Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-02


in her element. Not only did she gen.
crously offer to lend Maud money for
her journey, but. after luncheon. took
her to her room, and there produced
two or three froclts and jackets and
bounets. of which Felicia was requested
20 make her choice.
Fer you know, dear. If have IA weak.
Less. il is for always buying something
in the latest fashion. and disiking it,
when bought. II is ridiculous the things
have stored away that can never use,
and ahat never would suit me anyhow.
lfy you can't take these as present from
an old friend and schoolmate. why, I
shall never speak to You again as long
as live"
Felicia's laugh rang out. Here was
Naud's old familiar threat of school
days. Just now Maud seemed to be an
irresistible fairy godmothcr who had
only to wave her stick to be obcycd.
Mrs. Charlton, in her remote Vir.
ginia refuge, had read her darling's
first letter from Newport with almost
ecstatic pride and joy 1t seemed to the
poor lady that no one had ever been
blessed with such lovely and loving
and clever and successful daughter as
she was. After she had perused the
epistle for toe second time, she took it
out upon what old Mrs. Kennard called
the front poache." This was rickety
Neranda over which grew vine of GUS
tard honeysuckle; and here old Mr..
Kennard sat, tilted upon his chair, UNI
der shelf supporting the water bucket
and gourd, coming n weekly newspa-
per. Near at hand, sitting also in
split-bottom chair, with her knitting,
the old lady listened with admiration
TO the occasional oracles of informa-
ton transmitted to her from the col
umns before him through her husbands
eyes. After long practice in receiving
her news and literature thus at second
hand, she had grown to esteem him per-
responsible for the well-round-
ed sentences. Coming around the cor
ner of the house, Miss Kennard, in a
sunbonnCt was carrying in wooden
Upon the threshold of the door, and on
both steps of the porch, dogs were doz-
ing. "How trivial everything else will
seem," thought the little widow, adj
Nancing proudly among them with her
letter, when they hear what my child
thinks of Newport
Whilst these things We're occurring
in far, tranquil Virginia, Felicia was
looking daily upon the passing show.of
Newport. What a thrilling effect upon
her imagination had been created by
the first view of the sumptuous part of
the town, as she approached ii in tho
little trap that had been sent to meet
her on her arrival. 1t happened to be
at an hour when the gay world was on
and while our little girl was
gazing with all her eyes upon the
of vehicles and people she
observed the groom who was driving
her touch his hat to n handsome.
naughty lady, whose gaze just then fell
upon them from her approaching vic
toria. Felicia saw that she was the OH
ject of this lady's thorough and per-
fectly frigid scrutiny, and, to her sur
prise, became aware that the survey
was followed by an infinitesimal nod in
her direction.
When the carriages had passed each
other, the groom, leaning back, said, in
rather too jocular fashion for Felicia's
sense of propriety:
That's her. That's the madame
goin' out for her drive"
Felicia, answering him with q cold
look, asked no questions.
The incident, occurring upon the
threshold of her new experience, struck
her unpleasantly. With her simple.
hearty, southern ideas, she could not
imagine arrival in strange house with
out some sort of personal welcome
rom the hostess; and the quality OF
hat investigating gaze was to her to-
tally unknown. But, taking heart. she J