Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1900-11-15
ABOUT A MINK.
How She Shocked the People of
Lindenthorpe.

O How she shocked the Teopie OF o
o Lindenthorpe. o
oooooooooooooo
Miss Betty Mayne had been back IN
Lindenthorpe for week, and for q
week Lindenthorpe had been shocked,
Miss Mayne felt hurt. When she re.
turned, she had been homesick for the
sea and the seaboard folks, left behind
when her aunt carried her up to town
years before, and friendliness was In
her heart toward them. Instead of
receiving the same, she had been met
with envy and jealousy and all un-
charitableness. Partly is was her
FAULT partly theirs. They only re.
membered her as the imp and scape-
goat of the village, who played on the
rocks all day long with bare feet, and
they resented her grown up fashion.
ability. She could not help realizing
that she was better dressed, knew
more of the world and was in many
ways hundred years ahead of Lin.
denthorpe. Then, again, Mr. Silas At
tenborough, who always did the right
thing, and whose actions, accordingly,
were viewed with an indulgent eye,
had seemed in danger of doing the
wrong thing. "Moonstruck," Miss
Griggs declared him to be. And the
mink was not even flattered.
1t was on Sunday that the shock of
shocks occurred. To begin with, sew
eral minutes after service had begun
Miss Betty Mayne walked in-almOst
strolled ip-as cool as a cucumber, and
clad in the most outrageously fine
dress, and stood in the entrance Gn-
stead of modeshy finding herself a
seat, poking away at the stones with
green parasol until Mr.. Attenhorought
who was churchwarden-the youngest
churchwarden Lindenthorpe had ever
had-rose in his Sunday best to show
her to place.
People were more disguised than sur
prised when Miss Mayne, after tanning
herself ostentatiously for some time,
rose and stalked out Of the church by
the front door. Such behavior was to
be expected from mink. 1t was what
followed that left Lindenthorpe re-
signed to anything short Of an earth.
quake. Miss Mayne wandered down
toward the beach in a pensiye mood
and took a seat on bit Of sandstone
She was a pretty sight in blue and
gold, whatever Miss Griggs' opinion
| might be. a. churchwarden is at lib
erty to differ from a Sunday school
mistress on a question like this, and
Tr Si1oS Acknowledgement hn 4
from church down to the sea and sah
the mink on the rock differed in toto
from Miss Griggs. He felt desire to
rebuke the mink for her conduct in
church that morning, but was it wise
to venture to the rocks? He was in bis
Sunday clothes and not very sure of
foot among slippery weeds. Neverthe-
less, his sense of duty being strong,
Mr.. Attenborough crossed the Rubicon
and at length reached the sandstone
rock. The mink nodded to him. 81
saw you in church this morning" she
said.
81 zee you," said Mr.. Attenborongh
gravely.
at was very funny" she went on
'"The very first thing l noticed was o
chalk mark on your coat from leaning
against the pillars, and l do believe
| you've got it on still"
This was hardly the conversation Mr.
Attenborough had pictured to bimself
| and he rubbed the chalk away before
| replying.
at seemed you left church avore t
| sermonr
"Dreadfully ventilated, isn't it?" she
said, nodding. 81 really wonder people
don't get suffocated sometimes"
ct were powerful sermon"
"Short ones always are, think. Or
/ did you come after me before IT was
! finished"
"Come after Mr.. Attenborough
| was taken aback. He had hurried GER
I tainly. but he hardly expected the miny
/ to notice that
Coon after avore t sermon was fin
ished?' He recovered himself indig-
nantly. 81 shouldn't think oft. But
| You didn't exDect to see me hereT
! Since the mink sat on q rock in full
! view of the shore, Mr.. Attenborougb
| evaded what seemed a fruitlAss dues-
| ton.
ITS agreeable by t. sea here avore
| dinner" he remarked.
"The same as ever" she said-"aIl
| Lindenthorpe's the same as ever-the
sea. and the village, and the folks.
| They might have silent and never wax
ed since the day | left, seven years
ago. Oh'-she reused herself to sud-
den animation-"but I'd like to shock
themr'
"Shock 'em" said Mr.. Attenborougb.
aghast