Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1901-08-04
CHAPTER XVII.


On a broad green mead near a stream
Itself tributary Of Shaksperes Avon
a mixed party Of youths and maidens
with their more sedate guardians, were
!. gathered together for that rural form
OF gaiety entitled a picnic. Tea was In
active preparatiA. AID while the
youngsters busted themselves over the
matter and err icy ed each others blum
ders, two Of the party, both middle-ag-
ed ladies, sat apart, busted in an occu-
patton as appropriate as the tea-mak-
ing itself. In other words they we're
talking scandal.
IF half what people say is true,
Mrs. Gunter," remarked the younger of
the two women, a pale. eolourlass,
fragile matron, ct is enough to make
his father, the judge, turn IL his
grave"
The person addressed, whom the
reader met before, when she was NIL
ing the post of society stop-gap in
Paris. shook her head mysteriously and
answered:
1T has always been my oponion my
dear, that Francis Osborne's troubles
on the Continent unsettled his brain.
There is no smoke without fame you
know; and can testify that very few
people know half that goes on in that
house. I have always entertained a
sincere regard for Maria Osborne, his
sister. who was an old school-friend
of my own, but can't close my eyes
to what / consider her culpable weak
ness in permitting such a state of
things"
you know the family better than
We do, of course" murmured Mrs. IRE
vor, the colourless lady. Our ac-
quaintanee was commenced In Paris,
and you know my daughter Diana is
so impulsive, she fell in love with Miss
Rayne then and there. We met again
the following autumn at my sister
Lady Groves house; but | had no
idea they were to pe such near neigp-
bours. They have only been a year
at Beverly House, you know; and Mr..
Porcher, our neighbour, says that for
his part he thinks it has been a year
too long"
of course; Mr.. Osborne only came
into possession Of the estate on the
death of the philanthropist, Miss Viii
fred. He was like a son to her, she
used to say; and he has taken much
greater fancy to this place than to
his late fathers. which he has Jet I
can quite understand Mr.. Rorcher's
uIsapproval of him, with his queer do
mestic arrangements and his fads," and
Mrs. Gunter's shudder of disapproval
shook the camp-stool supporting her
not inconsiderable weight, until it
creaked again
rs he a Socialist, Mrs. Gunter?" de-
manded Mrs. Trevor, lowering her
voice as though fearing to scandaize
the pendulous foliage above them. 1T
would really be dreadful for the head
of one OF our best families to go over
to that lot"
We'll, of course, it may only be a
coincidence" whispered Mrs. Gunter,
''but Socialists certainly don't believe
IN the institution of matrimony and
Mr.. Osborne doesn't seem likely to get
married, that's evident"
"Oh, my dear" cried Mrs Trevor in
alarm, 'he is not much more than thir-
ty-three or four, is he? One can hardly
say anything on that head awhile"
Il don't know" responded Mrs. Gun
ter. There are some people who ex-
press great surprise at the freedom with
which he and Miss Rayne go about to-
gether"
Perhaps even she might have held her
peace, and spared tho world this last
eickening piece of venom but that hav-
ing had an invitation to spend a week
at Beverly House. she had not been
asked 20 extend her visit to a fortnight