Rocky Ford enterprise., 1901-04-26

"Of course. my dear George. IL you
wish very much to have these people
here. they must be asked" said Lady
Caroline. regarding her husband at
tentively through the handle OF the
tsa-urn. The children had Just lef,
the room. 50 she thought 1t a good OPP
portunity OF finally learning his wishes
on this subject without the interven-
ton OF Mildred's rather vehement
opinions. 1T Is a dreadful nuisance
she said-''and don't suppose they are
the very incest people In the world
for the girls to know: but. II you sec
no way out OF the difficulty. OF course
there is nothing more TO be said
Nothing: II cannot be helped now
at all events Sir George returned.
running his eyes ruefully over let
ter which he held in his hand. He
was an old schoolseilow OF mine. you
know: and. when he expresses a wish
to come and SEQ me. what can do
but write and say how welcome he
and his family will be-
Exactly So assentr1 Lady Caro-
line. but IL Is n horrible bore for all
that. And how they are to be amused
Is more than can tell you. There is
4 son. Is there not. and u daughter!
Yes. n son and a daughter. As TO
amusing them. the young gentleman
will hunt. suppose. and probably
ruin one o. my best hunters before he
leaves: and tho Sirl-oh. I should think
she will do very Welt" said Sir George.
caYaiicrIy. Mildred will manas.
about that. aud will got ZONE fellows
TO meet h-r."
How did no make his money!
Lady Caroline asked presently. and
then began to think with dlsnay OF
what the whole countryside would say.
II was cm,nentiy artsiocrai!e. the coan-
tryslde. and never had II m yet intro
duecd within III. sacred boundaries OF
It's circle such a horror an family
polluted by trade.
Cotton answered Sir George brief
iy: and then indeed his wife f-i, tina;
tho cup OF her affection was full.
If /; only had been wine" she said.
hopeicssiy. Il am sure don, know
wha, Ii. Dcvcr!ils will thlns: and OF
course the sIri will b. uabearaolc. pS-
sidez'-wI,h n sight will be aueh
an additional expense"
True returned her husband. and
the lines laid by care upon his face be-
came more clearly defined: but. as
said before. darling. It can no; be
helped. 30 VIC mus; oaly make the bcs,
Of it,
Bu, Lady Caroline could no, make
the best OF IL just then. and so went
ou; o. the room TO consult with Mildred.
OF whose sympathy she vas certain.
tn. girl being NOR. opposed TO the
coming OF their visitors than even she
couid DO.
Seven children had blessed the mar
r!aEc OF Sir George TFvvanion and
Lady Caroline. First. there was
Charles. the heir. a great. tall. good
lopsine fellow. with a careless, s~ce,
temp-T-"as like his father at that
age said hia mother. as ever boy
could be-" lie was about tvcn'y.slS at
this time. and held a commission In a
cavalry regiment. After him came
Florence. who rcscmbied nobody in
particular. and had married during her
frs, srason-vcTy desirsbly indeed
Mr.. Talbot. OF very progressing APP
psasaucc-whcu he had any express
sion in his face. which vas seliom-and
the owner Of considerable property
about twelve miles from Kings Alb
bolt.
Il was always a great source OF COM
fort to Lady Caroline's anxious mind
that Florence had got or 50 well
before Mildred was old enough to
make her bow to the world. Had
Harry Talbot dallicd in his lcve-mak-
ing for two years lonser-as some
young men arc in the habit OF daily
ins-instcad OF coming TO the point
al oncc-iike much-to- be- applauded
gentleman. as he was-iady Caroline
would not have answered for the con-
sequences. Mildred. her fathers darl-
| ing, was so much more beautltul-such
a slight. exquisite girl she appeared.
with the darkest violet eyes and the
most enviable golden hair imaginable.
And ret. in spite OF all her beauty.
! sbe had not half the number of lovers
her sister Mabel could count. who was
barely eighteen. and not nearly so
handsome. Mildred being cold and
proud. and almost naughty in her man
usr TO strangers. Pride Of birth was
the rock on which she stumbled. Any
family without a pedigree. no matter
how rich and how we'll received by
socie,y in general. was as an abomina-
ton in her sight
In between these two came Eddie
xbn wa. about nineteen at this time,
n morry.rccklcss fellow. handsome as
an ApoIlo. and the acknowledged pet
/ .,,,o,,,s, all the women in the county,
far and near. old and young.
rJJi. and Mabel were something like
o,rh o.ber both being much darker
than the rest Of the family VINO Nt.e
|