Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1902-08-15

Mrs. Kingston yielded. she could r.
fuse nothing to this wild spirited Cous
In Floss.
II was hardly fair 10 put any young
mans consiancy TO such a'perilous test.
but Mr.. Richard. even while giving him
self up TO the full enjoyment OF the So
elety II this charming cousin. could nj
WAYS still his conscience aud reaSsure
himself by writing a more than usually
affectlonaie letter To NancicheL And
WHY should be send a too minute ae.
count Of their gay doings when he
knew that that would only wound the
poor faithful hearth Nancy had al
ready betrayed n suspicious curiosity
about the Florence whom he briefly
mentioned from time TO time and had
even begun to demand explanations.
why, you see. Nanciebel." he wrote
in reply. my uncle and his stepdaugh-
ter know very few people in London ms
yet. and as he is n good deal in the
city the time would hang very heavily
On her hands If tie ma,yr did not take
her about q little. Then Of course
have to accompany these two. / could
not let them wander about London all
by themselves. But do you think 1t is
any pleasure to me 20 go 10 the Tower
or to the South Kcnsington museumf
And then. again. when any people send
them an invitation the mater and |
are sure to be included, as II is known
we are staying with them. and ii is but
natural that in a strange house, II
there is any dancing or anything 20
ing on, Florence should count upon me
as hcr cousin. | don't see how you
can object. But you have such tend
ency to magnify tritles! When | eX-
press regret over our engagement or
ask you to release me, then you will
have Il right to complain. But in the
meantime you need grumble about
nothing"
Nanciebers answer TO this was writ
ten in dozen different moods. by
turns she was indignant, rebellious,
petulant and piteously imploring.
what is the use of keeping me
herc?" she asked. what is the use
of it? Did you see any difference in
me when you came down that day ex-
cept in the dressing of my hairf And
did you think it an Improvement, an
Improvement worth all this loneliness
and misery? Once you would have
said that my hair could not be i'm
proved, once you would have declared
it was the pretticst in the world, but
that was long ago-that was before
your Cousin Florence came to England.
| know you will be in rage because
| talk of misery. and you will accuse
me of ingratitude and ask what more
| want. Well, | needn't attempt to
| tell you for you wouldn't understand.
| But | can remember the time when
| you were more in sympathy with my
! feelings and when there was no fear of
| my being misunderstood. Once you
| would not have left me to pine like
| this. You would not have yielded to
| relatives. You were ready to do any
thing for my sake. But | suppose it's
the way of the world, and you, of
course, can't regret an absence that
! brings you so much and such charm
! ing consolation.
"Now, Richard, dear, don't don't be
angry with me. | hardly know what
| have written. | only know that
just hate being alone. oh, for the hap
by mornings and afternoons when
could sit and listen at every footSter
on the pavement outside and think that
any moment my Richard might come
in! You did not want me improved
then. | suppose you never think now
of the Rideford road and the lane lead
ing down to Shottery and the mead
ows. 1t seems long time ago now tC
poor me- | sit and think that never
never again there will he the long
still. beautiful evenings and US two OF
the banks of the Avon. seated beneath
the bushes and watching the boys fish
ing on the other side under the Wei
brake. Those were happy happy days
Will they ever come again, Richard
dear? Do say something kind to mi
when you write-I don't mean the kind
ness | get from the vicar and hi
daughters, but real KINDNESS, for | an
so lonely and miserable"
TO BE CONTINUED