The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-01-13
An orD FnGY', MoNtY.

sslf to make sure there isn't the least
particle of damp about it. And your
slippcrs--oh, here they are! Is the
screen just in the right place? And now
I'll 60 and see about the Coffee have
such nice French recipe for making it
that Louise Alden sent me from Paris"
All this time Esther Ellis stood quietly
by the window, looking out at the snow
which was falling-falling, cloud of
binding, eddying white, blotting out the
t,ll fir trees, matching the gate posts
with elder down and covering the car
rage drive with mantle of velvet soft
ness.
Esther was tall and slight, with dreamy
blue eyes, brown hair brushed back from
her temples, and a delicate nervous
mouth. She had none of her cousin
Gladys dimpled beauty nor tropical
richness of complexion, and she felt the
contrast painfully in her heart.
"Pull the shade down little, Esther"
said Mr.. Fame, sharply. Don't you see
how the light is binding my ey S? But
you never notice things as Gladys does"
Esther obeyed hastily.
"You needn't jerk it So" said Uncle
Fame. Now shut the closet do0r-it
has been squeaking these five minutes
on its hinges in way to set a mans
teeth on edge"
~ didn't observe il, uncle.n
That's exactly what I'm saying-you
don notice my comfort or discomfort
as Gladys does. Gladys, now, is really
fond of mo. Look at these slippers; she
h Us crocheted them for me, while you
were sitting dreaming over your novels. ="
Esther opened her lips as if to speak;
then she closed them again.
The slippers had assuredly been
Gladys gift TO Uncle Ease; but was it
possible Gladys had concealed the fact
tn 1t she (Esther had done all the work
at Gladys coaxing request?
She was too honorable to betray the
little diplomatist, who just then came in
with the tray of coffee and eggs, but all
the same she felt the injustice in her
heart.
Uncle FAME was rich aa.l childless. He
had taken the orphan, Esther Ellis to
bring up-and his BROTHER, a keen Phila-
delphia lawyer, had sent Gladys to make
him prolonged visit on the chance of
her being able to ingratiate herself into
the aft ctions of the rich old man.
"Oh, papa" pleaded Gladys, sit will
be worse than Egyptian bondage! l
hate old peOple!"
But you don't hate money-do you,
Glad? And there's no reason you
shouldn't be this old mans heiress as
well as Esther Ellis"
"Oh, Esther Ellis! l can cut Esther
Ellis out easily enough said handsome
Gladys, with an exulting laugh. And
she wouldn't know how to spend it if
she had it, the poor spirited thing!
Well, l suppose it's worth little hard
work to get hold of Uncle Fane's
shellels, and he certainly can't last for.
ever"
SO Gladys had come, smiling and
sweet voiced, to the old stone louse,
and Esther's aifectionate little heart WAS
sore with jealous panSs, all the more
bitter because they were unuttered.
Uncle, darling, can't we have a New
Years party at the old house?' Gladys
had suddenly burst out one day. "rhe
downs stairs rooms could be thrown into
Que so beautifully, and could fluid such
lovely spruce and hemlock boughs in the
woods to decorate the doors and cornices
and this is just nice distance by rail
road tor people to come. Please, uncle,
say that | may!"
mo, my dear" said Mr. Fame, setting
his lips together in that Napoleonic way
he had when he particularly meant
things. ~ hate parties and confusion,
and when my poor wife died from pneu
Ronia, brought ON by sitting in a draft
at somebody's paltry birthday party, |
vowed a VOW that no such foolery should
ever 60 ON in this house"
Eyes; but, uncle, we won't"
"Nu!" said Uncle Fame.
And even Gladys had not the audacity
to press matters fun ther.
cts too bad" pouted Gladys to her
cousin Esther. Hes a perfect old dog
in the manager. Does he suppose nobody
is to be young any more because he is
Old?'
''He has right to his own way in his
own house, Gladys, demonstrate Esther
"YOu are as bad as he is" said Gladys
On tbs particular day, when the break,
fast was removed, Esther brought in the
little writing desk, bestrewn with papers,
which she ordinarily wrote to her uncle s
dictation, but the old man waved her i'm.
patiently away.
"Call Gladys" said he, ''She is a
quicker amduuensis than you are, and
writes round, clerkike hand. I'll have
Gladys do the copying Tor me hencefUr.
ward"
Gladys flashed triumphant glance
across the table at her cousin, and Esther
meekly replying, VERY well, uncle, y
/ =. L