Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1896-08-29
BY MUTUAL CONSENT.

~ Il XA ~ Il ~ AllL NOANO1lANA Il Q
She was seated OH the grass with her
shoulder propped against camp stool;
there were two or three garden benches
standing about, but she said she prefer
red to sit on the grass-it made her feel
more country"
To intensity this feeling she had
clothed her fresh young beauty in
marvellous organdie, so sheer. that her
arms cleaned through it like alabaster,
and had pinned on her bright head
great hat dropping with roses By her
side leaned white parasol edged with
lace.
Her companion, young man in ten
mis- flannels, who was stretched at her
feet, had commented sarcastically upon
her 'rustic attire" and hot discus
sion had ensued, a discussion happily
interrupted by the arrival of a servant
with a tray of iced lemonade.
"Ah," said Miss Gresham, helping
herself to one of the frosted glasses. eff
tain an undying affection, it is Betty
know we are indebted to her for this.
She is one Of those rare people who al
ways do the correct thing"
"Betty?" repeated Markland, lazily
slipping his lemonade. "And who is Bet
tyr"
''He has forgotten Betty!' cried the
girl. "And he has no more shame than
to confess it! Betty, who was always
lio &c, opd xxyhn hoc 1o1y,-
ed him out of l know not how many
scrapes. This is the effect, suppose, Of
college and travel and society,""
"Betty!' again repeated Markland.
"Ahr'-a sudden light springing to his
eyes-"your old nurse, of course. Why,
certainly, remember her; dear COM
panion of my giddy youth But I did
not recognize her by so commonplace a
title. To ome she always seemed a benefi
cent genius, a good angel, rather than
an ordinary mortal!' He lifted his
glass. "To Betty" he said; may her
shadow never grow less
"Betty was asking me about you the
other day." said the girl. "She wanted
| to know if you still rode and swan and
boated like you used to do. told her
you had given up dancing, because Of
the exertion. - She looked at him inno-
Gently.
"Did she ask you anything about
your own life?' said Markland, sitting
up. "a resume of how you put in your
time during the winter season in town
might be interesting to her, and cer-
tainly profitable. -
Anything do is interesting to her,"
she responded coolly.
"Do you know" lie said, IT have
been marveling over you ever since l
came? l cannot quite realize that you
have been ten days in the country with
out being bored. How have you accom-
plished it? 1 thought that the day Of
miracles was past. -
"My good Tony" remarked Miss
Gresham patronizingly, "you must not
judge other people by yourself; it is a
very foolish and narrow minded way Of
doing. Because you cannot exist happi-
ly without your clubs and your theaters
is no reason why can't"
II never knew you belonged to a
club" observed Markland mildly.
| Law yOu uCNC1opGu lAto bLuU IAOuClu
wonder, new woman?"
ooh, nonsenseI You know l was
speaking fguratively! I mean that I
am not welded to any particular state
of things-that I can adapt myself to
circumstances and enjoy whatever
comes. -
"Can you? How delightful! But,
jesting aside, has it not been rather
slow for you here, without any girls for
you to see through and scorn and be
amused by-nor men to analyze and
draw out and get interested in?'
"How do you know there have been
no men?"
II have your own word for 1t. I
heard you refuse four of your best
friends permission to visit you down
here, and l inferred that the common
herd had been no better treated"
yes" she said, "you were right.
My solitude has been uninvaded. have
been resting and enjoying myself thor
oughly BY the Observation-Disclosures
told you that you could come?'
"No one, but 1 had to run down to
my place on business, and thought it
would look unnelghborly not to drop IN
and find out how you were getting ON"
Every thoughtful, indeed! So you
have remembered your old home at last |
How long has it been since you were
here?"
"Fiveyears ars"-pondering-"five years
this June"
''Is it much changed?"
"a good deal; the old willow by the
pond is down; it fell in the August
storm, CASTOR tells me.
"Oh, 1 am SO sorry! We used to-
she paused, blushing.
eyes" he responded, $50 we did"
And he glanced at her laughingly.
"And the house?" she hurried on
show does it look?''
"Awfully-everything gone to pieces !;
dust, cobwebs and mold everywhere; ;
the family portraits white with mil.
dew"
"Oh, Tony" she cried, chow dread
full! You really ought to do something
about them.'