The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-04-20
WITH MANNED RITES.


"For heavens sake, Letitia, don't let it
he late again todayp 1t was luncheon,
and luncheon to men who have spent the
morning on the moors is important. At
I12:15, therefore, just Is minutes before it
was necessary to start, the wagonette was,
by Mrs. Carnegie's order, at the door, the
baskets put in, and Mrs. Carnegie in the
breakfast room, worrying her sister, Mrs.
Mainwaring, by assurances that the girls
would make them late, as usual.
"Dollie was ready half an hour ago, T"
said Mrs. Mainwaring. 81 saw her in the
hall.u
"Dollie is not going with us. 1 don't
often take her out. It wouldn't be fair to
the two Others"
"But it is not fair to Dollie to leave her
60 much at home. She has not gone out
with us once since l came"
"Don't distress yourself about Dollie.
She is quite happy"
"How does she make herself so9''
"Oh, don't know. We are going to be
so late She gardens, she sketches, she
does all kinds of things. don't think she
,milks the cows, but she certainly feeds
the chickens.
"Oh, Letitiap
HWhy do you say 'Oh, Letitia?' Ought
/ to know whether she milks the COWS or
notP"
"You ought to know great deal more
about her than you do. There is such a
thing as getting tired of gardening and
feeding the chickens"
eyes, know, but that hasn't happened
to Dollie yet, and you see going out is so
fo IL
Just think, EVE is 20, and Agnes only a
year younger"
"But Dollie is 81"
"What is 212'
IAN age when amusement is not unpai-
atable"
"My dear, you worry me. 1 must do my
duty to the elder two-but 1 wish they
would come"
"And while you are marrying them
Dollie will marry herself, and probably
not to your liking. In a fairy tale she
would fall in love with the gardener, who
would, of course, be the kings son in the
ample and effectual disguise of shabby
coat and cap-in real life, she may per
haps give her poor little affections to some
photographer from Glasgow, who is tax
ing holiday at the Blue Bonnet"
ooh, Cecilia Dollie is not girl of that
kind. She is as good as gold and perfect
ly bidable, and she shall go everywhere
when Evie gets engaged. Has it struck
you that Sir Philip is in love with EVE?
am almost certain that he is, and am
delighted. Oh, here the girls come. How
charming they both look"
Mrs. Mainwaring, who had so lately
Seen Dollie in her plain morning dress,
looking like sweet flower refreshed by
the dews of heaven, did not particularly
admire the two tailor clad girls who were
playing at being in the country. They
were pretty, but worn out and faded by
long London season, and yet they had
only come north to recover strength to &c
through another.
They had no liking for scenery unless ii
were accompanied by large amount OF
human interest, and while they trod the
heather pinned to have the London pave
ment beneath their feet again and London
shops before their eyes.
Sand what have you been doing this
afternoon, Dollie9" asked Mrs. Mainwar-
ing at teatime.
Dollie blushed-her aunt thought be-
cause it was SO unusual for any one to
take any interest in her employments-
andsaid, "Sketching in the glen, aunt"
"And you had dull little luncheon all
alone by yourself, in that great dining
roomS"
"No, was working so hard that could
not spare time to come in. ate all the
bread had taken with me to rub out with.
wish you would come to the glen, aunt.
1t is so pretty"
"Dear child, am much too old to
scramble. May see your sketch?'
Dollie brought it. Her mother looked
at it, too, and was startled at it's merit.
"Why, Dollie' she exclaimed, ''you have
improved wonderfully That bit in the
left hand corner is excellent"
Again Dollie colored. 81 had some help
there, mother" she said, ian artist who
comes to the glen sometimes"-
'An artist, Dolliel What do you mean2'
~ mean a gentleman, mother He
strayed in by accident three weeks ago
when I was there painting. He has often
been to work there since, and whenever he
comes he gives me really beautiful hints.
He has taught mel
Here her mothers attention was distract
ed by servant with a message and Mrs.
Mainwaring finished Dollie's sentence for
her, ito color, my dear; yes, I see that he
has taught you to do thatW She was not.