The Lamar register., 1903-05-06
MRS. HAROLD stage.
Copyright soand by Bonners Sons
CHAPTER III.

very good humor. feeling that she was
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 unreserved
cheerfulness. She hustled. she gave
precise orders, and waxed indignant
when the shopkeepers disappointed
her; there was a 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 haberdashers and outfit
tiers and bootmakers and milliners.
Three days before the appointed date
everything was in the house. and EN-
ma 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 Baldwins, the first they
had manifested since their arrival, as
Emma said to her husband. Hitherto
they had accepted everything as it
came, in non-committal 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 part of Eleanor's
expression had lifted, and her eyes
sparkled as she talked. in such way
that her uncle remarked that the sea
air had already tegun to act as
tonic. OF truth 1t had; from that
day on she began to gain physically.
both in strength and appearance; her
cheeks lost their sallowness, and her
step regained its natural elasticity.
She was constantly out of doors; If
not disporting with her brethren on or
by the water, walking or riding
through the woods and fields, for the
place combined the attractions both
of the seaside and the country. The
boys had 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 or as a saddle horse. She had
learned how to ride as a child, and
she now delighted in the exercise, en-
joying 1t 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
Emma's side, in the victoria. There
were three or four favorite drives, in
the course of which they met a vari-
ETY. of other vehicles no less effective;
there was constant bowling in pass
ing. and everybody looked very styl-
ism. 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 was very kind of them, con-
sidering that she was not yet out; and
she went by invitation few times to
take luncheon informally with girls of
her own age; in the neighborhood,
where, after a little preliminary inter-
change of formalities on her account,
there was general chatter about per-
sons and things of which she knew
nuthing. and ladylike gabbling. Her
aunt returned some of these courte-
aies for her, by asking two or three
Of the young women at time to bring
their work and pass the morning, in
order that she might get to know
them better.
On these occasions there was no
of going out sailing or row.
Ing, or hunting for shells on the beach.
or wild flowers in the woods. as Flea
n.)r was apt to do on other days.
Sometimes one of the number, by
turns, read from a novel, while the
others sewed, but commonly they sim
ply chatted at their fancy work WITH
general reference to the one great
event that was uppermost in all their
minds-coming out into society. Sew
cral of them were half out already;
that is the bars had been let down SO
far as to allow them to appear at
college class day or some garden par
.y, and their experiences were re-
counted, with coy alluson to personal
sriumphs, for the edification of their
less emancipated sisters. To Eleanor
they were invariably courteous. max
ing a due number of polite inquiries
rs to her previous life, as to how she
liked the East in comparison with the
West; but, naturally, they soon began
90 talk to one another of the topics
IN which they were interested, and