The Winslow mail., 1897-05-15
BY MUTUAL CONSENT.

She was seated on the grass, with her
shoulders propped up against a camp
stool; there were two or three garden
benches standing about, but she said
she preferred to sit on the grass-it
made her feel more country"
To intensity this feeling she had
clothed her fresh young beauty in a
marvellous organdy, so sheer that her
arms cleaned through 1t like alabaster,
and had pinned on her bright head a
great hat dropping with roses. By her
side leaned white parasol edged with
Lace.
Her companion, young man In ten
mis- fanneis, who was stretched at her
feet, had commented sarcastically upon
her "rustic attire" and hot discussion
had ensued, discussion happily inter
rupted by the arrival of servant with
a tray of iced lemonade.
"Ah," said Miss Gresham, helping
herself to one Of the frosted glasses,
''if there is one person for whom 1 en-
tertain an undying affection it Is Betty!
/ know we are Indebted to her for this.
She is one of those rare people who
always do the correct thing"
Betty" repeated Markland, lazily,
slipping his lemonade, ''and who is
Betty?"
''He has forgotten Bettyw cried the
girl, land has no more shame than to
confess it! Betty, who was always his
sworn champion and who has helped
him out of l do not know how many
scrapes. This is the effect, 1 suppose,
of college travel and society,""
Betty" again repeated Markland
"Ahw a sudden light sprlnging to his
eyes-'your old nurse, Of course. Why,
certainly l remember her-dear COM
panion of my youth! But did not rec
ognize her by so common a title. To
me she always seemed a benefcent
genius, a good angel, rather than an
ordinary mortal" He lifted his glass
ITO 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 boated
and swan like you used to do. I told
her you had given up dancing because
of the eXertion." She looked at him
innocently.
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"
ANY thing 1 do is interesting to her,"
she responded coldly.
''DO you know" he said, II have been
marveling over you ever since I came.
l Icannot quite realize that you have been
ten days In the country without being
bored. How have you accomplished it?
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 narrowminded way
of doing. Because you cannot exist
happily without your clubs and thea
ters is no reason why I can't"
Il never knew you belonged to
club" observed Markland, mildly.
"Have you developed into that wonder,
new woman?"
"Oh, NONSENSE! You know I was
speaking tiguratively! l mean that
am not welded to any particular state
of things-that l 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 you out and get interested in?'
How do you know there have been
no menT'
Il have your own word for 1t.
heard you refuse four of your best
friends permission to visit you down
here, and | inferred that the common
herd had been no better treated"
Yes she said, you are right. My
solitude has been uninvaded. l have
been resting and enjoying myself thor
oughly. By the way'-suddenly-"
told you that you could Gomez
mo one, but had to run down to
my place on business, and | thought It
would look unneighborly 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?"
give years"-pondering- five years
this June"
rs it much changed?"
"A good deal; the old willow by the
pond is down; fell In the August storm.
Baston tells me-"
'.Oh. am so sorry! We used to"
she paused, blushing.
yes" he responded, 80 we did,"
And he glanced at her laughingly.
"And the house?" she hurried on;
chow does it look?''
'.Awfully-everything gone to pieces;
dust, cobwebs and mold everywhere;
the family portraits white with MIL
dew"
.Oh, Tony" she cried, show dreadrul!
You really ought to do something about
them"
81 shall" he said. 81 was fond of the
plaC.2 as lad, and the trip down here