Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1900-08-02
GWeVeXeUe2e2e&eyDXe,
: Miss Letitia'S TTOuSS0aU :
\ BY Olive Winston Gage. 4
4AS&S@Aia.AzaAsa.Sae.Sa@a 90
I ETITIA HoUGHToN was going to

- her dear feminine friends said il was
% shame, a scandal, for Letitia to think o
"a such folly at her time Of life. Thes,
~ same authorities declared she was :!
. years old, adding there was no fool ik,
4 an old one.
T. Letitia was on the sunny side Of 45
y but did not look as if she were 40, being
E handsome, with a pretty home. a tidy
4 income, kind heart and q sound head
= The benefciaries of her bounty had
become accustomed TO consider her =
= spinster too confirmed a devotee TO
+ single blessedness to change her state.
- What right had that old thing TO be
, taken in by an impecunious adEenturer.
: when she had friends of her lifetime
who naturally expected-she had no
y kinspeople-to be remembered in her
, will, not that they were mercenary,
, but that they had a sort of claim upon
her.
Remarks of this kind were freely in
dulged in when the invitations were re-
ceived, Twenty-Five or thirty women
talking at once is rather confusing,
and as the speakers became excited
the comments became more personal
and assumed an il-natured turn. IL
was at a church sewing circle, and
tongues were flying faster than
needles.
An exceedingly pretty and richly
dressed woman, a guest of the society, |
now took up the cudgels in defense of
the absent.
Ladies' ladies, is this a modern |
| school for scandal, or a church society |
held in the basement of a sacred edi- |
| fee? You all have cause to be grateful |
10 Letitia; why should you speak of her
so bitterly now, because she exercises
the right we have all claimed"
Mrs Allyn Alden was a leader of So
ciety whose dictum made or unmade
a newcomer entering the charmed cir
Gle. Mrs. Jennie, as Mrs Alden was
generally called, was power and with
promptitude they proceeded to eat
their words with marvellous celebrity.
Mrs. Jennie smiled and babe them
good morning. On the way TO Miss Lee
titia's She made a gesture as if she had
touched an ill-smelling weed.
What a power of harm such women
can do at times! l do not pose as a
reformer, but I really would like to
recall the ducking stool for their ben
eft. Poor Letitia! ! hope she has not
chosen unwisely."
Her musings ceased as the coachman
drew rein before the pretty old-fash-
Toned garden of the Houghtons. Mrs.
Jennie was met in the yard by the {
bride-elect, whose fresh and fair com /
pleXion had defied the ravages Of time.
With her bright hazel eyes and wavy b
light brown hair, she might have il
passed for IS at most.
Come into the house, Jennie; it's b
lovely out here amongst the flowers. I
but l have some things / wish TO show A
YOU; the dress has come; / am too old Il
to be married in white satin, so select 81
ed a pink brocade trimmed with lacs. "
have never had so many pretty clothes
made at one time in my life, for never 81
needed 10. I don't think I'm envious. ci
lut when l saw all my friends hand V
some outfits il occurred to me that IL q
would be an inducemeut TO marry. Do al
you not like it?" s,
But where did you meet the man I
'ou expect TO marry, Letitia? ! would W
lot give my life into the keeping Of an al
utter stranger h.
You needn't be uneasy about me;
le's very pleasant man. and I'm posf- in
tive We will get on very well together; h;
rs for love, we are not young people. 81
md have said nothing about that. but al
We viii do well enough as friends. Did I
YOU notice that black and gold visiting Sc
silk. Jenuie?" r.,
Mrs. Jennie perceived that the bride n
.o-be preferred TO talk about her
'lothes instead Of the man she had
Promised TO marry, and made no other Dir
'tfort 10 drag him into the conversa- m
lion. Miss Letitia brought every article hs
Tor Mrs. Jeunie's inspection. &c
DO stay 10 lunch; I've so much 70 li,
Tell you yet. I want understood that mi
meant what I said when wrote on the ia
ards j didn't want presents; please W.
make my friends understand that. will
'ou' l know that they will want 10 ici
ave me presents; you can't know how br
2 LAD ! am that I am liked, Jennie" w.
Mrs. Alden would not shake Miss Le-
MAS faith in the professions OF friend bt
ship She believed sincere. but when n
heir spiteful comments were recalled
angered her afresh with them.
For that purpose Mrs. Jennie drove IN
Jack 10y the church. where She found Sc
The society dispensing She did not vi
i.ight but told them Of Miss Letftfa,s d,
wish. She of the sharp tongue gave a nc
'hrill little cackle and said: b-
THAT means we must give them
without fail; she's afraid we won't he
give anything, and takes that means Wv
10 make sure" f.
"Was that the reason You had no TO
lowers on the cards when your daurh-
ter graduated? Letitia's bouquet was Je
Weighted with a feweled butterfly. So m
'.ad you enlightened me; have won 90
Tered why that clause was inserted 10
put had no idea il meant exactly CD w
.osite what il said. II is never TOO late