Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1893-09-22

l. ~ at length, as he con.
temptuously tossed aside the paper.
Here, Eva, child, another cup OF
coffee !"
As his daughter received the empty
cup, he noticed something of an ex.
preston of sadness on her usually
bright face, and his conscience re.
preached him MS being the cause OF it.
Since the death of his wife, whom he
had tenderly loved, his daughter had
been dearer to him than anything on
earth, and he did not like to see her
looking unhappy.
'What is the days programme,
Evie?" he asked, quite mildly.
Hadn't You better drive down with
me to Chester and see the Lyme girls
while l call on my lawyer"
"No, thank you, papa. The Lyme
girls are coming here to tea and GRO
quet this afternoon
"Ah! And who have you to meet
them?"
Eva's hand was little unsteady as
she poured out the coffee, and her
aunt, Miss Maddox, quietly answered
for her:
young Mr. Motif and his sister,
and the Harmon girls and Jack River
ton, and Mr.. Patton will bring a
friend with him."
The squire's brow darkened.
wasn't Jack Riverton here yester-
day."
"No, not yesterday"
"Wel, the day before then. Seems
to me he is always here. Pity his
father don't keep him more closely to
his desk in his Office, or that he can't
find some other place than my house
in which to pass his supersbundat
leisure. And l don't sse," he added,
lrritably-'I don't see why he should
have been invited here, when 1 have
already expressed my objection to
him"
"He is not particularly invited, his
sister answered. at is only the SEQ
ond meeting of our little croquet club
all that we can find to amuse us in
this dull country neighborhood. And,
OF course, you can't blame him for
coming with the rest"
Eva's soft, dark eyes had filled with
tears.
Papa" she said, with little
tremor in her voice, "why do you OBJ
iect to Mr.. Riverton? Everybody
likes him but you.
The squire hesitated full half min
ute, as he make a pretense of care
fully buttering his egg.
81 have nothing against the young
mans character" he said at length,
still more impatiently, "but I don't
like him personally-that is, his ways
wish to hear and see no more of him
If possible. I object decidedly, Eva,
to your accepting the attention which
he has recently been paying you, and
must request you, Matilda, not to
encourage his visits here"
81 am sure | don't encourage him."
Miss Matilda replied, bristling little,
we'll aware in her own mind that Mr..
Riverton needed no announcement
from her. ''But l can't understand.
brother, what you can find to object
to In Jack Riverton's manners. Every
one says they are delightful, and you
never found fault with him until
lately"
THAT is just it, His manners have
entirely changed of late. When man
comes counting my daughter this in
a very positive tone of voice-'I like
him to appear as man, and man of
sense and business. He should come
TO me in the first place and say frankly
that he wishes my consent to his adj
dressing my daughter as he-er-fnds
that he-er-has regard for her, or
something plain and simple of that
kind. But Riverton is q spoony, and
Is making fool of himself. If there
is anything that l thoroughly despise,
It is to see tall young fellow like that
anguishing around woman, making
sleeps eyes at her on all occasions
'ven IN church-and dawdling about
or hours in the moonlight, repeating
poetry and calling her darling and
iearest, and other such baby names.
It's disgustingl"
Here Eva, whose cheeks had been
gradually assuming the hue of the
iamask rose which was pinned at her
hroat, suddenly leaned back in her
hair and burst into tears.
She knew now that papa must have
overheard that talk between herself
md Jack, when they sat in the moon
light under the dropping roses right
'eneath his open window.
And she had never dreamed that papa
ould be mean enough--no, she would
lot say that-but unfeeling enough to
lsten.
AS she softly cried, with her dainty
pressed to her eyes, she
card her fathers concluding words
when you find man making love