Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-06-05

long table was spread with cups and
saucers, and bread and butter. the wears
sons and daughters presently came troop
lng-a Ihrong of lively youngsters. look
ing like school let loose, except that
boys and girls were mixed together.
Tks mother of this motley group was
already standing in front of her own
chair, tail woman with quick eye, and
manner that was more curt and decided
than her husbands; the manner ss one
accustomed to rule, and whose hands
were too full to leave her much time for
the amenities of life.
Take your places quietly. children, !"
she said Felix, don't push your broth
err. Maude. move your elbows off the Ia
Bile. Victor. don't talk till your sister has
said grace. Now-father."
This was to the vicar, who. last of the
small crowd, was entering the room with
a leisurely step. His wife waited till he
had taken possession of his seat, and then
turned to small person who was en-
sconced in a high chair on her left hand
Say grace, Femie," she made her, and
tiny piping voice uttered a minute
Il
more the silence had ceased, and the
room had become like little Babel.
This lasted for FIVE minutes; but at the
five minutes end the door opened, and
another sudden, unexpected hush fell on
the assembly, while more than a dozen
pairs of eyes fixed themselves at the same
moment on Godfrey Helstone as he stood
with his figure framed in the doorway:
he gazing at the long table, the crowd of
youngsters, the piles of bread and but
ter. After a Few moments he saw where
jeanne was sitting, but he found that no
mighty loaf was near her.
The vicar rose from his seat, and greet
ed his guest heartily.
And so you have comet that's rightv'
he said. Il am very glad to see you.
Here's my wife. Mrs. Beresford, this is
Mr. Helstone. Give him seat beside
you. Come, clear off, my boy, and let
Mr. Helstone sit down. They are like a
swarm of bees, you see, sir. Little and
big, we have got them of all kinds. Well.
and did you keep long at your fishing
And what kind of sport did you have 7"
Godfrey gave his report For a few
minutes he and the vicar kept up a con-
versation together from their opposite
ends of the long table-a conversation
made possible by the silence that for
briefg space reigned on either side, and
then, as the buzz of general talk began
again, he turned to Mrs Beresford, and
to girl who, seated just opposite him,
had caught his eye almost as soon as he
had entered the room.
She was not jeanne, but some one with
far greater pretensions to beauty than
jeanne possessed--a fair girl, with dark
blue eyes and golden hair Godfrey ran
his eye along all the other faces that
lined the table, and said to himself en-
phatically that no other was like this one.
Was she a daughter? he wondered.
He said something after a little to Mrs.
Beresford to draw the information from
daughters with Mr.. Beresford this morn
ing. | am not sure whether it was your
eldest daughter-''
"Oh, noyou met jeanne" she answer
ed. This is my eldest Lillian" and she
motioned to the fair-haired girl, who smil-
ed little and looked conscious, Godfrey
thought
This appearance of consciousness anus
ed him. ''She is the village beauty, sup
pose" he said to himself. He addressed
some remark to her the next moment, and
she answered it with a blush.
''She is very provincial" he thought;
but yet he followed up his first remark
with a second and third.
They rose from table presently, and
the children began to stream out of the
hat II
here" Godfrey has already said to Mrs.
Beresford, and so. when they were on
their feet, she asked him if he would
care TO go into the garden.
The young people are always out of
doors in this summer weather" she said.
IF yon will go out with them they will
like it very much-and, Lillian, you might
see if Mr.. Helstone would have some
So, in two minutes more, Mr.. Helstone
was walking toward the strawberry beds,
and Lillian was by his side. Half a doz-
en- at least of the others accompanied
them also, but as it was into Lillian's
charge that Godfrey had been delivered,
he thought that he was justified in claim
ing her attention for himself, and he ac-
eordingly walked beside her.
He rather liked his position. and yet, TO
tell the truth by the time he had reached
the strawberry beds he had begun to
have an impression that Miss Lillian's
mental gifts were not great. If she has
the beauty, | suspect that some of the
others have the brains," he thought.
That bright-eyed creature that saw
this morning, for instance, has more w.t.
| should think. in her little finger than
this one has in her whole body"
And yet he could not help feeling that
Lillian was amazingly pretty, and that
he liked his walk beside her, though she
did not say a syllable to him that was
worth listening TO. nor express an opin-
ion that it gave him any interest to hear.
Ito be continued.)