The morning call., 1895-01-15


room. where her daughters were engaged
in the prosaic work OF making up under
garments for the eldest of the three, Sophy,
engaged to be married "Aunt Kezia has
made llp her mind to go to London. She will
not be satisfied that her lawyer has found
a good investment for that money till she
has seen and talked 10 him, so off she goes
tomorrow; just, too, as she might have
been of little use 10 rs.
"Oh. no. mother dear" said Anne, the
next in age 10 Sophy; she only fuses and
fideets. and hinders more than she helps as
most old maids do. Let her 60; We shall
get or better without her.
CAV. but then she is too nervous to travel
By rail alone, and / cannot be spared, now
the harvest has begun"
That's the worst of living on farm,
grumbled Sophy. 1--WE can't make holi-
DAYS in the spring, because the chickens
must be looked after; nor in the summer,
because of the hay and the butter; nor IN
autumn, on account of the extra work II
always brings; while as soon as the winter
sets IN father begins TO talk of bad seasons
and the necessity OF economizing. l am
so glad William is in profession"
pleased to do So" said Mrs barton, 'oDly
father isn't over well, and there's all this
sewing about, so one of you win have to go
with your aunt; there's no help for it.
Not me!n screamed Anne. Pray
don't send me. l can't afford to lose my
last singing lesson. You know father said
he would not be able 70 let me have an
other course, and Just as I am getting on
so nicely it would be a pity and
shame to-"
Anne barton had fine voice and was
proud OF it. Tears stood in her eyes as she
spoke.
"sophy must go!" she added at
viii give her chance OF seeing the latest
fashions before her wedding-dresses are
made up"
But Sophy, after a little hesitation, said
decidedly that she could not, would not
90. At her suggestion, for she longed to
have peep at the gayeties OF the far-away
metropolis. ii had been arranged that the
first fortnight OF her honeymoon should be
spent there. AS her bridegroOm-elect
would really prefer the seacoast, her going
TO town would give him a pretext for
altering the said arrangements. OF which
Anne was afraid be would avail himself.
TO have to resign fortnight OF sight
seeing with him for two or three days de-
voted to lawyers would be too notifying.
Then it must be Phyllis" said Mrs.
Barton, glancing at her youngest daugh-
ter. who had taken advantage OF her
mothers entrance TO open the volume
hidden in her lap under the white scanning
she found so tedious, and lose herself in its
pages. Eyes, it viii have to be you, PhyI-
lis. darling and how l am going 10 spare
YOU, ! can't tell, but aunt keZia wants to
start tomorrow morning early, so you
must pack tonight whatever you want to
ia Ike with you
II don't care to have such trying Office
thrust upon mel" cried Phyllis ruefully.
Cant l say m too young and too ignor-
ant of the ways of London-roadways /
mean-to be any use as a Spinster's guide"
We'll, dear" Mrs. barton replied, with
a sigh you shall not go if you don't wish
it, but how to manage [ don't know, for
kezia isn't like other folks; there's no
reasoning with her.
..Pn 90. mother, so don't get worrying
your dear self" said Phyllis, starting up,
remorseful, as she noticed that her moth
er's pleasant face was assuming that
harasSed look that no one brought TO 1t so
often as her husbands tidgety, though
kind-hearted sister. ut will be only Just
there and back, q flying visit, and a de-
. iightful change from the monotony OF
making wedding garments for some one
else / know what I'll do while we are IN
London-I'l tease Aunt kezia into buying
a handsome wedding present What shall
it be, eh, Sophy?"
Sophy smiled acquiescence, and was re-
minded by the offer that there were many
things of which she was in want that could
be bought cheaper and better IN London
than in the small country town where her
purchases had generally TO be made.
So when PHYLLIS started she carried with
her list of odds and ends for the bride
elect, TO which her mother added new
churn butter prints and some house linen;
while Anne music paper and copies OF GER
tain songs, TO be got cheaply ut certain
shops as far apart as Westend and Isling
ton even Mr.. barton adding task to the
many imposed upon his younger daugh-
ter.
There's one thing you might do for me,
Phyllis while your aunt Is aggravatlng the
LAWYERS; YOU might contrive to go to 40
ErvingtOn square, kenslngton, and give
this little packet to its rightful owner"
What is in it?" asked Phyllis, as she
turned it over.
Letters or deeds OF some sort. They
belong to my old schoolfellow, Ralph
Templeton. While [ took TO farming he
went into the army, and coming to bid me
good-by, when he was ordered on foreign
service, he tossed this packet onto my desk
and babe me keep it for him till he came
back to England, for, says he, "a soldier
has no room in his kit for anything but
necessaries' | saw by the papers a few
weeks ago that he has come home at last
a colonel, and that's his address, 40 Erving-
ton square. Kensington. Write it in your
pocket-book / don't suppose the papers
he left with me are any account. Ii they
were he would have sent for them. How
ever, they are his, and 1 am glad of the op-
DoFtunitv of returning them"
an contrive to do your errand, " said
Phyllis, slipping the packet into the pocket
of the dress she was to travel in. "1'll not
forget that if I forget everything else"
Away she went, keeping a light heart
and her good humor all through the annoy
ances OF the journey.
The train by which Miss Kezia Darton
had arranged to start was lost in conse-
quence of that lady's inability to decide
whether she should wear her newest man
tie, or don warmer and less fashionable
one. Then she was so afraid of being too
late again that she insisted on driving to
the junction an hour and three-quarters
too soon, and as she made frantic efforts to
Get into every train that drew up at either
platform, Phyllis had rather an anxious
time of it.
Then her nervous alarms on the Journey
had to be combated or SOothed Every
male passenger who entered the same car