The record-union., 1899-10-08
A WATER HYMPH.

She stood silhouetted against the sky
line, 1.-the, supple figure in an old lilac
print frock barely reaching her slim
ankles; the golden gleam of the setting
sun full in her sea green eyes, and
furnishing the pale yellow of her hair.
One brown hand was raised to partly
shield her eyes from the glare of the
sunset, and in the other she held a
thin switch, more from custom than
anything else, for the COWS needed no
| goading to persuade their homeward
steps, albeit, they took the journey
! slowly enough. But she was in no
hurry tonight, so they browsed un-
checked while she stood and let her
gaze wander over the broad expanse Of
fen, a landscape she had every oppor-
tunity of studying for the Is years she
had lived in it, but until tonight she
had taken it's varying features as part
of the day; tonight they stood out
and pictured themselves on her brain
so that she always remembered the
great plain as it looked on that June
evening.
Before her stretched the long level
acres of pasture land, intersected with
/
sunset, where their placid bosom lay
uncovered by the broad leaves of the
yellow water lily, or by the shadow of
the tall iris, and giving no sign of the
! treacherouS black mud in their quiet
depths. Beyond stretched the river,
like FURNISHED sword blade, winding
in and out among the pastures; in the
! far distance one or two homesteads
reposed among a belt of trees; beyond
that again, the uplands, belts or fir
trees, field of barley, overgrown with
charlock, and over all the faint, sweet
smell of hay, which fingers in the mem
ory as nothing else can, recalling peace
ful summertides, and the dreams of
youth. A partridge rose suddenly with
a whir-r-r, rousing her from her rev.
erie, and with word to the patient
animals she continued her homeward
way.
II think it is perfectly barbarous to
expect people to live in town in the
summer, when the country is SO pic
| turesque and SO much more desirable in
every way!'
! So spake Mr.. Glaisby, who was moth
ing in particular but wore an eyeglass,
a frock coat and vanished hoots and
was generally to be found at Bohemian
gatherings such as the one in progress
at Mrs. Barry's flat in Victoria street.
Why don't you toddle off, Glaisby?"
inquired his neighbor unfeelingly, in
that I-don't think you d. be- missed tone
which is so irritating. You're just the
| figure for haymaking"
The maid who was handing him
cream with which to dilute his tea
started, thereby arresting his attention.
she remembered that they were carting
the hay in the old meadow to-day.
Did you ever make hay?" he in
quired, Glaisby having turned to more
appreciative listener
Yes, sir she replied, quietly.
so did T. helping himself literally
to cream. It's jolly fun, too''
His eyes wandered from her face to
her sunburned hand, and he remember
ed that she was his aunt's new fad, a
real country girl, just imported, and
! he watched her meditatively as she re-
traced her steps to the tea table. con-
trasting her with the long line of
French or Swiss maids her predeces-
sors, then dwelling again on her pale
yellow hair, and sea green eyes-for he
was en- artist.
People were fast taking their leave.
and in a short time he and Mrs Barry
were alone. She had hidden the last
guest an effusive farewell and sunk
into chair with big sigh of relief,
when she became conscious of her
nephew's smooth, dark head, just Wis
! ible above some amber cushions; for
I had n n hpr4 md
waiting until she should recover suffi-
ciently to enter into conversation.
Good gracious, Cress," she said, ''I
thought you went an hour ago"
NO" he replied; I'm going to stay
| to dinner"
Then you must want something or
other, you wretched man; you haven't
dined here for six months. What is t?''
Sydney Cresswell rose, and took an
| other chair near his aunt.
"A model
Want me for model?"
"No-not exactly"
BE plain, Cress, I'm only going to
give you two minutes. [ must lie down
for half an hour before dinner, if I'm
to hear 'Lohengrin' tonight
You've got the water nymph I've
been looking for.
Where? You speak as if I kept an
aquarium"
I She poured out tea and brought me
/ cream which was as unlike the gehu-
Inc article as any / ever tasted-you
must change your milkman, my dear
aunt"
Never mind the milkman-he is very
-suffering-be explicit
You have a little country girl"
Mary Emma Porter"
Spare me! She should be called I'm
dine"
! They don't do it in the part she
comes from-what do you want with
Porter?"
ITO paint her"
| Ridiculous" Mrs. Barry rose wear
| ily Don't be absurd, Cress! / made
myself responsible for her to her faith
er very worthy farmer, who brought
her up"
We'll, 1 don't suppose for a moment
any one elses father brought her up. y
| Peace! l mean to town.
Also, l am not proposing to adopt
! her..
1T is the same thing
Il must paint her"
"As a water sprite?''
| "Nymph.'
But they don't wear''-
H m! Lend me her face. I'll be dis
| cretion itself"
She may be frightened"
"Of me?"