Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-03-02

iAed when hle saw the obnoxious in- truder and the two girls hard and fast at a game of croquet on the lawn, their merry laughter showing how heartily they enjoyed the recreation. Now cro- quet is a very innocent game in itself, but one which displays hundred opp portunities for filtration, and inademoi- selle noticed that Mir. Dunbar lost no chance of playing the gallant to her pu- pill. Like skillful general, she took in the whole situation at a glance and set to work to checkmate her adver- sary. So she wreathed her face in the sweetest smile, and with the step of a girl of sixteen tripped onto the lawn and offered to share the sport, a pro posal which was accepted by the young people with rueful resignation. It was an heroic action on her part, for she hated the game in which she only suc- ceeded in rapping her toes and jarring her arms, while .she was in constant terror of the hot sun playing havoc with her complexion-for, you see even the very best French creme de rouge will cake and crack in the heat.
 But her martyrdom was of short duration, for hardly had the game be- gun than the station fly from Chertsey drove up to the door and deposited her expected nephew. Of course, she at once flew to receive him. rather dis gusted to notice that the others gave no attention to the arrival, but went on playing, as though there was no such person in the world as M. le Viscount Leon d'Estreville. This was not at all as she had intended it, for she well un- derstood the importance of first impress sions, and it was little aggravating to find her dashing nephew's advent robbed of its eclat.
 But if the young people were not demonstrative in their observations they had their eyes open nevertheless to the glory of the arrival. They saw a young gentleman, dressed in speck-and- span new clothes, with mauve kid gloves, patent leather shoes and scarf of cerulean blue, bestudded with 8 cluster pin, which glittered like fire fly, step from the carriage and embrace mademoiselle. They saw the driver de- posit on the porch portmanteau, so painfully new and so ornamented with glistening nickel-work that it made their eyes ache to look on it.
 ''Nice young man that" Dunbar ob- served, as mademoiselle and her nephew disappeared into the house; ''did you get the benefit of that whiff of perfume from his handkerchief, Miss Grahame?" Kate blushed. She knew she ought to reprove his badinage, but the fun dancing in his eyes was contagious.
 Nellie Barlow was, however, ready to do battle for the young Frenchman, whose resplendent appearance had made an impression on her unsophisti- cated mind.
 "La, Mir. Dunbar!" she said, II am sure he is a very pretty young gentle | man."
 "of course he is, Miss Nellie," Arthur replied, gravely; pretty as picture in tailor's fashion book, pretty as one ot those gilliflowers there, besides smell ing twice as sweetly."
 "Ah, now I know you are laughing at me-" Nellie cried; land for punish. ment I'll croquet your ball right into the cabbage bed yonder," and, suiting the action to the word, she sent it flying with stroke that was a credit to her round, dimpled arms.
 "'Tis ever thus that beauty despises humble worth," Dunbar declared, in mock heroics; ''but wait till I get e chance at your ball, young lady. and