Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-05-08
MRS. HAROLD stage.
copyrgh, soauds sai by sobcrt Bonner'ss Sons
CHAPTER M.

quite equal to her new responsibility,
and with nothing but kindness In her
kind heart for the three orphans to
whom she had consented to supply the
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 unfeserved
cheerfulness. She hustled. she gave
precise orders. and waSed indignant
when the shopkeepers disappointed
her: there was bevy of sewing wom'
en- In the house from morning until
night. and the hall was occupied at the
close OF each day by profusion of
bundles from habcrdashers and outiit'
tiers and bootmakers and millIners.
Three days before the appointed date
everything was In the house. and En-
ma had the satisfaction of beholdlng
her nephews and niece by marriage
well shod. well gloyed and well hated.
The sight OF the sca-they had never
seen II before-arouscd the enthusi'
asm OF the BaldwIns. the first they
had manifested since their arrival. ns
Emma said to her husband. Hitherto
they had accepted everything as II
came. In non.commlttal silence. which
was not otherwise than pleasing. but
scarcely cxhilaratlnE to their bcnefac-
tors. They ran about the beach and
over the rocks behind the Stages vii.
Ia. with the keen energy of mountain
goats. Even the perpetual sadness
that had become n part OF Elcanor's
expression had lifted. and her eyes
sparllcd as shc talked. in such way
that her uncle remarked that the sea
air had already L.sun to act as
tonic. or truth II had: from that
day on she began TO gain physically.
both In strength and appearance: her
checks lost thclr Eallowncsh. and her
step rcEaiucd it, natural elasticity.
She was constantly out Of doors: "
not dispoFtinR With her brethren on or
hy the wafer. walking or riding
through the woods and fields. for IN"
place combined the attractions both
OF the seaside and the country. The
boys had a Hailboat together. with
man TO give them lessons In seaman.
ship and swimming. and In the slabl.
was dainty little mare entirely at
her service. whether for use in har.
ness or a. saddle horac. She had
learned how To ride aA child. ard
she now delighted In III. exercise. On.
ioyinE Il frequently In the company Of
her uncle Haruld. who. though obliged
60 be In New York during the middi.
Of the week. was always with his
family from Saturday until Tuesday.
AZ least three afternoons In every
week she drove In state by her aunt
Emma'a side. In she victoria. There
were three or four faVoritc drives. Ir
the coursc OF which they met vari
cty OF other vehicles no less effective.
there was constant bowling In pass.
lnE and everybody looked very siyi.
iah. Her aunt told her who the people
were. aud made amusing comments on
them. Some Of these pcoplc called on
Eleanor. which Ahc vas given to un.
dcTttand was vcFy Kind of them. con.
zidcrinE that she vas not yet out: and
shc went by Invitation a few timcH to
take luncheon informally with girls Of
her oNn aEc. In the uciEhborhood.
where. after little preliminary inter.
change OF faTmalitica on her account.
there was general chatter about per.
sons and things Of which she knew
nothing. and iadyiiic EabbiinE. Her
aunt returned Eomc OF these courtc.
Eics for her. by asking two or three
of the young women at time to bring
their work aud pass the morning. in
order that she might set to know
them better.
on these occasions there was no
suggestion Of going out sailing or row.
ing. or hunting for shells on the beach.
or Wild flowers In the woods. as Flea.
nor was apt To do on other days.
Sometimes one OF the number. by
turns. read from novel. while the
others ECwcd. but commonly they sim.
ply chattcd at their fancy work VIA
general reference to the one great
event that was Uppcrmust In all their
minds-cominE out Into society. Sew.
cral Of them were half out already:
hAAmN - AA' NaiT NAA Aftu ltI upNn SO
far as to allow them to appear at a
college class day or some garden par.
ty, and their experiences were re.
counted. with coy allusion to personal
triumphs. for the cdInCation OF their
lrss emancipatcd sisters. To Eleanor
they we're Invariably courteous. max.
Ing a due number Of polite Inquiries
as to her previous life. as to how she
liked the East In comparison with the
West: but, naturally. they soon began
to talk to one another OF the topics
In which they were Interested. and
Eleanor. for the most part. sat and
listened. What IL more. she con.
tinucd to sit and listen a. the summer
went on, without contributing her
share to this particular kind OF con.
vcrsation. which supplied the cement
of sympathy between the other girls.
They continued to be very polite to
her. but 1t was evident to Mrs staEg
that somehow Eleanor did not get on
with them.
CHAPTER W.
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