Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-10-27
An Awkward Blunder.
BY SOPHIE SWEET.


which shook his fat sides and caused
him to turn II questioning and re-
proachful eye upon his young mistress,
whose views of life generally conceded
very satisfactorily with his own.
Out on Paradce road just where the
air begins To be sweet with the locust
trees, Frances met Mildred setting out
with her brother Stanley and his
friend. Lester WymHn. Mildred sent
the young men on ahead, in obedience
to an Imperative private gesture from
Frances. and then heard the story
of the dreadful hlunder.
1T was stupid OF me-" said Mildred,
with Il quicker of her serene brow.
But | don't see h,xT she could have
thought | meant to invite her. How
awkward for you to have to cXplnin''
"Awkward. | simply didn't explain.
She was SO pleased about the invita-
ton. She thought YOU must have
heard how fond she was of music.
And | don't think that good times
have ever come much in her way. |
chiffon. | thought you would rather
irny" II TO providence than to run the
risk of hurting her"
"Why of course. anything would he
better than to hurt her" said Mildred.
slowly. $50 far as the pink waist
goes. | could write to her about it now
She is perfectly prcscntablr. but wish
it could have happened some othrrt time,
if | had got to make such Il bundcr
did want Lester Wyman, who is Il
diplomats son and accustomed to the
incest people everywhere, to meet the
very cream of Old lIarbor society"
she's the very crramicst thing in
the town. so far as looks 30, and he
need never know that IL drcssmaking
sign hangs out over her door. Give
the girl Il good time. and don't take
it so hard" said Frances, sagrly. as
she touchrdthc fat pony with the whip.
"'Hey. Betty Martin. tiptoc fine" "
The little hard worked mother gave her
girl a playful push toward the long
mirror. and the mirror reflected the
prettieSt gown that its experience had
| known. 1t was of pale blue silk mus
| lin over pale blue silk, and to its girl
ish simplicity was added the indcin-
able quality known rs "Style.' The
slip of Il girl. her blue eyes wide with
half-incrrdulous delight. looked like
a princcsS-Or rather as a princess
ought to look and is no more likely to
look than any one else.
But as Betty turned away from the
mirrOr--away, also from her mothers
cycs-the delight faded suddenly. as Il
candle is blown out by the wind, and
| the sensitive little peaked chin quiv.
cred with a haunting rcccollcction of
the expression on Frances Pcnlnllow's
face and the forced tone OfhcrcOngrat.
ulations. There had been IL mistake
made, somehow. 1t was not likely
that Miss Brewster had meant to III
wife her.
She said that TO herself at one mo-
mcnt, and tried to think the next that
she had grown morbid and fancful
by much brooding over Frances Pen
hallow's look of surprisc-n look of
surprise, that was all. She had not
known of the invitation. B tty had
not brcnthed n hint of her suspicion
to her mother, whose delight had been
even greater than her own.
81 would go. for her sake over red
hot pillow shares" Betty said to her.
self. giving little kick to her brautl-
full. shmmering. light blue train.
That train was gracefully carried
OH the night of the musicale. and so
was the small. asll-colorcd hcad-only
trihe too high. And II red and IL
restless spark" burned on Brtty's
cheek. But when she found. among
all the throng of young people, no
stare of surprise. or anything but the
fricndli"St courtesy. she gradually put
away even the suspicion that their
minds had been prepared, and was gay
with the rest.
Her heart grew warm toward Mil.
drcd Brewster and Frances prnhnllnw,
who, without singing her out I'M any
embarrassing way, constantly took
pains that she should not feel herself n
stranger. 1t grew so warm that when
Mildred showed her chagrin that
Madame D'Almnti. the charming sing
or OF English ballads had failed to APP
pear. she threw her Shyncss to the
winds and said. with evidently Il SIM
pie CagrrnCSS to DO Of service: "Oh |
can sing bnllnhS--if you think anyone
w,lld care to hear me. | have not Il
large voice. but it has been trained. l
have an uncle who is Il musician"
"If--if YOU will he so good fnltcrcd
Mildred, polite. but MS she nfterwHrd
confessed to Frances PrnhallOw, feel
ing IAN awful dread"
But the awful dread" was quite un.
necessary. Betty had not. rs she said,
II largo voice. hut it had the thrilling,
pathetic quality. the wild. weird
sweetness found seldom except in an
Irish voice. and most effective of all
in simple ballads.
Betty made II success. Before she
went home. in !: carriage from the
livery-stable that WAS only n few
doors from the drrSSmaking establish.
mcnt, she had promised to sing ut an
other musicale in another of the old
colonial houses.
"Now we shall know what to do for
her." said Mildred. ioyfully. to Fran
ccS. whom she had kept for private
conclavc. Every one will take her
up. She can give parlor concerts. and
she can get pupils by the score. We
can get her to give up the drcssmak-
ing"
But when the plans were matured
and laid before Betty Martin, she was
grateful. but obdurntr
Il couldn't teach, il isn't in me-" she
explained. Mother tried it before she
married. and had Il dreadful struggle.
And father was Il lawyer, when he