Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-06-24

ABOUT A MINK.

week LlnQenthOrpe had been shocked.
Miss Mayne felt hurt When she re-
turned she had been homesick for the
sea and the seaboard folks, left be-
hind when her aunt carried her up to
London years before; and friendliness
was in her heart toward them. In
stead of receiving the same. she had
been met with envy and Jealousy and
all uncharitableness. Partly it was
her fault, partly theirs. They only
remembered her as the imp and scape-
| goat of the village, who played on the
rocks all day long with bare feet, and
they resented her grown up fashiona-
bility. She could not help realizing
that she was better dressed. knew
more of the world and was in many
ways a hundred years ahead of Lin
denthorpe. Then, again, Mr.. Silas Az
tenborough, who always did the right
thing, and whose actions, accordingly,
were viewed with an indulgent eye, had
seemed in danger of doing the wrong
thing. "Moonstruck," Miss Griggs de-
clared him to be. And the Mink wav
not even fiattered.
1t was ON Sunday that the shock OF
shocks occurred. To begin with, sew
| eral minutes after service had begun
Miss Betty Mayne walked in-almost
strolled in-as cool as a cucumber, and
clad in the most outrageously fine
dress, and stood in the entrance Gn-
stead of modestly finding herself a
seat) poking away at the stones with
green parasol, until Mr.. Attenbor-
ough, who was church warden-the
youngest church warden Lindenthorpe
had ever had-rose in his Sunday pest
to show her to place.
People were more disguised than sur
prised when Miss Mayne, after tanning
herself ostentatiously for some time,
rose and stalked out of church by the
front door. Such behavior was to be
expected from Mink. 1t was what
| followed that left Lindenthorpe re-
signed to anything short of an eafth-
quake. Miss Mayne wandered down
toward the beach in a pensive mood
and took seat on a bit of sandstone.
She was a pretty sight in blue and
gold, whatever Miss Griggs' opinion
might be. A church warden is at lib
erty to differ from a Sunday school
mistress on a question like this, and
Mr.. Silas Attenborough, as he walked
from church down to the sea, and saw
| the Mink on her rock, differed in toto
from Miss Griggs. He felt a desire to
rebuke the Mink for her conduct in
church that morning, but was it wise
to venture to the rocks? He WAS in
his Sunday clothes, and not very sure
Of foot among the slippery weeds.
Nevertheless, his sense of duty being
strong, Mr.. Attenborough crossed the
rubicon and at length reached the
sandstone rock The Mink nodded to
him. 81 saw you in church this morn
ing" she said.
Il zee you," said Mr.. Attenborough.
at was very funny" she went on.
1.-THE very first thing l noticed was a
chalk mark on your coat from leaning
against the pillars, and l do believe
you've got it on still"
This was hardly the conversation
Mr.. Attenborough had pictured to him
self, and he rubbed the chalk away
before replying.
at seemed you left church avore the
sermon?"
"Dreadfully ventilated, isn't it?" she
said, nodding. Il really wonder peo-
pie don't get suffocated sometimes"
"It were a powerful sermon"
'Short ones always are, | think. Or
did you come after me before it was
fnished?"
Coon after?"-Mr. Attenborough
was taken aback. He had hurried, GER
tainly; but he hardly expected the
Mink to notice that.
Coon after avore t sermon was
fnished?" He recovered himself indig-
nantly. 81 shouldn't think oft.
But"
you didn't expect to see me here?"
Since the Mink sat on a rock in full
view of the shore, Mr.. Attenborough
evaded what seemed a fruitless ques-
ton.
Its agreeable by t. sea here avore
dinner" he remarked.
"The same as eyer," she said-"all
Lindenthorpe's the same as ever-the
sea and the village and the folks They
might have slept and never walked
since the day l laft-seven years ago.
Oh!"-she reused herself to sudden
animation-"but I'd like to shock
them"
"Shock 'em?" said Mr.. Attenbor-
ough, aghast.
"Shock you all-because l detest
people who can be shocked. And il
knew for certain that | detested Lin
denthorpe I'd be content to leave It
and never see it again" She sank
back against the rock.
would you now?" said Mr.. Atten-
/ borough, astonished.
She nodded. "It's quite true" she
said.
81 doan't think I'm easy t. shock"
he said guardedly.
"You?" Sne shook with laughter
"You? Why, you were shocked in
| church this morning. You'd be shocked