Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-07-04

fUt tHOukfI tuhb SUt ndtl. sic lIulJ ~
conscientiously believed that the depth OF
her grief for Lavinia equalled the depth
of the Grape fiorinces on her gown. but In
reality such was not the case. During
the whole Of her life Miss Llvinia had
been more or less OF q trial to her sensible
elder sister, OF late she had been the cause
Of considerable anxiety also. for there
was very little Stiffness OF which Miss La
ylnia was not capable and she had had 10
later years but very little care for the dig
nifty OF her old name aud none ut all for
the dignity OF her old self. So on the
whole the relief to Miss T~heodosia's really
well-organized mind was a great deal
more than she was herself aware of as
yet. Still II must be acknowledged that
Mrs. Trafford, who was a little woman OF
nm extremely sociable nature, did pine for
the sight Of n fresh face or two, g o that
when she had been ut Boscombe close
upon O month, aud Miss Theodosia sug-
gested for about the twentieth time that
she felt sure she was dreadfully bored
and that really they might ask somebody
else now, she accepted the new idea with
alacrity.
"You must be getting tired of me, dear
Miss T~heodosia, " she said. sweetly. Sup
posing that you ask some other friend
down and | will make way for her"
ooh! | did not mean that at ALL" cried
Miss Theodosia; looking at Mrs. Trafford
with wide open eyes OF alarm. "You don't
want TO desert mech! pray don't dear.
You just suit me and you are so kind and
bright end sympathetic-pray do not talk
OF leaving me to my loneliness-don'tr'
"Oh, my dear, / shouldn't think of leav-
Ing while It Is any comfort to you TO have
me stay" exclaimed Mrs. Trafford. visions
of that twelve thousand a year floating be-
fore her mind. But / do not want you to
be getting weary OF seeing me here. You
meant then to ask someone else whilst /
am still here'"
ayes, precisely So" replied Miss Theo-
hosia, meekly. You see, dear. this Is
Just the best month OF the year Tor the isl.
and, and | don't think there would be any
improperly In my having a few visitors
now. thought we might ask Mr.. and
Mrs. Stephen down. Do you think they
would Gomez
81 should think they would be delight
ed" answered Mrs. Trafford, promptly.
though rs n matter Of fact she was by no
means sure that either Stephen or his wife
would care to leave London just then.
But ut all events IL will be very kind II
you ask them. though, of course, | cannot
answer for their being able to come"
Later in the day therefore a pretty note
Of invitation was sent off to Mrs. Stephen
Howard. and by the same post went an
urgent letter from Mrs. TrafYord begging
her, IL possible-for her sisters sake-to
accept IL.
IL know IL will he most ~inconvenient
for you to come here, dear, just now,''
Sue wrote, but If it is possible to do SO. |
beg you 10 come. The island is looking
lovely, the house is most comfortable and
the carriage and horses are always at my
disposal. Miss Theodosia is very anxious
that you should come, so for dear Laura
sake | trust you will be able to come"
Thus urged. Julia wrote back that they
would come on the day after tomorrow
for ten days, that they could not possibly
stay longer than that because they had
accepted an invitation 10 dine at the
house of "a cabinet minister whom they
only knew slightly. and could not, with
ont probably giving great o~ffense, get out
of il.
There Is something for nearly every
day between this and then" said Julia, in
conclusion, but only four or five formal
dinners which | think | can easily get out
OF by explaining the circumstances"
On the day appointed. therefore. they
went down aud reached Boscombe in time
for dinner. Everything went well. Miss
Theodosia cried "A little when she received
Julia and embraced her tenderly aud re,
peated her little speech about the hou ID
tss s@>~~ssss~ $500 a-~ ss.sa.--- 49, ssrnsrl
fOn, nor cried Julia. lit is no grea
kindness on our part, dear Miss Theo
dosia, unless IL is kindness to ourselves
We were delighted 10 come, weren't we
Steviep"
That we certainly WERE" said Steph
en-, thus directly appealed TO for an opin
lou.
'It is most kind Of you to say so, m,
dear-kinder still To feel so towards
lonely old woman who has very few at
fractions to offer you" said Miss Theo
dosia, in a shaking voice.
But after this, the old lady did not tall
much about her loss and Julia quite gath
tred that Miss Theodosia had already 90
the worst OF her grief over. The dimes
that evening was quite bright and decor
ously jovial. and the next morning Their
hostess met them at breakfast time will
a really cheerful-'Well, my dears, IL Is
n lovely day and l want to make the besl
of it and take you for n long drive. VIVA
time will you be able TO start,"
"Oh! whenever you like" answered
Julia. readily. II can be ready in tel
minutes il necessary"
Then shall we say half-past temp" asked
the old lady, to which they all agreed and
when half.past ten came the carriage was
already standing at the door. They were
all ready. too, and 500 took their places.
Julia sitting next to her husband with
her back to the horses in spite of Mis-,
Theodosia's protestations thai she did not
mind that place in the least, and, in fact
had all her life been used to giving IN
the best seat to Lavinia who was more
delicately organized than herself, and
never could bear the motion OF riding
backward.
Miss Theodosia," said Julia. firmly.
II am not going To move-and | want 10
sit next to Stephen aud her il he does
not behave well l can administer a sh arr
pinch without anybody being the wiser
So, with n laugh, they settled themselves
and started for their drive. And a very
lovely drive they had, worth leaving
London for" us Julia said in her delight.
to the great satisfaction Of the old lady
whose conscience had given her many
qualms for some days past. Aud then
just rs they were returning home, Miss
Theodosia uttered an exclamation OF sur
prise, aud called out, ~.James--stopr"
Julia turned her head to sec the cause of
the pleasure on Miss T~heodosiaIs face and
saw II tall well-built soldierIy man with
close-cut white hair and "a well-waxed
white muustache, just in the act of lifting
his hat to her.
my lear Frank exclaimed Miss Theo-
dosia. leaning over the side of the carriage
and holding out her hand. MY dear
Frank. how very glad ] am TO see You
When did You come, Where are you stay
fngs And how long are you going &c
stop"
The gentleman had by this time put his
hat on his head and had reached the side
OF the carriage. my dear Miss Staun-
ton," he said. II had no idea you were in
the Isle OF Wight. II" aud then he
broke Off short, as il he did not quite know
how to 60 on.
Miss Theodosia, however, understood
apparently. "Ah, Frankv' she said, shak-
ing her head mournfully. II have had a
terrible loss since l saw You last. But YOU
will come aud see me, won't you, | am
living for a time ut u house called Dos