The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-01-10
MISS GRAYSON'S ADVICE.

For TWO whole years Capt. Jumpison
had been the idol OF the spinsters OF Bum
borough -by-the-Sea. CHEEKY, good-na-
tured and good looking, his private
means were limited, IL they existed at all,
and his pay was insufficient to enable
him to indulge any of those expensive
tastes which lure young men from the
milder delights of tea and tennis. He
neither hunted in winter nor played polo
in summer; and he was always ready to
dance half the night at the Bunborough
balls. He really was a very nice man in
deed; every one agreed that he would
make very nice husband for any one OF
the young ladies of Bunborough to whom
he might finally determine to offer him.
self; and for two years he distributed his
favors freely, but with absolute Impair
tiality.
"There Is safety in numbers and the
towards know it," said Miss Grayson, OF
the Valley Cottage, to Maud Oakley, who
bad been unbosoming her soul to her.
Miss Grayson was the kindest OF elderly
ladies where young peoples love affairs
were concerned, and Maud Oakley had
known her since she MAUD, not Miss
Grayson) was a baby. "Cowardsl" said
Miss Grayson again under her breath,
and Miss Oakley shifted deprecatingly.
She had been talking to Miss Grayson
for an hour and had told her sympat hetic
listener a good deal that was, in the Ian
guage Of the vulgar, estate news" Miss
Grayson was quiteawar (all Bunborough
might have told her) that Capt. Jumpi-
son had quite recently shown a distinct
preference for the Oakley family. He
dined there whenever he was asked and
had won Gen. Oakley's confidence
by delicately expressing unbounded be-
lief in his stories-not always an easy
task; he had been most attentive to old
Mrs. Oakley during supper time at sew
eral balls, and his visits to the house for
O'Clock tea had not been limited by in
vitations issued to him or confined to
those occasions when General and Mrs.
Oakley were at home; but there were
two Miss Oakleys, and to which of them
Capt. Jumpison intended his attentions
to be devoted was a question which Bum
borough by the Sea would have liked to
have answered. 1t was not strange, how
ever, that the public were puzzled when
Maud Oakley had had to confess to Miss
Grayson that she had no very distinct
idea whether her sister Geraldine or her.
self was preferred by the man to whom
she had unreservedly lost her heart,
though she admitted she had her fears.
"Geraldine has DR.. Coverdale," said
Maud. "She would be quite happy with
him."
"Quite So" said Miss Grayson. at
never rains but 1t pours."
Maud had wondered whether il had
ever "poured" with suitors in Miss
Grayson's young days, and said nothing.
Cant we make DIR. Coverdale propose
to her?" said Miss Grayson.
Sand Geraldine accept him?" added
Maud doubtfully. Miss Grayson was
determined-lo looking old lady, but even
she seemed to consider the project i'm
practice Bile.
"Did you ever try boohoo with any
one?" said Miss Grayson.
"Whsti" said Maud.
Boohoo, boohoo, boohoo," cried Miss
Grayson, excitedly; and an elderly lady
who had selected the precise moment to
be announced by Miss Grayson's pretty
little parlor maid very nearly turned and
hed. She came in, however, and her i'm
preston that Miss Grayson had gone de-
mented was confirmed by the apparently
imbecile laugh hter with " hich her greet
ing was received.
Maud rose to leave and Miss Grayson,
who had recovered her presence of mind
sufficiently to inquire after her new Wis.,
itor's husband Che had been dead seven
years), accompanied her to the front door.
"Don't you understand, you silly
child?" she said, kissing her Affection
| ately on the doorstep. "Cry, cry, cry
| your eyes out; not one of the wretches in
a bakers dozen of them can stand tears"
| And the kind old lady returned 70 pacify
| Justly indignant widow; while Miss
oil ntt Ee,b bt l.
| ing slowly in on her as she pondered the
| somewhat enigmatical advice she had re-
| ceived.
Meanwhile Capt. Jumpison was strid-
| ing down the fiinty road leading from
the barracks to Bunborough as II he
| trod on air. He scarcely knew how he
| had transferred himself from uniform to
his newest multi; but between his beat
| ing heart and the tweed coat which
| formed its outermost covering he could
| feel the communication which had that
| afternoon altered the course Of his career
| forever.
"On Her Majesty's SERVICE" IL had ar
rived; and "on Her Majesty's service " it
| informed him he was expected to pro-
| ceed forwith to a somewhat distant por-
| ton of her dominions where, in return
| for a salary exceeding his widest dreams,
| he was to perform duties as to which he
still felt vague. But they probably in
| cluded the dispensation OF substantial
| Justice with lavish hand to sundry swarthy
fellow-subjects and the instruction Of
the male portion OF them in the use Of
obsolete weapons and the evolutions Of
| an improved drill.
The climate-well, every rose has its
thorn, and Government House and his
society would reconcile Geraldine Oakley
| to a bursting thermometer and diet OF
| quinine. She could have her sister to stay
with her II she felt lonely; he was quite
fond OF Maud, though, OF course, she did
not care for him; did she not always re-
| tire when he came to tea and leave him
alone with her elder sister, and always
refuse TO give him more than four dances
in one EVENING" But Geraldine was diff
feront. DR.. Covordsle would do very
we'll for Maud when Geraldine was gone.
There she was-Maud, not Geraldine
standing on the top step waiting for HIM