The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-19

friends to come. over to the vicarage for tea
and games in the schoolroom. These artleSS
INVITATIONS were the only ones kltty Wa wSs
allowed TO accept. Mrs. Washington thougnt
she had good reason toIbe content with me
success of her plan. Certainly her gluuy
niece seemed to grow every day graYer, SOL
when their mother remarked the change
with satisfaction; they said that kitty was
missing Mr.. Fox.
singing students departure for her college
great outdoor entertainment connected
with local charity took place in the neigh
borhoOd. Mrs. Washington squeezed out the
money for five tickets, and appeared on the
ground at the head of her eldest four
daughters.
It was in the refreshment tent that Mabel
came up to her mother
Il want to speak to you" she mnrmured,
while pretending to smooth Mrs. Lushing-
toms fichu.
You feel the heat. Mabel dearest?" said
Mrs. Washington, deliberately elevating her
voice. The vicar was giving Constantine tea.
The tent was nearly empty. Take my arm
and come outside. Well, what is it, Mabel?'
Mother, Mr. Fox came back Yesterday"
rms young mans movements formed IN.
comparably the most interesting section of
contemporaneous history in the eyes of the
majority of the unmarried women in the
parish under the age off, decline to risk
a figure. In all his goings-out and COM
lngs-in he was watched, chronicled, dis
cCssed.
Did hep said Mrs. Washington, smooth
forsook the character she had arranged for
herself 9! hope he left his mother better.
He got here early" said Mabel, and he
asked Adelaide if Kitty wasn't coming.
Then he went away, and Henry Smith, who
has only just arrived, says she saw him
going in at our gate as they drove by"
GLADYS and lmogen are there. Young men
don't care much for this sort of thing. l
dare say he went off to try to get some ten
mis-. They would make four-with Kitty"
But Gladys and ImOgen were going over
to L. to shop, and Kitty said she shouldn't
go, because she had spent all her money!
Mrs. Washington meditated.
Il meant to go home after Mr.. Croby had
made his speech" she said in q, few mo-
ments. Il have asked Mrs. Smith to take
my place with all of you. cannot alter
my plans. l would not miss dear Mr..
Croby's speech for any consideration. 1t is
the next thing on the programme. Be-
sides, if, after all the pains 1 have, taken
undesirably, it will simply show that, for
the sake of Gladys and lmogen, she must
not be invited here agar"
A friend offered to take Mrs. Washington
home in her carriage. Sorefooted with
standing, she could not refuse. Conse-
quently, it was more than an hour since
and, in fact, left the grounds, when Mrs.
Washington at last found herself sunk
among cushions and bowling in the direc>
ton of Lilac Lodge.
Her first question to the parlor maid on
arriving was: Are Miss Gladys and Miss
Imogen still out?'
HAS any one called?"
Yes, ma am. Mr.. Fox. He asked for the
young ladies', and as he stood at the door
Miss Merton ran down, so he came in
rs he here nOw?'
Il think So ma am. They went into the
garden"
In a sequestered nook of the Lilac Lodge
garden there stood a swing. Mrs. Lushing-
ton, going out upon the deserted tennis
court ana casting keen eyes around her
soon perceived away at the distant swing a
CLEAN of white, a blot of black. A lady
has right to walk where she pleases and
garden. Mrs. Washington n''e crept along the
Shrubbery which led to the swing corner
AT convenient distance she stood still, a
screen of yew bushes in front of her, and
STOPPING slightly, peeped between the
boughs.
Kitty was in the swing 1t was not NOV
ing. The little white muslin frock and sailor
hat and pretty piquant face and big coils
of chestnut hair were quite still. man
in the completest and cOrrectest of clerical
swing firm. But it was not Mr.. Fox, the
kissing Kitty
Whether her own limbs or some miracu-
lous power conveyed her back to the house
Mrs Washington never knew. Five minutes
later she had sunk upon the drawing-room
sofa, and if l could think of any simile
calculated to throw light on her frame OF
mind l would adorn my page with it at
once, but my humble style is not equal to
the opportunity offered; l must therefore
leave Mrs. Lushington's condition to the
fancy of the reader and pass on, merely ex-
planning meanwhile that there was a side
often used by familiar visitors. Through
that door the curate, finding Kitty bored
and absent in his company, had gone almost
straight out, and by the same entrance the
vicar, an hour later, had come in.
Before long Kitty showed herself in the
drawing room. Mrs. Washington had had
kitty" She rose up (she was a fine tall
woman) and lowered over the hapless maid
Just now happened to go into the shrub
Ibid you. Aunt Marion?'
Il did. 1 saw you in the swing. I saw
Mr.. Croby." Sublime with scorn, WAS it
a green fly this timer"
Down dropped the head
No" whispered Kitty.
The head was raised again. Sweet fire flew
over the face. He'd have come in to speak
to YOU said Kitty, softly, but didn't
think you were at home. He's gone to write
to papa. We're engaged"
Men chuckled. "Croby's a rogue" they
said Who'd have thought of him pick
ing himself such a rosebud"
But any one seeing Kitty and Lofty and
Totty Euddled together in a certain great
old chimney corner chair at the vicarage,
and the vicar with. his arm behind them,
and the severe lines breaking up all over mis-
face in blissful confusion-any one seeing
this sight would have felt inclined to agree
with Mrs. Washington when she raised her
eyes to the ceiling and cried: Don't say
anything to me. my dear Mrs. Smith,
against the engagement. l am delighted
with it!''
She insisted that the wedding should take
place from Lilac Lodge. Such heroism de-
served and met with some reward. The
wealthy head of a tea-growing establish
ment, coming over from Ceylon with Kittys
father, and meaning to buy place in Eng
land, was invited to the wedding. He fell
a victim to the charms of Gladys Lush
ington, who looked particularly well in her
bridesmaids frock.
1T is an excellent match" said Mrs.
Washington, signing but you mustn't
think me selfish, my dear Mrs. Smith, if
sort of thing begins in a family"
She sighed again and slowly shook her
head. Constantia was disappointed; but it
appointment, the disappointment of diplo-
matist defeated at congress. She did not
love the vicar-and Kitty-ah, lucky vicar
Kitty did. -Argosy.