atresh.
AS for the pots and pans, they were
swung and tangled about from hand to
hand. Sometimes they were set rolling
down steep incline, out of sheer wan
tonneSS.
May would steal slyly up behind her
cousin, and tip the load out of her arms;
Hattie would turn sharply round and re-
tort with quid pro quo in kind.
Had there been any china to break the
two might have been less reckless in their
sport, but Aunt Sophy's tea apparatus
was happily constructed of tin through
out, and the girls had, with possible fore
sight of a merry time, declined cups, and
substituted mugs of horn, of which for
sketching purposes each possessed one
Nov we can do as we please, and not
be worried and bothered" May, the
schoolgirl, had cried exultant; and ex-
actly as they pleased the two accordingly
did.
Even the widest of wild spirits ex-
haust themselves, however, at last; and
having skipped and gamboled and laughed
themselves tired, the two happy young
creatures presently ALT like butterflies
upon soft bunch of messy thyme in the
heart of a sheet of gorse, and there elected
to boil their kettle.
Wonderful to relate, the kettle was
willing to boil.
Kettles are by no means apt to be of an
question having been jerked and swung
hither and thither throughout the whole
of its upward journey, might really have
been excused had it been in bad temper
II dare say the stupid thing will never
really boil" quoth Hettie Chevenix,
sagaciously. 1--WE can make believe it
does, and"
But even as the skeptical young tea
maker spoke there emanated from the
mouth ofthe maligned implement faint
jet of steam, which was speedily followed
by gentle singing, the sweetest of
music to thirsty ear. Aunt Sophy's
lamp-three good burners inclosed
be in perfect working order, and the pro-
lection of a thick prickly bush into the
midst of which the little stand had been
plunged, enabled the flames to rise
clearly, the result being that soft cloud
presently pulled away over the gorse,
and the tea being popped ina teapot
had, of course, been dispensed with-the
girls gleefully turned their attention to
minor details.
''Now, for the buns and butter" said
Hattie, fussing about. NOW, May, you
split and butter those great brown buns,
while / see what Virginie has put in the
other paper bag. Sponge cakes, oh, good
Virginie! L love sponge cakes. And
here are some slices of the cake Aunt
Sophy had at her tea party yesterday
Virginie has cleared the dish for u.s. She
is better Virginie then ever. Oh, May,
here is actually another packet; thought
my load began to grow rather heavy. 1t
is sweet biscuits. Dear me, we shall never
eat all we have here. Such pretty pink
and white biscuits, too" regretfully. "It
is tea fit for two princesses, May; now,"
laughing, ''if we had only handsome,
gallant, hungry prince to sit down and
share it with us. Oh, thank you,'' in an
altered tone, mot prince of your kind,
indeed,' under her breath, as simultane-
npc1v with the paU aSniratiOn anI on