The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-06-10
AIaCk of Decision

Oman; but whether for himself, or for
the comfortable income that was his, or
for the quite notorious dearth of men
at Mapletree, or for the spirit of mere
rivalry among multitude of maidens,
who shall say? Enough that he was
loved-loyed by May Holt, tall, fair and
sympathetic, skilled to set bashful man
at case: by Mona Forshells, dark, ele-
giant, vivacious, warranted to wear; by
Evelyn Maynard, prettiest of them all;
by Miriam Pencil. delightful girl, not
beautiful. but merry and adored in Ma
plctre; by three Miss Warnings and by
four Miss Hewitts; by five Miss Jonescs
and Miss Nora Earnsley; by Ethel Birch
ington, and all mammals.
Now, am not prepared to hold brief
for Walter. AS the eldest Jones girl
said: why can't he make up his mind
this trouble? it's so selfsh!'' And she
stamped her pretty foot.
But the wind bloweth where it listeth,
and Walter had no wish to choose. He
much preferred to wait; and being per-
haps u humorist, perhaps a cynic, he
maintained an attitude of absolute i'm
9 Rafft,ai,ty' made piauant by the utmost
Holt, shot with Miss Forshells. sketched
with Miss Maynard, gave aims with Miss
Pcnnell, played tennis with the Man
nlngs, croquet with the Hewitts, biked
with the .Ioncses, rode with Miss Earns
ley, smoked with Miss Birchington, and
dined with the mammas as often as they
asked him and he could. Moreover, b.
their hospitality. Gave casual iuncheons
charmingly, gave teas the most delightful
from rare china in the midst of Chippen-
dale, gave little dinners admirably ar
ranged, at which each mother in her turn
was asked to occupy the head of Walters
table,
l ventured to suggest to Walter this
ning's dinner. more than once, if no on.
elSe's. But he merely smiled and said
AT any rate, it's better than being rude"
and he continued his contented way, til.
crown of maiden meditation, the desire OF
manageable Mapletree.
game So says the rough King in Ten.
nyson's "Princess." But what if man be
not disposed to hunt? 1t does not follow
there will not be sport. Walter was
hunted.
Miss Forshells took to golf, Miss May
nard shot, Miss Holt played tennis, Nora
Earnsley sketched, the Mannings rode,
the Hewitts biked, the Joneses smoked,
nell smiled, Walter waited, and I
watched the pretty comedy life had de-
v'sed for my amusement.
The pace quickened. It was thought
that Walter showed preference for golf !:
perhaps he did, and odds were on May
Holt. Immediately all Mapletree began
to play. There was a dearth of caddies;
school children turned truant; fortunes
were being made, and Miriam Pencil had
her work cut out to keep the place in or
der, Her caddies' bank, my poor sug-
gestion, l am glad to think. was in a fair
way of success, when Walter tired of
golf and took to sketching. Immediately
odds shifted on Miss Evelyn Maynard,
who, it was murDured, had obtained un-
fair advantage by being nrst in the field,
despite.
l ventured to condole with Miriam Pen.
nell on the closing of her bank, but the
dear creature did not seem to mind 1T
was frst-rate idea,' she said, but il
meant a new set of accounts, you know,
and I have seven already" Whereupon
SIZE laughed merrily, as was her wont.
-, The hunting season came, and with it
Miss Birchington. True, the three Man.
nings made heroic efforts with two horses,
but the distances were long, nor did they
look their best on horseback.
1t froze-frost was Miss Forshells'
cha1ce-she skated perfectly. The Joneses
did their best to spoil it by learning. Wal
ter was very patient, but fancy they lost
ground.
The Hewitts had an inspiration, tab
leaux-vivants, in which they posed with
Walter. 1.-THE Huguenot," Sir John Mil
lais' picture, was complete success; but
1t was rumOred there had been some RI
valry between the sisters, and that pa
rental authority had had to be called in.
And in support of this view it was point
ed out that Dora's violin was new, and
Daisy, the successful poser, did not 60 to
town that year.
However that may be, the tableaux
were repeated at the schools in aid of
local charities. Concerts and charity
filled the maidens' minds, and Walter had
to be consulted many times a day. Wal
ter discreetly referred all his clients to
Miss Pencil, who accepted the RESPONSE
bility. ut won't last" she said to me.
II wish it would; but while it does may
as we'll make hay"
She was quite right; it did not last.
Walter was called to town on business.
Charity grew cold. He started on a
Wednesday. and Miss Jones was at the
station with designs on a convenient
aunt. She took frst-class ticket. Wal
ter went third. Business took Walter
frequently to town, and travelling became
the rage at Mapletree. Miss Pencil
seized the opportunity; she took tennis
team to Hatcham to return at 7:15 by
Walters train. All the best players
went, and she won the match.
Then Waiter broke his arm. An am
hulancc class was promptly started, and
Miss Pencil gave instruction for a mod
crate fee, to the manifest advantage of
her seven accounts. "Out of the eater
came forth sweetness" I remarked, in
this connection, and she smiled. II like
to turn misfortune to account" she said.
No need to tell what flowers were sent
to Walter, what inquiries made. Enough
that he made satisfactory progress, and
theatricals were set on foot to entertain
his convalescence. Walter WAS asked IT,
choose the piece, and with consilerab'
ssangfroid suggested Patience" witt
himself as Bunthorne. az The chorus,
Twenty love-sick maidens," was i'm
mense, but dangerous. indisputably dan
gerous. "Do you think he is fooling us?''
asked Nora, at our first rehearsal. sIf he
were anyone but Walter l replied, II
should certainly say he was: but, being
Walter"-here, being at some loss what to
say. paused. "He certainly is blind"
said Nora Earnsley, and was content to
leave it in that way. Ill.,: .&
= However. I inquired of Miriam Pen
nell, for whose judgment had great re-
spect. "They none of them can act" she
said, EXCEPT Mona, 50 don't you think
I said. 81 4 80
Men don't zee everything va. her her.
8