The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-07-05

white hands of hers looked as though
they might be equal to good many
emergencies. She talked little. leaving
the conversation to Aunt Lucy ana
myself, though she occasionally
dropped in an apt word. Toward the
end of the meal, however, she cauS NJ
hold of an unfortunate opinion L had
incautiously advanced, and tore it into
tatters. The result was spirited ar
gument, in which Miss Gussie held
her own with such ability, L was utter
ly routed and found another grievance
against her 1t was very Illuminating
to be worsted by a girl-a country glrl
at that, who had passed most OF hef
life on a farm! No doubt she was
strong minded and wanted to vote. l
was quite prepared to believe anything
OF her.
After tea Miss Ashley proposed a
walk around the premises in order 10
initiate me into my duties. Apart from
ire farm Mr. Ashley owned large
arist and saw mills and did a flourish
nay business, with the details of which
Miss Gussie seemed so conversant that
I lost all doubt of her ability to run
the whole thing as she had claimed. L
felt quite ignorant in the light OF her
superior knowledge, and our walk was
enlivened by some rather too livery
DISCUSSIONS DelWeel US w -,
about together. however, till the
shad ows of the frs by the mills
stretched nearly across the pond and
the white moon began to put on a
silyerv FURNISH. Then we wound UP
nv a bitter dispute, during which
Gussie's eyes were very black ana each
cheek had a round, red stain ON IT,
She had little air OF triumph at nav
ing defeated me.
a L
ting away the milk, and l dare say
YOU re not sorry to be rid of me, she
said. with occurrences / had not
credited her with, but if you come to
the veranda in half an hour I'll bring
Won out a glass of new milk and some
Mound cake I made today by recipe
that's been in the family for 100 years;
and hope it will choke you for all the
snubs you've been giving me- She
walked away after this amiable wish
and 1 stood by the pond till the salmon
tints faded from its waters and stars
began to mirror themselves .brokenly in
its ripples. The mellow air was full of
sweet. mingled. eventide sounds as ]
walked back to the house. Aunt Lucy
was knitting on the veranda. Gussie
brought out cake and milk and chatted
to us while we ate it in an inconse
quent girlish way, or fed bits of cake
to a green-eyed goblin in the likeness
of black cat
She appeared in such an amiable
light that 1 was half inclined to recon-
slider my opinion of her When I Wen:
to my room the vase full of crimson
leaves on my table suggested Gussie,
and I repented of my unfriendliness
for a moment, and only for a moment
Gussie and her mother passed through
the hall below and Aunt Lucy's soft
voice floated up through my half-open
door
We'll. how do YOU ike your cousin.
my dear?"
Whereat the decided young lady
promptly answered:
Il think ne is the most conceited
youth I've met for some time
Pleasant. wasn't it? / thought OF
Nellie's meek admiration of all my
words and ways. and got her photo
out to soothe my vanity. For the first
time II struck me that her features
were somewhat insipid. The thought
seemed like a disloyalty. so I banisbed
it and went tc bed
| expected to dream of that disagree
able Gussie, but l did not. and I slept
so soundly that it was 10 O'clock the
next morning before 1 woke. I sprane
out of bed in dismay. dressed hastily
and ran down, not a little provoked
at myself Through the window I saw
Gussie in the garden digging 1up some
geraniums. She was enveloped in
clay-stained brown apron. a big fan
ping straw hat half hid her face. and
she wore a pair of muddy old kid
gloves. Her whole appearance was dis
reputable and the face she turned to
me as | said Good morning" had a
diagonal streak of clay across If 7
ADDED Slovenliness to my already LONG
list of her dement's.
GOOD afternoon. rather. Don't ve,,
know what time It is? The men were
here three hours ago for their orders
thought it a pity to disturb your
peaceful dreams. so 1 gave them nv
self and sent them off,
l was angrier than ever A nice
beginning | had made. And was that
girl laughing at me?
Il expected to be called in time. GER
tainly,'' 1 said stiffly. 'I am not ac-
customed to oversleep myself. 7 prom
Use 1T will not occur again. NV dig
nifty was quite lost on Gussie. She
peeled off her gloves cheerfully and
said:
81 suppose you'd like some break
fast, Just wait till / wash my hands
and I'll get You some. Then if you're
pining to be useful you can help me
tele up these geraniums"
There was no help for it. After had
breakfasted | went, with many misgiv-
ings. We got on fairly well, however
Gussie was particularly lively and kept
joyed the time. and we did not quarrel
until nearly the last. when we fell out
bitterly over some horticultural problem
and went in to dinner in sulky silence.
saw no more Of her. / was glad of this,