Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-06-01
CHAPTER XVIII.


those mysterious recepta"lcS which ''-
cry woman makes and 40 woman uses
when she asked that direct question
with face full of amazcmrnt OhNa
was writing something in her Diary
which wild horses could not have m"de
her reveal when it was US.cd. Size
glanced across the table 10 ma tie
wide eyes of the crocheter fixed upon
her denuded third finger.
Il have given II back to Mr.. West
over" she said and bent her head
quickly to hide the importunate tears.
"You don't mean me TO under
stand
That our engagement is broken on:
Yes. do. Please drop the subject
Miss Malvina flushed an unbccomiug
red and looked very unhappy. Il can
but think, Olivia she began in an IN
jured voice.
81 know know exactly whar you
think. You mean that. seeing You are
trying to be father, mother. friend ana
brother to me all in one, you dear. good
Miss Malvina. you are entitled to more
respectful treatment. | think so too
But it is hard to talk on some subjects.
have just made up my mind that |
don't want to marry anybody. | think
you are the wiseSt woman | know. /
am going to do just like You.
ooh, but, my dear, you just can't.
Cannot
"No. You see things are entirely diff
ferent with you. Some women are put
into the world just to fill up chinkS-
substitutes, as it were for better things
that are unattainablc. That's me. The
Lord makes them plain, SO that they
shan't be tempted by mans homage to
forget what they are put here for, and
meek, so that they shall not diSdain
their mission. I'm only chink filler,
my dear. Other women lie makes so
pretty that they must be loved, SO
tender that they must be lowered un-
der sheltering wings so sweet that il
is happiness just to do for them. That
is you. You could no more ill my
place, Ollie, than could fill yours"
Ollie looked at her disconsolately
mo, u0n't kAppus l..at " any
chink in the world SO snuA that
could fill it respectfully"
"No, but you can have your pick ani
choice of lovers"
81 have made my choice"
Miss Malvina's face was fairly IL
Illuminated With that flashing rinl
gone and Westover eliminated, wa!
the road made clear for her dear Tom
Almost involuntarily she called til,
name aloud. Olivia recoiled with ;
frOWn.
Don't mention his name. l hay,
chosen you. You and | are going Il
live on just this way until YOU get t.
be an old lady hObbling about with
stick and | am wearing nose glasses
You will have to wear mob cap, be
cause you won't have any hair at all
and | will have just a few gray wisp
left. I'm never going to marry any
body"
"You ridiculous childw said Mis-
Malvina and fell to crocheting again
with an inscrutable smile hOyerin
about her thin lips.
The first snow of approaching wiz
ter was powdering the earth whe
Olivia dispatched letter to Thoma
BroXton. She wrote:
Dear Thomas-Miss Malvina and start fl
Nice in about two weeks time We will sper
the winter there. She has cough that max
me very uneasy. DIR. GOyan recommends Mic
but she will not consent to go without me. 81
has been everything to me since my father die
and all my other friends forsook me.
She begs me to ask you if you cannot find tin
to spend one evening with us before start. 81
says am to ask you to come at once. She esp
ciay wants to see you, and a refusal will q
her great pain. We had hoped you would con
to see us some time without waiting for form
invitation, but since you have not we are sendlI
the invitation. We understand that you
Of the busiest men in the world and that
have invented something that is going to III,
you rich and famous. Come and tell us all abo
It for auld lang syne's sake. Your friends
MALyINA SPILLMAN AND OLIVIA MATTHEWS,
With the pen suspended over h,
own signature Olivia fell into a sol
Der reverie. Quite year now SIM
her father with his last breath HI
hidden her marry this man, almost
long since, in the spirit of compromis
she had sent from her the man 81
loved and declared her intention
marry no one. Surely the hurt 81
had inflicted UPON herself might
taken as eXpation for lack of OF
dience. If she had denied Thorn
happiness, she had also denied it
herself.
Would Clarence come back, as
had said he would? She doubted it. 5
marveled languidly at her own ut
Indifference to his coming. Was $
becoming like Miss Malvina in i
frank Indifference to all men? S
back to Broxton Hall, for Jeanne h
come once to see her, only once, to |
braid her for her maltreatment
"poor dear Carrie" But from him nj
er word had come back. OF him
papers kept her well informed.
Now he was in St. Petersburg, agi
in Florence. Then a woman's MAJ
crept in, and the Vaudeville MOrni
News Informed its readers that
mors from Il reliable source announ(
the pleasant fact that when Mr.. CT
ence WestOver did return to Amer
BroXton Hall would become the no
of lovely Parisienne. The lady "
the foreign born daughter of one ii
American ambassador to France.
Ollie had read this item among
local brevities and had passed
mornings paper across to Miss NJ
VIVA. Miss Malvina had read it q
looked at the girl so timidly that o
had laughed aloud. you are watch
to see me swoon? | am wondering l
self why don't feel any of the pro
emotions on the occasion. 1t must