New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-21
CHAPTER X\NNIII.

riypdd
means SO easy to carry into effect. as many a
SIS, and hostess will understand
,s,s who have been welcomed with effusiOn,
No like their quarters. and find that no one else
!. exnected consequent n their departure, are
team more than a match for their entertainers
uhen il comes to tussle on the point. Are they
,ogoon a certain date or not?
There is no earthly reason why they should
On except that they have stayed long enough
a.,ordjng to the views of the latter; and these
aoxs hospitality sternly demands, should he
kent In the background.
wherefore when the hearted suggestion
has been met by the faint demur or the fl-as-
sun,ed regret. the real tug-of-war begins.
~Xo really we have trespassed long enough.
Won must be quite tired of us by this time
protests Madame Guest a. Bit is always the
women who have this part Of the work to do)
.Not a. all Pray do not think of such
thing Only We must no. keep YOU all to our
selves We must not deta.n YOU from more
amusing places" murmurs Madame Host.
Madame Guest then assures her that no spot
an Garth can be more amusing. more congenial.
than Hum-drum Deadly-Dulness. where she
on,v wishes she had not already paid her de-
lghtful visit etc. etc.
Madame Host rather scared is 50 pleased SO
rejoced that she and hers have been able 70 DO
little for their kind friends. and next time they
r. will endeavor to have few others TO meet them'
and she does hope Madame Guest Will not oe SO
long again in coming to Hum-drum Deaol'
Really Madame Guest can hardly say Life is
so uncertain. 1t may be years before such
another happy meeting can he arranged. CThis
Is meant to suggest: Keep us now. ana per
haps we will let you off in the future. "A oiru
in the hand is worth two in the bush.
II Madame Host has toerable amount OF
backbone she will. however. reject THIS Dalt ana
maintain a. resolute silence. and then the more
subtle test Of the anglers skill is called into
How many posts day do you have. dear?"
Usually the answer will be: Two. one IN
the morning and one in the afternoon. 49, WI,
oh then there is still a possibility? HAN
audible murmur. as though to herself
Madame Host, if quick-witted is on the alert
in an instant and declines to inquire into the
meaning Of the possibility. She has a shrewd
idea that il will land her in qucksands. There
we're lamentations earlier in the day over the
mona rnva Of some important document
Instead she now starts On lengthy disserta-
ton regarding postal arrangements, from them
digresses to parcel posts, six-penny te.egrams.
stone reached she is safe for tn time being.
Il signifies l.tte To her that Madame Guest Is
distract and unresponsive. She only desires to
tide over the evil interview. and bring II to
close under the impression on both SIDES that me
hour Of departure is TO remain fixed
Fortune favOring her, she may, If she be
cleve: woman and we'll up TO her business,
achieve this end. But alas, Fortune Is more apt
to jeer and point the finger than to render ana
under the circumstances and Madame s'uest y
not far wrong in holding on like grim death 10
the chance of something or other turning UP
which shall compel the proffered renewal OF
hospitality -.- ...
O. the male contingent Of the party. Hang 1t
all" say they What could we do? The poor
people have nowhere else to go. and we only
meant 10 BE civil when they caught us up and
-and-it wasn't our fault. anyway
Thus in the case before us when the unfor-
ito iAla
own feelings had let hint after hint go by and
had even contrived to be busy and deaf 70 Lady
Ainslie's lively establishment ana lesre,; .m-
pressed aside to her daughter over the unfortu-
nate change Of route which would have TO be
made consequent on the result or letter re-
ceved, and which was handed 0stentauously 10
Alice 10 read 1t Lord Carnoustle-Lp
Carnoustie who was sick TO death OF MS VISITORS
with the exception Of Bob, who suited nm ny
sheer force OF contrast ana whSse a.
was he who made all his wifes precautions OF
effect.
Perceivng that the women were invincible. and
that even Penelope. while she showed genuine
regret for the loss Of her new cOmpanion-indeed,
Penelope had whirled round like the little
wea,hercock she was. and was now full or Ance
Ainslie and Of new piece Of fun into which
Alice had initiated her namely, riding about ell
the country the broad-backed. rough
Shetland ponies belonging 10 the home iarm-
even Penelope could only grOan into Alice's ear,
not daring to give open vent to what she fet
by so much syllable IA syllable at least
driven to perceive that in the bluff old lord MIN
self lay her only hope. threw her last die.
She hardly expected any good to accrue ron
II. She was half afraid OF Carnoustie, mstakng
for pride and ill-humOr what was In realty a
mixture Of shyness and awe on his part lie had
great opinion Of women Of the world such as
herself He did not like them; he did not feel at
ease with them But although ne had lived for
30 long out Of society he had lingering recoliec-
tons OF the great CAV whirl without his gates.
which made him anxious not to be despised by
the votaries Of fashion Indeed he had a FAR
greater respect for a giddy dame OF quality, or
for smart fca Their pated youth who was the
rage for the time being, than Lady Carnoustie
at all approved
Why should VIC mind what people OF that
s'amp Think? she had loftily observed wien her
husband had somewhat uneasily suggested cut
ing short the long sermon and prayers In vogue
a. the Castle on Sunday evenings. you say
yourself the Ainslies are not religious
Well, neither are we"
Canoustisr'
We're not-not particularly. We never set up
70 be. Hoots We do well enough, bu; II we were
really religious people like some people know,
We would be very different from what we are
wei well" perceivinR indignant remembrance
on her brow. well we'll: maybe you are-or you
think yourself so. because you give away a
whecn books and tracts. and go TO church. and
70 sacrament and pick out the longest sermons
you can find for me TO read while you sleep but
Know what call religion. Ny motner-resl
ner SOUL was religious woman. HOW she
mught US. prayed with us. set US an example.
All the countryside reverenced her-she fed them.
ooctored them, visited every house within ner
,,ssaeh-the poor blessed her name-ay. and not
ne poor only Carnouste Castle house OF
900 In those days; the fame OF 1t was known
throughout the length and breadth of Scotland.
200 help me. I'm an unworthy con Of such a
mother" and. to the infinite CONSERVATION OF
ms amazed spouse. the old mans voice had
broken and his head had sunk upon his chest.
Lady Carnoustie had been unable To- utter a
WORD. By-and-by she had crept away to her
closet more humbled and shaken than she had
veeh Tor years; and thereafter and for some
Time subsequently her speech had been gentler.
tHd her decisions less hard and dicta toral than
any had remembered them before.
u had cut her to the soul to be told the truth
IN the homely. unsparing words her husband had
made use Of
Sne had taken no, only her own piety. but that
-, all the family and household for granted. She