The Saint Paul globe., 1900-11-19

! nef naJur3l de1cacy and ever increasing
! affection for her kinswoman causing hel
to dread the idea of appearing calculating
| or mercenary. AS weeks went by how
| ever, she did occasionally wonder how
! long her visit was supposed to last an(
whether she ought not soon to thinl
about returning to her aunt, who sh,
knew. must miss her sorely And whe1
! Christmas drew near, and still Mis-.
! ONetll, though uttering no word of he
own intentions, appeared to take it fol
granted that Molly had permanently tax
en- up her abode at the castle, the cir
felt enboldened TO speak
''Are You not happy with met?s' asked
the old lady, who appeared both aggriev
| ed and astonished when, Molly intimatec
| her desire to return.
''Oh, yes, very happy-happier than
! have ever been befo:e. But my aunt
misses ne SO much: I don't think
! ought TO leave her alone for. Christmas >
pray don't let that trouble you'' re-
turned Miss O'NeHl estgpriy; II shall be
| delighted to have her here, L assure you.
| Write and ask her at once; or stay ] had
better write nlyself-it will be the more
polite thing to do
A cordial little 4note-=Was accordingly
dispatched, and in few days Molly,
who was as much puzzled about her fu-
ture play as ever, had the pleasure of
That the pleasure was not altogether
reciprocal was evident before Mrs Mac
kenz1e had been ten minutes in the house
She was nervous, tiurTied. and ill-at-easa.
aggressiVely humble and at ethe same
time painfully independent; positive one
moment that she would be very much in
the Way, and asserting in the next the
great inconvenience a which she had
been to come. NIolly,ss diseomfit and an
noyance We're great, as she watched her
relative perched on the extreme edge
OF her chair, keeping her gloves on, and
allowing her Ven TO stick out at right
angles to her nose in the most unbecom-
ing way as she slipped her tea VIII, st
she responded with the worst grace in
the world to Miss O'Neilis cililities The
latter surveyed her calmly the while,
broaching one subject of conversation
after another With unVarying pUiiteness
and submitting to the repulse of her
advances without testifying either aston
ishment or annoyance, though both, as
Molly was convinced, she must secretly
have felt. vs.. l,..p. .l5t4.l4-s
Once alone with Molly, Mrs. Mackenzie
became herself again, and in witnessing
her affectionate delight in their reunion
and talking over subjects of mutual in
terest. the former forgot her previous
veXation. But at the sound of the gong
announcing dinner. her aunt's face be-
came suddenly grave again, and her
manner stiffened almost as much as the
fearfUlly befrilled and be starched tuck
er Of white embroidery which she was
fastening by way of additional ad0rn-
ment round her throat
Molly" she observed, IT am going
through this ordeal for your sake. II
is an ordeal for ] feel thoroughly out
OF place. [ am not used to great peo-
pie, you know. 1 have never heen in
in marole halls in my life before, and
L really don't know how to conduct my
self here. But let me tell You one
thing: L may be humble"
Yes, yes, do come along" urged Mol
~ The gong has stopped. and Miss
O'Neill can't bear TO be kept waiting
Listen to me first. Molly. 81. may be
humble, / say, but I have my own little
independence. While acknowledging Miss
O'Neilis prerogattve, and insisting (as
you may have obserVeD on Offering her
the respect due to her rank, I distinct
ly decline to be patronized.'
Very we'll, dear, all right" agreed the
girl, hastily putting her arm through
her aunts and drawing her out of the
room.
Il shall say remarked the latter
passing on the landing, and holding up
her finger impressively, exactly what
feel, and do in. all cases. as. Judge right,
while I am in this home"
Just as you please, dear aunt" re.
turned Molly, dragging her down stairs,
too impatient to argue with her But
Mrs. Mackenzie came to another stand
still in the hall below
81 hope Miss o Neill will distinctly un-
derstand that beneath her as I may be
in rank, 1 have too much self-respect
to- -e-.- ~ trrs7t-e
Miss ONeill is waiting for you in the
dining room, miss" said a footman ap-
pearing at this juncture, and addressing
himself to Molly 'She desired me to tell
you that it is five minutes past seven
All Mrs. Mackenzie's fine sentiments
were forgotten on hearing this, and she
proceeded at a most undignitied scuttle
to the dining room, where the mistress
of the house was already seated at the
table, having thus not only evinced her
displeasure at the visitors tardy appe1r-
ance, but avoided all disputes as to the
order of procedure.
The two first courses had been partaken
Of before Mrs Mackenzie in any degree
recovered her self-possession. her pro-
fuse apologies wearying her hostess be.
yond measure, while Molly, on pins ard
needles, made futile attempts to change
the subject But worse was yet to come;
her aunt's nervousness subsequently tax
ing a somewhat aggressive form.
When Miss O'Neill, for instance-who,
though too well-bred TO boast, and a way
Of making little remarks relative to her
self or her possessions from which fiat
tering differences might well be drawn
observed that it had taken two hours to
walk round the parry that morning, the
o1,xr int ~ ba
veyed was How large the park must
bew Instead of perceiving this, how
ever, Mrs. Mackenzie, fixing pair of
round, astonished eyes upon her hostess,
returned: Dear me, how slowly you
must walk I'm quite sure L could get
round in twenty minutes
After this, the old lady preserved dig
nified silence for some time, during which
Molly, wildly throwing herself !nto the
breach, let fall a series of disiointed re-
marks, all of which were either fatty
contradicted by her aunt, or yet more
speedily disposed of as nonsense
When the gold cup was brought as
usual to the mistress of the house at the
close of the repaSt, Mrs. Mackenzie s
astonishment knew no bounds. Molly,
who had been endeavoring to distract
her attention in the vain hope that this
little ceremony might. pass @unnoticed
watched her in horror as she laid down
her dessert knife ana fork, and stared as
though she never could stare enough.
Whether it was that Miss ONeilI was
touched by the agony of inquiry in her
| visitors face, or that she could not re-
| sist trotting out her favorite hobby even
to so unsympatheti a listener, cannot
be Defined but she forthwith launched
not only into an explanation of her mo-
| tiveS for keeping up this custom, but
into a general dissertation of the virtues
of old blood, the force of hereditary in
! fuences, and the" value Of Transmitted
! characteristics, with even more than her
| usual relish
At last she paused, and her auditor,
| who had for some moments been wagging
her head in vigorous dissent, observed
! that she certainly could NOT agree with