The Globe-republican., 1902-12-11
MRS HAROLD STAGG.
1seoan d1ssby Robert tBonners -

L x,
by that time, seeing no one knew her |
father here, SO that it wouldn't shock |
anybody eIse's feelings it would be |
perfectly proper. If she were like |
most girls, 1 should naturally advise, |
on grounds of respect, waiting for an |
other year; but, you see, Eleanor was |
eighteen last autumn, and if she were |
to wait she would be twenty before !
she came out which, considering her
excessive shyness and quietness,
would be the worst thing possible for
her. I am afraid OF the poor child
becoming morbid. All she seems to
care for is wandering through the
woods or sitting on the beach by her
self for hours, or else reading 1t can't
be good for her. I like to see girls at
her age bright and taking an interest
in things It's to be expected that
she should mourn her father, but it
isn't healthy to allow her grief to prey
on her mind
1t is the green-eyed monster that
doth make the food it feeds on
Shakespeare said the young banker,
JOLLY NO, that's jealousy; but it
applies to grief just as well. You let
yourself get harping on a thing and
| it's all up with you.''
| Then you agree with me?"
| "As to what?" said Harold, noticing
his wife's anxious air.
| THE propriety of her coming out
| after the 1st of January
]
on will suit me, cherub- leave it all
| in your hands,
You have said you mean to give
her a ball. Emma remarked, medi-
| tatively.
80 do; a handsome one It'll be a
good excuse for throwing open our
new house."
well, then, 1 shall consider it set
tied; only 1 shall have to be thinking g
about her clothes at once don't
he obi
jectiOnS.
| She felt, nevertheless, a little anx-
| ious on this last head until she had
talked to Eleanor, who, however, said
that she was not competent to decide
as to the proper time for laying aside
her mourning, and that her aunt was
| the best judge.
Il should be very sorry, dear to
/ give you the impression that 1 was lax
in such matters" said Emma. serious
| ly, but think your future happiness
may be very dependent your com
ing out this winter; it seems to me
you do right in being a little less
: strict in following custom than in or
dinary cases.
Eleanor merely assented; but next
: day, when they were alone together
| after breakfast, she suddenly con
| fronted her aunt with the inquiry why
there was any need of her coming out
, at all.
? | said, in tone of astonishment- Then
t | after a moments attempt to grapple
= | in her own mind with the extraordi
/ | narinesS of such a proposition, she re
: piled, with dignity: Your Uncle Har
: | old depends on your coming out, Ell
. | eanor.''
/ The girl looked at her vaguely.
e L should be very happy without it,
n she said.
\ Emma surveyed the calm recalci
+ was still more naughty. She felt tha
d she was called on to combat a franz
O of mind radically out of gear, am
# that she must speak unequivoca1ly.
l. 1T is not question of your presen
= happiness or of your unhappiness, E.
T. eanor, but of your whole future.
r you do not show yourself in the worl
" and become familiar with its usages
II how are you to fit yourself for you
= | part in life, whether as a wife-fo
g | you are likely to be married-or, eve
z assuming that you are not-as-a
n | your Uncle Haro1d's niece and m
" niece?'
Mrs Stagg conscientiously base
- her argument on high moral grounds
= She had no patience with the cynica
, or misinformed people who habituall
=, stigmatized society hollow and friv
9 olous, or who declared that girls cam
~ out merely to find husbands Sue
- critics were either enviOus, or did nc
:, was too much the custom for those o
AZ the confines of good society to snee
;r at those on the other side of the heds
., without knowledge of their feeling
- and privileges.
~ But 1 cannot dance" answere
Eleanor, which was an objection quit
r apart from the real ones which ha
a prompted her to speak.
al Her aunt felt inexpressibly reieve'
;r Nis1ed by notions that are commO
of
Il Stagg had begun to fear that he
g | nieces scruples were born of ths
% | dreadful democratic spirit which a
10 | gues that a country school-ma' al
m without social experience is the pee
,s in breeding and elegance of any lad
"a | in the land Horrible visions of tn
I'd | consequences of such a STANDARD ha
n | doated before her eyes. which no
er oeameu oeneNoience on the cuipriI'
ar | she said.
: | Il wrote e last night 20 make arran2 .