Middletown transcript., 1903-07-04

than I can understand, unless
Lizzie is at the bottom of it, and
if she is, she's up to some game
that she expects will play into
her hand more surely in this
lonely place than elsewhere
Lizzie always was deep! in an in
jured tone.
Then when shall I say they
may come? inquired Margaret as
they left the table.
O, any time. Suit yourself,
with an air of easy unconcern as
she went off with a book to es
tablish herself on her pet lounge
until dinner time.
Margaret stood motionless IN
the centre of the room, with a
panied, irresolute look on her fair
young face, but when the door
closed on the retreating form,
she only murmured softly:
Poor mother! and tying on a
big gingham apron, she began to
clear the table, her brain busy,
meanwhile, with plans and pro-
iects for the accommodation OF
her summer boarders:
Let me see! she soliloquized
Aunt Lizzie and Mrs. Carpenter
can have the east front chamber,
and the two young ladies the one
across the hall, and the gentle
men must put up with the two in
the rear-if they are not so large
they are fully as pleasant, I'm
sure. It strikes me as rather an
odd party. But if, as mother
says, with a humorous smile,
Aunt Lizzie is deep, there may
be method in her madness'-if
SO I dare term the deep laid plans
of such a grand dame.
Some twenty-five years before
the opening of my story, Eugene
Percy had bought and settled on
this beautiful farm. Within a
year he brought to it his bride,
whom he had woed and won dur
ing his college days. Her blue
eyes and yellow hair had woven
themselves inextricably about
his manly heart, and created such
dire confusion as only a more
thorough knowledge of their
owner could undo. 1t, is quite
probable that he recovered from
his infatuation very speedily.
She was merely pretty, tyran,
nical nonentity. When Margaret
was born, her mother voted her
nuisance, while her father idol
lied her. When the time came
for her to leave home, for better
educational advantages tha n
their little farming community
afforded, her father sent her to
the very best of schools, and
kept her there until his last i'll
ness, a few months before she
would have been graduated. She
was the only child, and her in.
efficient mother soon threw the
responsibility Of everything on
her young shoulders, although
she would most emphatically
have disclaimed against such an
accusation, had anyone been bold
enough to make such an asser-
ton in her august hearing.
At the appointed time Mrs.
Ross and her retinue arrived,
were duly installed in the old
farm house, and proceeded to
make themselves thoroughly at
home.
A few days afterward the two
sisters were seated on the piazza,
chatting of old times and old
friends. Finally the conversa-
tion wandered back to the pres
ent, and Mrs. Ross soon betrayed
the deep-laid scheme of which
her sister had suspected her, by
saying:
You see, Fanny, just how mat
ters stand with me. Our ex-
penses are enormous, and we are
greatly in debt. But if Maud
makes the best use of the next
few weeks, our pecuniary diff
culties will be over, for Mr.. st.
John is very wealthy, and will OF
course do the handsome thing in
the way Of settlements. Indeed,
| am free to confess to you, sis
ter, that if he and Maud don 4
come to an understanding, and
that, too, before the summer is
over, I shall be in most embar-
RAISING circumstances, for I have
gone deeper and deeper into debt
on the strength of her prospects
in that direction. He has been
paying her considerable atten.
ton for some little time past,
and yet not to such an extent but
that he can honorably withdraw
if he should be SO disposed. But
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