Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-04

mean MT. Fallon. He boards at McKin- stry's, three miles away"
 "Who is that ghurl?' drawled Darcy, eying Phemy through his glass as she brought out little table and began to spread it for an improvised luncheon of strawberries and cream. "She's eccen- twic; by love, deliciously eccentwic."
 "She is girl have taken to help me; in fact, have partly adopted. She was reared on the poor farm and has been hope of making something of her."
 "She looks like an original-a natural curiosity" said Darcy; "as if she'd been captured in the woods and had escaped from cage.
 "She looks like a scarecrow," " said Mrs. Ransom severely. Agnes, you cer- tainly have very remarkable taste in pets"
 "Excuse me-" said Agnes, with dig nifty. "l must go and see about the lun- cheon, for l am sure you are all fam ished" Percy Fallon had overheard the words and now darted forward to her aid. Do allow me to fetch out chairs" he cried, and proceeded at once to make himself at home.
 "Confound the fellow" said Darcy, under his breath; "he's too officious by half"
 Presently the ladies were all seated outside the door in the full enjoyment of the sl fresco luncheon, and Phemy, on the top of the wave of importance and delight, was handing about plates and coffee cups. Agnes certainly had I,f- pure country air and simple living had deepened her bloom, made her eye brighter, her hair more lustrous, slightly filled and rounded the exquisite lines of her form. Teddy Darcy was not in the habit of taking much trouble in love af- fairs, but he was so well convinced that Agnes would have a stunning effect on coach, in an opera box or in ball. room he was disposed to struggle for the prize. "Confound that color slinger," :" he said to himself, "I cant contwive what women see in such poor devils to admire"
 Mrs. Bruce, one of Agnes married sisters, had been on an exploring expedi- tion over the house. She now got up. with her coffee cup in her hand, and ap- preached Fallon, who was lounging about rather disconsolately with his hands in his pockets. "Those sketches of yours in the keeping room are perfect gems" said she; "they turn the quaint old place into bower of beauty"
 "Oh, by the way, Fallon," drawled Darcy, "what would you take for the lot? suppose y"u don't object to turn penny"
 More than you could pay" said Fal- lon, turning on his heel. "Those sketches are not for sale"
 "1 should like to correct that chaps bad manners" said Darcy, turning to Mrs. Ransom.
 "Agnes," whispered the lady to her daughter, Il am afraid Darcy means to pick quarrel with Percy Fallon."
 Well, let him." returned the incor- rigible Agnes "I haven't any doubt as to who would win"
 Frank Haydock, seeing the situation was Q little strained, took his beloved violin out of its case and began to tight en and tune the strings. Come, Fal lon," said he, "I saw your banjo in there on the table; let us play a few jigs fol the girls to dance"
 | I ed outcries on the part of the young women, and in trice the coffee cups and strawberry dishes were hurried away, and chairs moved back on the greensward Burns hal cut the grass that morning, and the turf was smooth and elastic to the feet.
 "Come, mother, you must open the ball with me-" cried Will Ransom, anG he led out the unwilling lady by mair force. The others paired off as the, could, Darcy taking Agnes, with lool of scornful triumph in the direction O Percy Fallon.
 "Well, never" said Mrs. Burns peeping round the corner of the house "I guess the folks that pass on the road will think we've opened an insane asy lum."
 It was pretty sight, though, the mer ry party led by Will and his unwillin, mother, who had been forced into tn fun, all jigging delightedly to the in spring music. Phemy, determined no to be excluded from the good time whirled about, taking extraordinar = steps in one corner of the grass plat til her hair was blown wildly about and he blue gingham stood out like balloon.
 Darcy, meantime, had found occasio to draw Agnes aside under the button ball and to breath few tender word into her ear.
 "You are not in love with me, MI ' Darcy" said she, fixing her truthful searching eyes on his face. "You are i love with totally different person"
 And whom may it be?" said Ransom protesting against the imperious sus picion.
 F "If had mirror, MT. Darcy, coul @ show you"
 n You are unfeeling. Miss Ransom T outwageously unfeeling; and it's deuce IS hard to be accused of loving myself bel IS ter than the dearest girl in the world" t But why" asked Agnes, with pecu ~ ~ jar little smile, did you desert me { the moment when it was generally SUI posed you were going to ask my hand marriage-the very moment, too, as
 happened when papa died a bankrup and we were sorely in need of a kint helpful friend?"