Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-01-09

STOPPING dotrn, she kissed the hard, cold
forehead.
York TO give my final directions. That's
all Go and see il the gentleman who
came with me has returned from the
station.
The girl obeyed. Left entirely alone,
Miss Desborough glanced around the
room and then went quietly mp to the
unlidded coffin. The repose Of death
had softened the hard lines Of the old
mans mouth and brow into resem-
blance she now more than ever under
stood. She had stood thus, only few
years before, looking at the same face
in gorgeously inlaid mahogany casket,
smothered amid costly flowers and sur
rounded by friends attired in all the
luxurious trappings Of woe, yet now
the same face that was rigidly upturned
to the bare thatch and rafters OF that
crumbling cottage, herself its only COM
panion. She lifted her delicate veil with
both hands and, STOPPING down, kissed
the hard, cold forehead without tre-
NOR. Then she dropped her veil again
over her dry eyes, readjusted II in the
little, cheap, black framed mirror that
hung against the wall and opened the
door as the granddaughter returned.
The gentleman was just coming from
the station.
Remember TO look out for me at
York" said Miss Desborough, extend
ing her gloved hand. "Goodby till
then The young girl respectfully
touched the ends Of Miss Des5orough's s
fingers. dropped. courtesy, and Miss
Desborough rejoined the consul.
"You have barely time to return to
the Priory and see to your luggage,
said the consul, ''if you must go. But
let me hope that You have changed your
mind"
81 have not changed my mind, said
Miss Desborough quietly, "and my lug
gage is already packed" After a pause
she said thoughtfully, ''I've been won
dering"-
What 7" said the consul eagerly.
"I've been wondering if people
brought up to speak in certain dialect
where certain words have their own
significance and color and are part Of
their own lives and experience, IL even
when they understand another dialect
they really feel any sympathy with it
or the person who speaks ii. F"
"Apropos off" asked the consul.
"These people I've just left. / don't
think / quite felt with them, and /
guess they didn't feel with me-.
But" said the consul laughingly,
"you know that we Americans speak
with q decided dialect of our own and
attach the same occult meaning to it,
Yet, upon my word, I think that Lord
Beverdale-cr shall l say Lord Alger-
non would not only understand that
American word guess as you mean it,
but would perfectly sympathize with
YOU"
Miss Desborough's eyes sparkled even
through her veil as she glanced at her
companion and said
81 guess not.
As the ''tea" party had not yet re-
turned, it fell to the consul to accom-
pany Miss Desborough and her maid to
the station But here he was startled
to find a collection Of villagers upon
the platform, gathered round two young
women in mourning and an ominous
looking box. He mingled for moment
with the crowd and then returned to
Miss Desborough's side.
"Really," he said, with . concern
that was scarcely assumed. 81 ought
not to let You 60. The omens are most
DISASTROUS You came here to death; ;
you are going away with funeral"
"Then It's high time l took myself
of," said the lady lightly.
Unless, like the ghostly monk, you
came here on mission and have full
allied IL. |"
perhaps have. Goodby."
In spite Of the bright and character
istic letter which Miss Desborough left
for her host-a letter which mingled
her peculiar shrewd sense with her hu-
morous extravagance Of expression
the consul spent somewhat uneasy