Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1897-11-25

stood on the terrace among the strut
ting peacocks when the others arrived
"for all the world" Florrle said, as
though | "owned the place, and was
waiting to receive them as guests"
| should say my companion "a route
left me on our arrival, saying his busi-
ness was with the agent, and just as
the others arrived he returned, saying
the agent had given him permission to
take us not only over the grounds, but
through the court itself. Such a thing
had never been heard of before and
caused great excitement among US. 1t
would take me week to tell Of the
beauties of one of the most stately OF
"the stately homes of England
We all wandered at win through the
magnificent picture galleries and SUI
perb reception rooms; and then to
our intense surprise found choice
lunch awaiting us in the great dining
hall. where befrilled DANES of hun
dreds of yec . ago looked down in
naughty disdain on us, as though re-
senting our intrusion; and ancient
knights leaned on their swords and
seemed to look us through and through.
But the day waned, and much to our
regret the time for starting homeward
came. 1t was only then l began to
wonder how ! was TO get there; but
my knight of the morning again of
fered me a seat, and off we drove, leav-
ing the others TO follow. The drive
through the fragrant country lanes
was most eniova BILE, and my companion
very entertaining, telling me of many
foreign lands through which he had
Travelled, and was describing visit
to the ice palace OF st. Petersburg when
we reached the spot where should have
been the remains of my poor bike;
but search as we would we could find
no trace of them. I was greatly upset
at this, but my companion said perhaps
it was best so, and then my uncle would
not feel grieved at the state of his
gift. Well, quite suddenly feeling OF
great shyness came over me and be-
gan to realize how free / had been with
a complete stranger, and wondered
what mother would think of it all. So
1 said I would not get into the gig
again, but would walk home and make
my eNDldldIlOuS us btnl L NOu4N"
Ny friend would gladly have accom-
panied me, but this refused, and shyly
holding out my hand, said: ''Good-by;
you have been very good to me, and
thank you for helping me to-day.
But he ouly laughed, and said: 1T must
not be good-by, but only good-day, for
1 will be engaged with the agent at Cliff
Court for about a month, and | hope
you will let me call on your mother and
yourself" He watched me out of sight.
and as 1 neared home l wonder how l
could tell Uncle Thomas of the disaster
TO my bicycle; but there was no need
of explanations, for on reaching home
found poor uncle had met with sad
accident, having fallen from ladder
he had mounted in order to fasten a
climbing rose tree above his bedroom
window. One OF his legs was badly
broken, and he had received other Sc
rious injuries. Still, he managed to
ask me if l had had IA happy day"
when stood crying n bis bedside. "Oh,
yes, dear uncle, replied, 'the happiest
day in my life, l am sure" on hearing
which he smiled feebly and then lapsed
into ounconsciousness. He was in great
danger for weeks, and when my knight
of the picnic called l could only see
him for moment or two. He left his
card for mother and the rame on it
was MARK Urquart." Well, it became
a daily thing for him to call to inquire
how our invalid progressed, and some
times / sat in the old summer house
with him; but did not understand the
hold he had got on my heart till be told
ne he would be leaving in another
week, his business with the agent be-
ing over. Oh, how my heart ached
when I thought of him going away;
and he must have seen my grief in my
face, for he told me he could not 90
unless I went with him. In vain l
spoke of my uncle's illness, my mothers
loneliness. He would insist on speak
ing to my mother that very night, and
after quite a prolonged interview my
mother called me in and, greatly to
my surprise, told me she was quite
willing for me to be married privately,
on account Of her uncle's illness. She
said Mark had quite satisfied her rs to
his ability to keep a wife. So the next
week we were very quietly married in
4 neighDoring town, and then went 10
the Westnoreland lakes for week.
We had arranged to stay with mother
for another week before taking up a
house for ourselves; but as we Travelled
homeward Mark asked me if knew that
Sir Frederick, Sir Walters successor.
was to arrive that nirht 70 take pos
session of Cliff Court. l sad no, and
that it would be delightful for US to