The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-12-01


to hope she would ever look at him. l
never knew exactly what happened; but
he wrote to me, saying that the thing
was finally at an end, and begging me
never to mention Annie Lorimer s name
to him again. And have never done
so."
"What pretty name! Aud was she
pretty, too?"
81 never saw her." replied mother,
''but James used to say she was love
ly; dainty, exquisite, fairy-like girl,
as fragile as a bit of china, with golden
hair and blue eyes and lovely COM
plexion. She danced beautifully, and
was just the type to attract James, who
had always been accustomed to big,
strong women" (Mother is quite as
tall as 1 am, and my grandmother was
even taller
s'Poor Uncle James," [ said. ''It
is funny to imagine his caring for any
thing except pork chops and safe in
vestments."
He cared enough for Annie Lori
mer FIVE and twenty years ago." re-
piled mother.
When our Swiss trip was over and
we were settled at home again, l in
duced mother to invite Uncle James
and Miss Stubbs to pay us visit at
same time.
She said it was an absurd arrange
ment and would lead to nothing, but
she sent the invitations, nevertheless.
Father and mother always let me do
as like and have the things 1 want,
because l am the only daughter.
Girls with shoal of sisters don't
get nearly as much Of their own way
as do. People always think more
of an odd cup and saucer than of
whole tea set; and yet sometimes
think it must be iollier to be one OF a
tea-set, after all.
"You are too fond of acting as an
amateur Providence, Madge," mother
said; "but I don't mind helping you
this once"
Mother always says "this once"
about kind things she had done every
day in the past, and will do every day
in the future; but she seems to think
that the expression protects her from
the well-founded charge OF over-indul-
gence.
So Uncle James and Miss Stubs
came to stay with Us. My uncle
arrived first; and as he sat with
mother and me in the morning-room,
he asked:
SIS anyone else staying with you,
Jane?"
"Only Miss Stubbs, replied mother;
"and she arrives this afternoon. We
met her at Lucerne, you know"
"Oh, some girl that Madge took
great fancy to, isn't she?"
''I took a great fancy to her," I an
swered; "but she isn't girl. She IS
quite old"
"What a nuisance" said Uncle
James, in his sharp manner. 81
hate old women, and old maids,
especially"
"You won't hate her, James," said
mother, soothingly; "she is so quiet
and unobtrusive that you'll hardly
know she is in the house" Then
she smiled slyly at me, and I felt
my matrimonial plans foredoomed to
failure.
Atthat moment Miss Stubs arrived,
and mother and I ran into the hall to
meet her. She looked as faded and
washed out as ever, and as followed
her and mother into the morning-room
L sighed over the futility of my we'll
meant scheme.
'Let me introduce my brother to
you," mother began. James, this
is"
But before she could finish her
sentence Uncle James jumped up
and seized Miss Stubs by both hands,
crying:
"Wby, Annie! you don't mean to
say that it is you, come back to me
after all these years?" And there
was look on his face that the ten
derest pork chops and the safest in
vestments had never been able to call
forth.
Miss Stubbs was quite flushed, and
trembling all over.
"And it is really you, James? I
never dreamed that I should see you
again"
'sThis is Annie Lorimer that used
to tell you about, Jane" exclaimed
Uncle James. turning to mother, bnt
still keeping Miss Stub5s's hands in
his, "but why on earth did you call
her Miss Stubbs?"
Miss Stubbs answered for mother.
'They only knew me as Miss Stubbs.
James. When my father came into
that estate which proved such a dis
appointment to him, he had to give
up the name of Lorimer aud take that
of Stubbs; aud I suppose [ never men
toned that my name had once been
Lorimer."
As we all sat at tea together I medi-
tated deeply on theromantic situation,
and thought how sad it must be to be