The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1894-09-06
CHAPTER J.

undesirable spell at any rate, the Sec
ond Miss league vas woocd and mar
ried within that year.
Now the Misses Teagre's father -
the respected rector of Rix-mi9ht or
might not have been able to tell you,
Off-hand. how many Miss leagues there
were. Al. he cared to remember was
that he had one son to scccced to the
living. His future was assured. and
indeed he was already rector IN his
own right, elsewhere. for the time be-
ing. But wha. future had the girls if
they cid 10: marry They had no
none. Of their own neither the. nor
their father had any notion o, their
making any: such notion. do net travel
to place. ike RiX. They hal no
mother. They law very few young
men. 1t va, really wonderful how
Onc OF them had tecoIne engaged and
another act ally MARI ell. l,nt TIE
Younger Oaes did not follow suit: and
the younger o.c- We're not so very
young yet all they cid wa to play
tennis very hard, dance whcncvcrthcy
could. have the =. catest fun among
thCInsci Is in the schOOl-:COm. and
tn. life at all point, less seriously
than the eldest sister, who was in for
long engagement.
=
line was PERHAPS thought 700 SER
Gus but then she had serious RESPONSE
biIitics to futill--it hal been 50 from
her ca lies gir.hoOd. She kept house
ut the rcctOrF, played the organ IN
church, and did more in the parish
than the rector himself.
1t would lie difficult task to describe
Miss league. for the rca, N that her
beauty was largely spiritual. It lay in
her large clear gray eyes, so kind,
trustful and sympathetic You could
look through ana through her, at least
a keen Judge Of human nature could.
Thinking we'll of everybody, she had
no rea~ on for co1cealing he" thought
She didn't know that she vas so hon
est The harmony of her nature wa,
like the song birds melody poured
out rather machinc-likc. She was one
of those women who find it easier to
trust people than doabt them. Md
vet Car line was not devoid of physical
grace and icaHtv. Tall sic der and
with an exquisite cOmplcXi H. Il tritle
pa e, perhaps. but -tran2ely white and
perfect. II great wealth of dark chest
nut hair and teeth unusually free fro II
blemish + defect. all tho-e added to
that charm which lay in the trustful
ga.r of her 'a!ge gray eyes. It need
hardly be said that she was very
mach liked in Xix, and that she
was devoted tc the people. In the
sch olr.om at home ,ho was loo ed up
to. rather, an | admire /, Of cour e: b It
she SO ctimcs felt she spoiled he fun
there She was less noisy than the
rest. and en,ibiy older: She las older
than their brother. even, who ma ie Il
gaD between her and the younger ones
which Fanny marriage had sen>ibly
widcned The girl. hardly locked on
Car line ,s one Of themselves: she had
such unattral tive interests, and her
tennis wa, not up to their Lowell There
was no part for her, really, in tn tir
an, Sc rents-though they appreciated
her y essence and applause in front. "
And if they were more bent upon en-
10, ment than she was. and ii they aid
let her stay ut home near.y always,
when only so many cou d go to this 81
that. were they not much younger
than Caroline? And wa not arc inc
engaged? Her engagement was never
los, sight of in the schOolroom: though
one might have known Miss league
rather we'll without s,ls cccting that
the brisk. unse fish creature wa, il
dove.
1t was q long engagement certainly
Car line had become used to her en-
gagcment ri, g before Fanny met hel
fate at the county ornament: anC
Caroline careSsed Fanny, baby as
Miss league still. with shapeless feel
ing-. which she herself but imperfect
ly unde stood. She hal been engaged
thlee years. and for elghte Il month:
she had not seen him He was 4 clergy
.nan. too, the Reverend Neel emmy
man. He had a pedigree. l believe
but it wou d have teen better if he
had possessed some private means: I!
it was he hal taken Il curacy at the
other end of England, where he wa
working very jealousy in a brsy
yrimy itv. His letters came regul RI
iy twice a week t. the lazy. rustic
rcc.ory ut RiX-lettcrs from another
world. They were always interesting
and amusing, and written with care IL
icnnyman's pretty. scholarly hand
and Car line, though SO alert and prac
tical had her OWN spot III the old cav
den where she used 10 read them
three seasons nt.t of four: while ey
happier hours were spent in he" ow
room late ut night in answering theo,
letters.
No. we're going TO wait til Noe
has 4 living she uscd firmly t. rep
to inc uisitive friends. "Wc':e pc,
fectly resigned. thank you. 1t woul
bc miserable to marry NV on tn
little he has: | mean it would max
No | miserable. He is working ire
III, I'D usly in his parish: and al i
mine. you know. and we're both COZ
tent to wait. He is certain to .t
something some day if he sticks t
tina: Iii cese. Do wish he we,e nea CT
Well, should like to know the peopI
he is among. certainly: he tells ne a
tyn Ia,
! sh lid like t, know them. 1t wi
all Gene right in the end. Noel is yer
sensible about it-yol don't know no
sen ible he $50 surely can be. 10,
You see. we are neither of u chici
ems
IA: face shone when she spoke
him II was true that they were n,
bov and girl: bat Caroline. as a ma
ter of fact. was the elder of the wv
As for Pennyman. lie was an OSfol
friend of league and had stayed man