The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-08-30

tary. When invitations had to be
sent out they were written in big,
bold, childish hand. The house
keeping accounts were balanced each
week in the same uniformed chirogra-
ply, but with the neatness of an ex-
perienced bookkeeper. Social notes
and family correspondence were fire.
quently trusted to the enthusiastic
little girl. Before she went into high
school she had begun to make herself
indispensable to her mother, from
whom club circles and society exacted
large dues. In school the girl added
eagerly to her other studies a portion
of business education and domes-
tic science training. Her one thought
was how to make herself as valuable
as possible, her mothers private Sec
retary. She had returned from her
four years at college with a poise of
manner and an executive ability in
household and social affairs which as
tonished even the mother. Her ma
ture was a large, generous, gracious
one, and Mrs. Oldfeld felt puzzled
over tie girls strange outburst of
feeling. She was sure she was too
great-hearted for jealousy it could
not be that. 1t must be the thought
of parting. She wished now that she
had broken the news more tactfully.
She had imagined Miriam would ac-
cept it with delight. She turned to
her desk to write the letter. to Mr..
Hawley herself. She sighed while
she folded the sheet and put it linger-
ingly in the envelope. It hurt her to
think of the breaking up of the home
circle and of Miriam's grief.
The girl returned from her tramp
in time for luncheon. The bracing
fall air and wind had blown a mag
ni6cent color into her cheeks and
whipped the rebellious strands of her
hair into clustering curls, but there
was new thoughtfulness and shade
of trouble about the glowing face
which the mother felt rather than
saw. She did not speak again of the
prospective wedding, tactfully set
ting it aside for other topics. Late
in the afternoon Mrs. Oldfeld drove
to the depot to meet her young sister,
who was returning from a few days
visit in Boston.
do not speak to Miriam of the
engagement, said Mrs. Oldfeld,
while the horse logged leisurely
homeward.
"Why?" asked Elizabet with sur
prise.
"She feels the breaking of sisterly
ties far more than I had any idea she
would. have seldom seen her give
way so completely as she did today.
Let her come to you and talk it over
when she feels like it.
That night Miriam came. Eliza
beth sat cur1ed up in big chair be-
fore cracking wood fire. She was
a luxurious creature, who loved
warmth and color and beauty. She
had tossed a few sticks of driftwood
among the glowing embers. Long
tongues of blue and green flame shot
up like weird illumination. Miriam
drew low chair in front of the
hearth and wrapped her arms about
her knees. It was another childish
pose which had clung to her. Eliza
beth smiled when she noticed it.
II suppose you are very happy,
Elizabeth" 7" said the girl slowly,
"and I ought to say all sorts of love-
ly things to make you-happy. That
is the custom, is it not 7"
eyes, only I want you to feel your
congratulations, Miriam. You will,
1 think, when you come to know
Robin-as we'll as do"
"Tell me all about it-where you
met him, when you were engaged
and everything"
Elizabeth smiled happily.
IT met Rob two years ago in Switz-
erland, when your mother and I were
coaching with the Hamiltons. Invent
back to my studies in Paris. We
corresponded in a friendly sort of
way until last spring. One afternoon
when I left Marchesi's he was wait
ing for me on the sidewalk. I had
fancied him in America; I could not
believe for a minute it was Robin.
That evening he asked me to marry
him. We agreed to keep it secret.
He is associated in business with an
old uncle who does not want him to
marry, and I-"Elizabeth laughed
blithely-"well, I had talked so idiot
ically for years about being welded
to my art that well, I did not feel
like announcing our engagement i'm
mediately. did not tell even sister
Anna"
"When did Mr.. Hawlew go to
Paris?" asked Miriam slowly.
EARLY in April" said Elizabeth.
''It was in March, wasn't it, that
the papers told of your inheriting
Grandmother Weir's fortune?'
"Shame on you, Miriam p cried
the elder girl, angily. She jumped
from the chair and drew herself to a
full, slender height.
Elizabeth, do not be angry |"
pleaded her niece. ''I want to be
quite sure the man who takes you
away from our home is worthy of
you."
"He is" said Elizabeth decidedly.
"My money does not come into Rob's
consideration. He will be wealthy
man himself at his uncle's death.
There is no need for him to marry
rich wife"
Forgive me !" pleaded the girl by
her side. She laid Elizabeth's white
hand against her cheek and patted it
gently.
GtYl.-.