New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-18
AWKWARD FOR TABITHA.

vo,, see her in your minds eye?-a delightful old
maid with bunchy curs and little black SIX
apron. who will take the most motherly care OF
YOU If should be obliged to come back 10 'he
children I shall write at once"
The speaker-a mother Of many, rather embar-
RI ssed by the care Of sick brother just IN
valided from India-laid down the paper ana.
drawing her writng-case toward her. promptly
began to indite a reply, hardly waiting for any
comment from the supine figure on the sofa' VINO
only murmured
For Heavens sake. ascertain that there are no
other dodgers; the one thing cannot stand Is
row"
Eustace Harfeld felt at the moment tolerabiy
indifferent as to what became OF him. lie was
only lust shaking off the effects of severe Ill
ness. and was besides, In a rather injured frame
q. mind few years ago he had taken leave Oh
n heartbroken circle of sisters, OF whose deVo'ioh
he had been the exclusive object since his BABY
hood He had, OF course. known all about their
successive marriages but had not realized the
difference it would make TO him III he haa reeh
shpped home after rheumatic fever. They all
received him most affectionately, but nobody ex-
actly wanted him. He had amused himself on
the homeward voyage by imagining how he could
adjust their conflicting claims so as to avoid
70 be so ready to spring up. and behold. now he
ne was here it appeared that Annie house
was hardly large enough for an inNahd. ana
Mabers husband was exacting. ana kate was
lust going to take her girls to Dresden for music
lessons Little Carry, the youngest. made MN
very welcome. but her soul was in her nursery.
and he could not stand the children's noise. and
was bored to death with the continual tax OF
Tommys school report and kittys teeth. joey
scrapes and the squabbes of the twins lie was
no longer i'll enough to he source OF ahNiety'
Scia t1x-c
pect a good deal of petting and cossetung; 50
at length Carry. finding herself distracted ne
tween her nursery and her lnValid' oeterIhllirg
heroicaly to tear herself from her babes ana
take her brother down to seaside lodgings 10 re-
cruit remaining with him till he shodld be
strong enough TO be left TO himself or 10 cndure
the overcrowded rectory.
Mylton Pogis is one of the few lucky aside
hooks that have as yet escaped the octopus arms
of the railway 1t lies snuggled down among the
steep hills Of the DOrsetshire coast; district
practically more remote from civilization and its
drawbacks than the farthest confines OF Devon
or Cornwall. AT the end of long. hilly drive
the traveller finds himself descending freak
neck High Street. with irregular houses. appar-
entity standing on each others heads. and ending
in a funny little Town Hall with minute mar
ket-place lurking underneath.
But don't you drive down to Marine Parade!
demonstrated Mrs. ROmer, on being requested 10
descend from the top Of the omnibus which mad
brought them from the five-mile-distant railway.
at the door of the hotel my brother cannot
walk far
"Oh 1t Is no distance at all. num- said the
driver Just GO through them postes at the bot
tom, and there you are
Through the "postes" they accordingly went,
end found themselves a miniature graNelled
esplanade with the sands and the blue sea on
one hand and the other a succession or about
q dozen little cottages, each with its own IN
divdual freaks in the way Of bow window or
veranda with steps up or steps down, matched
roof or tiles. Their attendant porter with the
baggage not having yet come in sight, and none
OF the houses degnng to paint up its name as
though it could conceive itself unknown they
were somewhat at loss till a passing baker
boy. being INTERCEPTED, lacOnicaly tossed them
Last house" with jerk OF his head toward
the end Of the row.
though diminutive such air OF dignihed seclu-
sion, standing ba Ok in its mOrsel Of garden-such
a look of having no connection with the adJa,
cent lodging houses that they felt misirusful Of
the good faith of the baker boy; the more 50
as there was a young lady in mourning in the
front garden. cutting roses.
Il am this can't be Ivy Corner. said
Captain Harfeld: eve had better try back"
Thereupon the young lady came down TO the
gate and opened It.
"Oh. yes" she said This is Ivy Corner.
Won't you come in?'
She preceded them into the house. and. OPEN
ing the drawing-room door showed them IN.
Then. saying. Il will call the maid she van
ished hardly listening 10 Mrs. Romers profuse
thanks and apologies.
"Faithless Miss Dove" said Captain Harfed.
sinking down on a broad. cushiony sofa In the
window There other dodgers. What
pleasant-looking girl"
1T was very civil Of her to bring us in; sail
think 1t rather officious" was Mrs. Romer
comment. She disciple Of Mrs Grumpy,
and would not all approve Of pretty fellow
lodger scrapng acquaintance with her brother
and perhaps endeavnrng to set up IMITATION
with him.
Really. Miss Dove is a person Of taste"
marked Eustace later. as they sat Al tea. letting
his eye rove around the room. which. despite lis
simplicity looked little like the ordinary sed-
side lodging as could well be imagined with cool
chintz covers and soft India muslin curtains in
stead Of the starche1 denominations that usually
fence the wndows-to say nothing of the pictures
on the walls chiefly water-co!Or sketches. with a
few excellent prints. He drew very well himself
and WAS something Of a cOnnoisseur. He rose
and began to examine them more closely.
These things positively good. you know
and that study Of fishing boats in the twilight is
really an admra bic Bit Of work. ! wonder how
on earth ne old lady came by them"
yes" said his sister. II was struck by the re-
finement of all the surroundings when went
upstairs. What good taste she must have. Look
at that Indian jar in the corner with the PUSHES
and pampas grass, and those bits OF blue deli on
the chimney-piece instead OF the usual wax hor-
rors under glass shades. Ny idea Is that she
must b. an old servant. and probably had all
the furniture and things left her when her mis-
tress died. Nobody OF that class would buy
things either so simple good
The pleasant impression vas maintained next
morning Roses such the girl in black had
been gathering yesterday appeared on the break
fast table. and everything was as daintily served
as ii could have been had they been guests
rather than dodgers.
You were right about that girl. Eustace,
said Mrs Romer, as she began to pour out the
coffee "she is evidently lodging here. went
out In the garden before you were down. ana
saw a smart little bathing dress hanging on the
sweetbr:ar hedge TO dry. don't think Miss
Dove was quite honest about It,"
Captain Harfied was however. not so much
disposed TO resent the fraud as might have been
expected. If 1t had been children II would have
been another matter, but he did not suppose the
young lady would interfere with them much; he
was inclined TO be philosophical. Altogether he
was in more CHEEKY mood this morning; the
soft lap Of the tide creeping up over the sand
al night had been very soothing. and the sparkle
and glitter of the summer morning was ire
sistible. He liked the notion OF having Carry TO
himself for little; away from those eternal
children she would have leisure to recollect the