Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1903-06-19

aA4i VI tii0 maj hCiJ maui ny q A4C4SJ
and exhilarating scene. To see their
sons and daughters so flushed and
healthy and happy gave them also a
reflected glow, and 1t Was hard to say
who had most pleasure from the game
those who played or those who watched.
Mrs. Wsstmacott had just finished a
set when she caught a glimpse of Clara
Walker sitting alone at the farther end
of the ground She ran down the court,
cleared the net to the amazement Of the
visitors, and seated herself beside her.
Clara's reserved and refined nature
shrank from the boisterous frankness
and strange manners of the widow, and
yet her feminine instinct told her that
beneath all her peculiarities there lay
much that was good and noble. She
smiled up at her, therefore, and nedd-
ed a greeting.
why aren't you playing, then? Don't
for goodness sake, begin to be languid
and young ladyish. When you give up
active sports you give up youth
II have played a set. Mrs. Westma-
colt"
That's right, my dear" She sat down
beside her, and tapped her upon the
arm with her tennis racket. II like you,
my dear, and 1 am going to call you
Clara. You are not as aggressive as
should wish, Clara, but still like you
very much. Self-sacrifice is all very
well. you know. but we have had rath-
er too much of it on our side, and
should like to see q little on the other.
What do you think of my nephew,
Charles?"
The question was so sudden and un-
expected that Clara gave quite a jump
in her chair. I'LL hardly ever have
thought of your nephew Charles"
mo? Oh. you must think him well
over. for want to speak to you about
him"
ITO me? But why?'
1T seemed to me most delicate. You
see, Clara, the matter stands in this
way. 1t is quite possible that may soon
find myself in a completely new sphere
of life, which will involve fresh duties
and make it impossible for me to keep
up a household which Charles can
share"
Clara stared. Did this mean that she
was about to marry again? What else
could it point to?
Therefore Charles must have
household of his own. That is obvious
Now, I don't approve Of bachelor es-
Establishments. Do your"
Really, Mrs. Westmacott, I have
never thought of the matter
ooh, you little sly pussl Was there
ever a girl who never thought of the
matter? 1 think that young man OF
six-and-twenty ought to be married"
Clara felt very uncomfortable. The
awful thought had come upon her that
this ambassadors had come to her as
a proxy with proposal of marriage.
But how could that be? She had not
spoken more than three or four times
with her nephew, and knew nothing
more of him than he had told her on the
evening before 1t was impossible, then.
And yet what could his aunt mean by
this discussion of his private affairs?
do you not think yourself" she per-
sisted, that young man of six-and-
twenty is better married?"
Il should think that he Is old enough
to decide for himself
Eyes, yes. He has done so. But Charles
is just little shy, just a little slow in
expressing himself. I thought that I
would pave the way for him. Two wom-
en- can arrange these things so much
better. Men sometimes have a difficulty
in making themselves Clear
81 really hardly follow you, Mrs
Westmacott," cried Clara in despair.
HE has no profession. But he has
nice tastes. He reads Browning every
night And he is most amazingly strong
When he was younger we used to put
on the gloves together, but I cannot
l. l. g.. 1.
cannot play light enough. I should al
low him five hundred, which should be
enough at first"
my dear Mrs. Westmacott," cried
Clara, Il assure you that I have not
the least idea what it is that you are
talking Of"
DO you think your sister Ida would
have my nephew Charles ?"
Her sister Ida? Quite a little thrill
of relief and of pleasure ran through
her at the thought. Ida and Charles
Westmacott. She had never thought Of
it, And yet they had been a good deal
together. They had played tennis. They
had shared the tandem tricycle.. Again
came the thrill of joy, and close at its
heels the cold questionings Of con-
science. Why this joy? What was the
real source of it? Was it that deep
down, somewhere pushed back in the
black recesses of the soul, there was
the thought lurking that if Charles
prospered in his wooing then Harold
Denver would still be free? How mean,
how unmaidenly. how unsisterly the
thought She crushed it down and
thrust il aside. but still it would push
up its wicked little head. She crimsoned
with shame at her own baseness. as
she turned once more to her companion.
81 really do not know" she said.
"She is not engaged?"
mot that l know Of
"You speak hesitatingly."
Because 1 am not sure. But he may
ask She cannot but be fiattered."
"Quite so. l tell him that it is the most