The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-06-29
THE SELECTS FALL:

THE SELECTS FALL:
81 do hope, my dear, that she is
not one of those dreadful new wom-
en-"
'I trust not, indeed"
The dean of Chirchester peppered
his chop with a thoughtful air, and
Mrs. Carberry poured out his tea
with hand which absolutely shook
with apprehension. ChirchesteF was
a cathedral town which had not
travelled apace with the rest of the
world. It disapproved even of ten
MS, except when played mildly on
private grounds, and had played
croquet steadily when croquet was
dead, with lordly disregard for
the guests amusement. Now that
it had come in again they played it
joyfully, but still with the old light
mallets and wide hoops of their
youth. The mothers of Chirchester
read the new library books with
horror stricken looks and little
trickles of guilty enjoyment Crick-
ct hunting and the new "biking"
were things their daughters might
not do. Riding gently along the
roads was ladylike and permissible,
but the archdeacon's wife actually
blushed when a thoughtless person
asked her what safety habit her
daughter wore, for Louisa Holroyd's
pretty figure was hidden in an am
ple garment made by the local tai
lor, the skirt of which came we'll
below her deepest grievance, her
tiny buttoned boots. The archdea-
cons wife was the sternest and
most unbending of the .'select, I" as
the, country people dubbed the
church circle.
! The bishop and his fat, merry
wife had no children and were given
to laughing leniently at the vagaries
of the new woman. So it fell on
the archdeacon and the dean to keep
the select circle together, and.
though there was a twinkle in the
handsome deans eye and swing of
his broad shoulders which hinted
he had sometimes played brighter
games than croquet, that, as Rud-
yard Kipling would say, waf"an-
other story and, so far, he and
the archdeacon had been equal to
their task.
Today the dean was disturbed as
he looked at an open letter on the
table. The letter was from cousin
who was obliged to go abroad for
an indefinite time on business and
had written asking the dean if he
would give his only daughter a
home during his absence. ga bright,
pleasant girl; I feel sure you would
like her as companion to your own
girl, :" and if the dean consented she
was to come in week. How could
he say no9 He was to be literally
paid for his guest, and her father
was an old friend; he must write to
say he should be delighted.
"I am glad," said Mrs. Carberry
nervously, "that Cissie is away;
very glad. More tea, dearf" And in
sheer absence Of mind she watered
the teapot from the hot milk jug
and handed cup Of the strange
liquid to the dean, who looked at it
resignedly and rose, for he was an
equally tempered man.
eyes," he said, sit is an excellent
thing, for then, if the girl is at all
advanced, there will be time to get
her into QUE ways before Cissie re-
turns"
A week later. The dean and Mrs.
Carberry stepped nervously forward
as the mail thundered in from Lon
don and discharged it's living freight
on the platform; then their eyes Lit
joyously on a girl clad in the quiet
est of travelling costumes, who was
evidently their guest.
"You are Helen Adairl"
"Ah, yes, and you are Mrs. Car
berry9" The girl held out her hand,
dexierously evading the affectionate
neck which the elder lady would
have bestowed on her. She was 6
tall, slim girl, with big, mischle'
vious gray eyes and peculiarly
dainty hands and feet.
"Would you see to my things fol
me, Mr.. Dean9 Here is tho list.
And she vanished in the crowd. The
dean made his way to the luggage
compartment and had just finished
his task when Helen g voice sounded
sweet and low at his elbow.
Everything S there, Isee. Woult
you get special messenger to whee