The Globe-republican., 1902-12-11
CHAPTER iii.


care of a mother. This care at first
appertained to their wardrobes- In
another six weeks the Stages were to
move to the seaside, and before that
time the trio had to be supplied with
an entire assortment of summer cloth
ing. They had to be taken to be
measured and then taken again to
have their things tried on, then the
things had to be marked and after
ward packed Mrs Stagg gave herself
up to this occupation with unreserved
cheerfulness. She hustled, she gave |
precise orders, and waxed indignant |
when the shopkeepers disappointed |
her; there was bevy of sewing wom-
in the house from morning until |
night, and the hall was occupied at the |
close of each day by profusion of |
bundles from haberdashers and outfit |
ters and bootmakers and milliners
Three days before the appointed date
everything was in the house, and EN-
had the satisfaction of beholding
her nephews and niece by marriage
well shod, well gloved and well hated.
The sight of the Sea-they had never
seen it befOre-aroused the enthusi-
asm of the BaIdwins, the first they
had manifested since their arrival, as
Emma said to her husband Hitherto
they had accepted everything as it
came, in non-committaI silence, which
was not otherwise than pleasing, but
scarcely exhilarating to their benefac-
tors They ran about the beach and
over the rocks behind the Stages vii
la, with the keen energy of mountain
goats. Even the perpetual sadness
that had become a part of Eleanor's
expression had lifted, and her eyes
sparkled as she talked, in such a way
that her uncle remarked that the
air had already begun to act a,
tonic. OF a truth it had; from that
day she began to gain physically,
both in strength and appearance; her
cheeks lost their sallowness, and her
step regained it's natural elasticity
She was constantly out of doors; if
not disporting with her brethren on or
by the water, walking riding
through the woods and fields, for the
place combined the attractions both
of the seaside and the country. The
boys had a sailbOat together, with a
man to give them lessons in seaman
ship and swimming, and in the stable
was a dainty little mare entirely at
her service, whether for use in har-
ness a saddle horse She had
learned how to ride child, and
she now delighted in the exercise, en-
joying it frequently in the company of
her uncle Harold, who, though obliged
to be in New York during the middle
of the week, was always with his
family from Saturday until Tuesday
At least three afternoons in every
week she drove in state by her aunt
iEmma's side, in the victoria There
were three four favorite drives, in
the course of which they met vari-
ETY. of other vehicles no less effective;
there was constant bowling in pass
ing, and everybody looked very styl
ish. Her aunt told her who the people
were, and made amusing comments on
them. Some of these people called on
Eleanor, which she was given to un
derstand very kind of them, con
sidering that she not yet out; and
she went by invitation a few times tc
take luncheon Informally with girls OF
her age, in the neighbOrhoOd
where, after little preliminary inter
change of formalities her account
there was a general chatter about per
sons and things of which she knew
nothing, and ladylike gabbling- He
aunt returned some of these courte
sizes for her, by asking two or three
of the young women at time to bring
their work and pass the morning, il
order that she might get to know
them better.
On these occasions there nC
suggestion of going out sailing row
ing. hunting for shells on the beach
or wild flowers in the woods, as Flea
nor was apt to do on other days
Sometimes of the number, b.
turns, read from a novel, while tn
others sewed, but commonly they sim
ply chatted at their fancy work VII
general reference to the one grea
event that was uppermost in all thei
mindS-cOming out into society. Sew
9ral of them were half out already
that is the bars had been let down s
far as to allow them to appear at
college class day some garden PAL
ty, and their experiences were re
counted, with coy allusion to persona
triumphs, for the edification of thei
less emancipated sisters To Eleano
they were invariably courteous, mai
ing due number of polite inquire
as to her previous life, to how sh
liked the East in comparison with tn
West; but, naturally. they soon bega
to talk to one another of the topic
in which they were interested an
Eleanor, for the most part, sat an
listened What is more. she cor
tinued to sit and listen as the summe
went on, without contributing he
share to this particular kind of COZ
versation, which supplied the cemer
of sympathy between the other girl
They continued to be very polite t
her. but It was evident to Mrs. STAG