St. Paul daily globe., 1892-11-20

"What shame" murmured Dot,
looking up from her letter. "Father
writes that Uncle Jasper is in London.
and he is going to call at Goring to see
Inc on his way to Warwick, and L must
stay in to see him."
"Oh, what a pity" said Lii. 'Must
you stay%'
81 must" said Dot. "UncIe Jusper
is my godfather, and he is just home
| from India"
Poor Dot" murmured the girls.
At 9 o'clock they were down at the
boat house and got aboard the Gray
Nunnery. Dot watched them off.
1--WE shall get to Abingdon today" ="
remarked Deb as she took the sculls
! and pushed off.
They had lovely day; the sun shone
OH them in all its glory, and they
aawdied over lunch in the shade and
edid full justice to the salmon and GU
icImber and Edie's lemonade. TneY left
their boat at Abingdon, and in the even
ing they returned to Goring. Dot
greeted them and prepared tea for
them. Yes, Uncle Jasper had been, and
Dot had had delightful day. She had
not been bit lonely, and that was all
the little maid would say.
When the supper table was cleared
| and Lii got out her guitar, Dot rose.
Sisters" she said. II want to take
| the VOW. [ have hero now whom |
worship, and his name is Launcelot
Lane.'
dot" cried the shocked sisters.
"Dotim
YES" went on Dot, unabashed. ''his
l.name IS Lancelot Lane, and he is
great traveller. He is scientist, and he
shas been everywhere. He is hot very
tall. his face is brown and lined and
scanned, his beard is long. and his eyes
| are kind, his hair is touched with gray.
He has been so good to me; he found
me under the apple tree this morning,
and he sat and talked to NE about his
adventures. He is like Othello, and |
felt like Desdemonia.
dot" cried Eddie, lit is not right to
talk So"
you are old enough to be trusted,
Dot" said Deb severely.
But | wanted to worship some
body" said poor Dot; you all told me
to-"
The sisters looked aghast at each
other.
You don't know him, Dot, DEAR"
said PompiIa.
But Pom, he was so kind, and he
talks beautifully: he is the incest man
l ever met in my life. Let me take the
VOW"
But the sisters would not hear of it,
and poor Dot felt in disgrace.
1--WE must look after the child" said
Edie.
"She must come with us always" SAID
Pom.
Let her alone" said Lii. ut won't
hurt her to worship man, and he is
nice fellow, really; met him in the
garden"
Deb, Pom and Edle groaned, and Lii
changed the subject by striking up
lively air on the guitar.
The five sisters spent Sunday in Cor
ing. and they did their best to look after
Dot. but the mischief was done. Direct
ly after breakfast Lancelot Lane called
on the ladies and offered to escort them
to church. Edie looked grave, Deb
shifted with disappro6ation, PompilIa
was cold and reserved. but Lii chatted
gaily and Dot listened and looked de-
mure. So they all strolled through Cor
ing village to the pretty little church.
After dinner the five Gray nuns
climbed up Streatley Hill and wandered
through the woods. They came upon
MIR. Lane sitting smoking under the
beecheS and reading 1.-The Monks of
Thelema." He joined them in their
hOmeWard walk, and they found him a
delightful companion. He talked So
cialism with Deb, the Renaissance with
Pom, Venice with Edie, and art with
Lii, while shy Dot listened and glowed.
They had tea in the garden under the
apple tree, and Mr.. Lane Joined them
and brought his friend the Oxford don
with him. 1t was certainly very delight
full, but Deb. Pome and Edie felt yagne
| qualms at permitting this freedom after
| their recent vows. SO the Sunday passed
away, and the five Gray nuns started off
early Oh Monday morning to their boat,
and they toTed and rowed up TO Oxford.
at is the jollieSt holiday | have ever
had said Deb sorrowfully, as she pre-
pared to take the train OH Monday night
back to her duties; for Deb'S school re-
Quired her attention the next day. The
rest had more leisure, SO they took the
boat back to Reading.
1t is Whitsuntide a year later, and
Deb, Pom and Edie have met again in
the little cottage at Goring. Changes
have taken place during the year. De-
mure, blue-eyed little Dot is actually
married to Lancelot Lane, and the pair
are in Switzerland.
Lii is radiant and busy making ready
her wedding garments, for fortune has
SmtlCu upOI Oudl llos IlG lids GuICS
pictures in the academy, and one is
making considerable stir, and Charlie
is likely to become famous.
So the three remaining sisters meet at
Goring to recount how faithfully they
have kept their vows.
We won't talk in the house," de-
clared Deb. 81 fancy that Lancelot
Lane must have heard us last year-the
lattice was OPEN"
So in the cool evening they stroll into
the rich meadows along the towing
path, and they find seat on a gnarled
stump under the willows.
Let Deb begin" commanded Eddie,
and Deb began.
Sisters, have kept my VOW, and it
shall be sacred all my life; but it was a
VOW which never ought to have been
taken. Gabriel Greystone is a married
man. and has been married for years.
discovered it accidentally. You know
of the London board schools. Among
the upper standard girls to whom |
teach physiology [ noticed two bonny,
brown-eyed little maids, who smiled be-
witchingly when | spoke to them. Their
names were Gabrielle and Ernestine
Greystone, and subsequent inquiries
proved that my ideal man is
their father. l have seen their mother
once; she is pale little woman with
big black eyes. | get Wcaried of the
mOnotony of life sometimes, and then [
go to meetings and hear Gabriel Grey
stone talk and flash his beautiful smiles.
1t puts new heart lnto me, and 90 on
again. l know him just to speak to-;
but | dare say he forgets me until he
sees me again, and then he can never
recall my name"
And Deb sighed and sat down.
"Wh dreadful thing to have vowed
only to wed man who is already muir
ried," said Pom.
sit was mistake. dear. l took it for
granted that he was a bachelor" said
Deb. 1--WE make mistakes sometimes
in this tangled world of ours"
Then Edie rose.
Sisters" she said. 81 have kept my
VOW, and am likely to keep it for the
rest of my life. Timothy Nunning has
gone over to the Church of Rome. He
is going to be-a priest. 1t was the art