Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1898-06-16

them all through the autumn. When
the Worthingtons come back we must
begin a series of dinners" or, When
Lady Worthing is here all the ladies'
committees will come to life again"
or most frequently OF all in justifying
any questioning act, Il am sure Lady
Worthington does it."
From such remarks as these, Esper-
predisposed to think that nothing
good could come out of Rilchester,
she pictured Lady Worthington 10
herself az tall, managing, masculine
English woman, and the more she
heard her quoted the more she felt
inclined to dislike her The only
thing which made her waver now and
then was the recollection of Claude
Magnay's great regard for the whole
family, but even this had little
weight with her, so contradictory and
cynical was she growing
But while she was daily becoming
more hopelessly miserable, relief was
on it's way to her, for Lady Worthing-
ton was not person to lose time, and
when once a project suggested itself
to her she bent all her energies to its
accomplishment.
1t was "All Souls Day. or as Es
perance had always been accustomed
to call it, the Jour des Morris" and
between her sad memories and her
uncongenial surroundings she was in
pitiable state.
A letter from Gaspard, full of ten
derness, only proved source of tears,
and Mrs. Mortlake's unsympathetic
curiosity and Cornelia's undisguised
scorn were almost unbearable, Never
had the purple drawing-room felt so
oppressive never had the day seemed
so interminable. Something, how
ever. of her old courage kept her from
quite giving way she sat reading
aloud to her cousins, mechanically, in
deed. but still with a firmness OF pur
pose which deserved praise, consider
ing her very slight powers OF self
control
Her thoughts were far away-now
in the crowded Partisan cemetery,
now in the hospital ward beside her
fathers death-bed, or further still in
the little graveyard at Mabillon,
where year by year she had taken on
this day all the flowers which the
wild. old garden would produce. Did
the peasants tend 1t now, she won
dered
Really, Esperance, your pronuncia-
ton is getting worse and worse. said
Cornelia, reprovingly.
Whereupon Esperance was startled
back to the present, and toiled along
YEARLY with her reading, her eyes
dim with tears.
AT last the sound of the door-bell
made itself heard Any Interruption
would be welcome, and she listened
eagerly for approaching footsteps. To
her great relief the door was opened,
and Lady Worthington and Miss Ne
vile were announced.
Whether it was on account of this
most opportune arrival, or whether
Lady Worthington's appearance fas-
cinated her, it is impossible to say,
but her prejudces were forgotten, and
for a minute or two she was as happy
and animated as in former times.
Lady Worthington was, at first, misled
by the smile Of pleasure with which
she received her greeting. She fol-
lowed out her preconceiyed plan, how
ever, and eXerted herself to the ut
most to keep both Mrs, Mortlake and
Cornelia at bay while Frances
made the most of her opportunity with
Esperance.
At first she was laxative enough
seemed delighted to speak of Gaspard
and Claude Magnay and fairly puz-
zled Frances by her apparent happi-
ness. In few minutes all was
changed, however; a brass band,
which had some minutes been caus-
ing the gray walls Of the Wears court
and the deanery to echo to operate
airs, now gave forth with much mar
tial ardor the all-inspiring Mar
seillaise."
The color died out Of Esperance's
face. She paused in the middle Of
what she was saying, and Frances,
fun OF pity for her, tried to invent
some excuse for moving out Of the
rest of the party.
What beautiful crysanthemums
YOU have IN your window. May |
look at them?"
Esperance gladly assented, and the
two moved to the opposite end of the
room, now arranged by the peryerse
housemaid in stiff rows, though Es-
perance perservingly tried to group
them after her fancy.
The brass band was now still more
audible and Frances was more
grieved than surprised 10 see that
the little French girls eyes were
trimming over with tears.
1T must be hard 10 hear ones
national song in a strange land" she