The sun., 1893-11-16


peoples houses, she should simply cut
her. Sister-in-law or no sister-in-law,
she did not think the family were
bound to stand that. Edgar shrugged
his shoulders, and said he thought his
mother or to talk to Bell seriously.
Very likely somebody had been putting
her up to this move, in the idea of
getting some money out Of the govern
or. Probably it was that old woman
who lodged In the house with her-that
Miss Barnasconi.. Bell was lust the
kind of childish creature that a design
Ing woman like that could twist around
her finger.
Mr.. Lilly poo-poohed the whole thing,
and laughed at 1t in public. But pri-
vately to his wife he showed much an
noyance at the report, and asservated
with an oath that If Bell thought to
get him to bribe her out of this foolery
she was never more mistaken in her
life.
1--WE don't know yet that it's true"
said Mrs. Lilly calmly. Nevertheless
she believed it to be true, and made up
her mind to interrogate Bell on the
subject at the earliest opportunity.
Meanwhile Mrs. Jack, undeterred by
the counsels of her friend Barney, set
to work with much energy to publish
her intention and to proffer her serv-
ices as daily governess to the public at
Codlington. First of all she had her
circulars printed. She ordered about
twice as many as she could possibly
use, although she borrowed a Codling-
ton directory and addressed the envel-
opeS to every one named in it Of whom
+ | Chn ho6 hoo ri IN ho,, HQo
she got Miss Barnasconi to carry some
about with her and distribute them to
her pupils; which Barney staunchily
and loyalty did, although with a pro-
found conviction of the uselessness Of
the measure.
Mrs. Jacks project excited as much
Indignation in Old street as it had done
in Percival House Only with this diff
ference, that in Old street the indigna-
ton was directed against Mr.. Lilly for
permitting his 7daughter-in-law to work
for her living. Mr. Mills, the compos-
itor, who had set up the circular, in
formed Mrs. Petherick that ''aIl the
office"-meaning the Office of the Cod
lington Chronicle-was talking about
it, and that "all the Office" agreed it
was burning shame of old John Lilly
to let Mrs. Jack be brought down to
that. But he was ClOSe-fisted 'un,
was old John Lilly. And he a rich
man, that was growing richer every
day. And this Mr.. Mills would say
that pleasanter-mannered lady than
Mrs. Jack, or a finer figure Of a woman
he would not wish to see.
Mrs. Fetherick-a wheezy, fat, good
humOred woman, extraordinarily ig-
norant, but with very good share Of
common sense-opined that Mrs Jack
wasn't fit for governessing nohow; and
that she ought to find a good husband
to take care ON her and make her
missis over pretty 'ouse, and every
comfort, and her own pony-carriage.
THAT" said Mrs. Petherick, emphat-
ically, 'fs the siderwation" was thus
she pronounced situation-"she ought
| to old, bless her pretty facev
| And lest any reader should be in
clined to think contemptuously of the
late T. Petherick, r. N, by reason of
his widows vulgarities Of speech,
must not omit to state that once upon
a time when Il. Petherick fell ILL of
malignant and infectious fever in q
lodging at Portsmouth, and came very
near dying of it, his landlady's daugh-
ter Polly nursed him with unfiinching
courage and devotion, and T. Petherick,
when he got better, married her; and
thirty years afterward was wont to de-,
clare that when he got spliced to his
Polly he did the best days job for him.
self that ever he had done in his life.
In this view of the landlady's re-
specting Mrs. Jacks real vocation, Miss
Barnasconi fully concurred. "Only,
you see, Mrs. Petherick," she said, 1T
wouldn't quite do to send round Cir
culars announcing that young widow
lady of sweet temper, charming man.
ners and attractive personal appear
ance was willing to accept the position
of wife to- any gentleman who should
be considered eligible, on personal ap-
plication at number seven Old street,
Codlington."
Mrs. Petherick laughed and wheezed
until she seemed to be in some danger
of choking. Lord! Miss Barney, what
a one you are!'' she exclaimed. "No;
that wouldn't never do at ALL"
'No; nor would it do to talk to Mrs.
Jack about marrying again."
Lord, no! l did drop int once,
and she iared up at me q good 'un.
No, no, you leave. me alone, Miss Bar
ney. A mods as good as a wink. But,
between you and me and the post, a
good 'usband and her own pony car
riage and everything pretty and con-
wenient about her-that is the siderwa-
ton for Mrs. Jack!"
Mrs. Jack had not forgotten her
promise to give a decisive answer to
her father-inlaw's proposition at the
end of the week. Of course if she car
ried out her present plan there could
be no further question of her becoming
an inmate of Percival House. But she
did not intend to give that as her rea-
son for declining Mr.. Lillys offer. II
shall tell the TRUTH said Mrs. Jack to
herself, as she walked up the High
street toward Percival House, (which
is, that know it wouldn't answer, and
that we should all quarrel and be very
wretched, and then have to part after
ALL
Something to this effect, if not quite
in such uncompromising phrase, she
did say to her mother-fn-law,, walking
up and down the fragrant old-fash-
ioned garden at the back of Percival
House. Mrs. Lilly weeded and shipped
and tied up struggling twigs In her
own special bit of flower garden every
morning. She wore big gardening
gloves and big blue silk shade pro.
jecting from her bonnet to protect her
complexion: and she spied out every
withered leaf and every faulty bios
som with her sharp, beadlike eyes.
Here her daughter-in-law had found
her busy in her precise, delicate fash
ion, among her roses and carnations;
and here the two paced up and down
side by side talking.
'"tAs to not being happy here, Bell"
said the elderly lady, "of course that is
nonsense"
Indeed, Mrs. Lilly, it is not nom
sense. 1t might be my fault or Pop
sy's, or nobody's fault and everybody's
misfortune; but know, know quite
well It would never answer,
ut Is pity that you did not discover
that you could not agree with this fam-
lily before you married my son." said
| r 4,,1