The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1903-11-07

The village Of Charlton Bishop wa
Ell fete with evergreen arches ant
flags and garlands Of flowers anC
bay. Welcome to Our Hero" Wei
Done Marchmont, Charlton Bishop
Bids Welcome to It's V. c. General.
waved from banners stretched across
the street.
| General Lord Marshmont, X. c. B.
', c., and most OF the other letters OF
| the alphabet was their own.
He was born and brought up in the
little creeper-grown rectory over yon
der, and in spite of all tradition aoou'
a prophet in his own country, Chari
ton Bishop was going mad today IN
its welcome to its world-renoWned
hero, fresh crowned with his laurels
after the South African war.
At the big house where the Naya-
sours lived there was excitement, tco.
Old Sir John had fused over Wreaths
and banners, and a house party OF
eager and distinguished guests waited
for the arrival of the heroS trium-
phant chariot 1t was an honor TO pc
asked TO meet Lord Marchmont, an
honor eagerly sought.
Adel Navasour looked lovelier even
than usual in her Pari. frCck and nat,
the rose color Of excitement and graft
fed anticipation on her cheek. she
walked to the open window ana
stepped out en- the terrace inpatiently
DO you want me, Adela?'
Grace Rawscn's position at Charlton
Great House was not particularly well
defined She was not exactly a poor
relation, not exactly a companion or
hCusekeeper She was vaguely de-
scribed as the Vavasours' cousin, to
whom they were kind.
She had been educated with Adela,
and when Lady VayasCur died she
took up the place OF everybody's friend
to the household. Adela was too say
a person nowadays, too immersed IN
her social round and her ambitions
and her smart interests, too occupied
III motoring, and being photographed
fol society papers, and speaking at
club debates to have much time to
spare for her cousin Grace. Yet she
beckoned her out now, and drew her
along the terrace.
Grace, | feel quite absurdly flut-
tered, like girl in her first season, dc
you know. | wonder how much he
has altered? One knows his face SO
we'll from the illustrated papers, and,
If course, he is older and sterner, but
le is even more handsome than he
used to be. How little one dreamed
ii today, when he went away from
Charlton Bishop that last time, a raw,
awkward gunner, just expecting his
/. one had known then!
But how could one? Otherwise |
would never have refused him. But
me never dreamed Of this"
Il suppose not, said Grace, little
lryly. Yet he was the same man
hat he is today"
"Oh, hardly. One really couldn't |
AVE been such fool as to follow the
rum with him On subalterns pay,
nd spend ones life as a miserable |
arrison gunner's wife. 1t was really |
little more than he had any right to |
xpect, even if we had played to-
ether in the rectory garden when we |
yere both in the sublime innocence Of
outh. Really, it was presumption then
almost impertinence-for him to
ancy l would marry him. Now, Of
curse, it is another thing"
'Is it," Again there was strange,
Amt smile in Grace's gray eyes, a
mile sad in its tender memory.
Grace, don't be idiotic! You talk
bsurdly sometimes. OF course l
ould not marry him then. Now it is
mother matter; of course, he knows
lat himself When papa wrote and
sked him down to stay with us, he
ccepted SO eagerly that it was quite
,uching. He knows now he is in a
osition any woman would be glad to
ave."
1T ought to be more than fattering
"a man like Hugh Marchmont""
Ajela went on, regardless Of any
ling but her own thoughts:
1T will be a kind of romantic com
for him-lke a thing in a
ook. Here in this very house, where
> had his refusal; in the very draw
groom"
mo; it was out here on this terrace.
ou sent me to tell him, because you
ould not do it yourself, Adeia, it was
rocious of you! 1t wasn't womanly!
was 90 young to understand then; l
n see how cruel it was
Adela laughed. SIZE had a musical
Ugh. and che dasnti'y snapped Of the