The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-01-27
CHAPTER v.
PREPARING FOR THE FETE.

manueNlue confeSSeuly never saw A'S
like. never expected to see its like again.
There were those In that conservative
village who fatty maintained that such
magnificance was entirely out OF place.
They were sure history never recorded
greater ado made over the coronation OF
royalty or the installation OF presidents.
After all. Vaudeville was only Man
deville, and she in whose honor the world
had just been turned upside down was
nobody but little ollie Matthews, who mad
grown up among them with no parucu-
lar claim TO universal homage, nice
enough girl, pretty, amiable, social ana
all that, but such doings over her COM
ing Of age was just nothing short OF non
Vaudeville possessed. among its anti
quities those who remembered the very
day when Horace Matthews first put loot
i'm MandcVIle tale only son OF "a poor
widow music teacher whom Rufus Brox-
tons father befrlended as he always pc
friended the. needy ones OF the earth, aI,
and groaned inscrutably, And look at
such a coming out party" had never
been dreamed OF i'm the widest fancies
of the most imaginative Mandevlliiall.
Coming out party had sense and sound
q it's own. 1t meant what II SOUNDED
Ike. "Fete champetre' was a comoina-
don Of the allen and the incomprehen-
sble. one language was more than sur
fclent for all of MandeVllles pilloloSl,1
others.
Rut there was no disposition 70 frown
down the gittering fact that from ~,
nereal gloom to dazzling hilarty the Old
Broxton place had passed without the
saving grace OF an entr acte-such
painting OF fences. and trimming OF long
neglected shrubbery, and string1ng or IAN
terms. and planting or pallid statuary
that rather made some OF the OLDEST Ia
dies blink with anna cement, ana gsoupS, pS
floors for glddy feet, and cartloaos or
crockery and glass. and band Of music
I'm blue breeches with red stripes down
Mandeville was absolutely breathless
with excitement. There were those VINO
said It was good thing Tor tne ,1Iera tH%n'
Miss Greenfield, whose dressmaking naa
been found good enough for Mrs toi'
Broxton and for ms very MIS- the sood
OF the town was being consulted Wnsn
nobody this side Of New York could make
good enough dress for thev the eorla ca1e9 her T
"the helress."! and Lawyer Ma..heWs tho
reckless expenditure OF money on 'nS ne
coming fete warranted any snioulat ,,,ra ~
wildness In the matter Oh hohiohN
and conjecture. - o,
Miss Malvina had been retained as gem
eral superintendent OF the whole magnln-
cent business. She was TO act as MISS
Matthews chaperon on the occasion she
had been privileged 10 select the very
sample the gown had been made from, all
of which invested her with an Importance
she could never otherwise have achleVeo.
The Spillman cottage became the most
popular resort I'm the neighborhood. Ihe
few who had been bdden and the many
who only expected TO enjoy the fete
through the medium of their ears all
found urgent call 10 the cottage
Mother" Spillmans cottage was Vlr-
tually on the Broxton grounds. III had
originally been built for the porters lodge
TO Broxton Hall by wealthy English-
man. who, having invested largely In
some tile factories on this side. fancied he
should like to live in close proximity 10
them.
1t was a fancy that died in its early
infancy. and the lodge, with all that APP
pertained thereto. passed into the owner
shin OF the late Colonel Broxtons father
a stockholder in the same company Inc
Englishman returned TO the country
where porters and porters' lodges were
genteel necessity, and the little lodge was
closed up.
When the Rev Isham Spillman was
called TO preach and 10 teach In the
neighborhood Of Vaudeville, the porter $
lodge had been donated by Toms grand
| father for a parsonage When the Rev.
| Isham died, full OF years and honor, IL
was decided that his venerable widow
should live on in the pretty cottage and
| call II hers.
The womankind OF the BroXton family
| and Of the Spillman had always been the
host of friends and now that there was
no vomankind left In the Broxton famliy
Miss Malvina and her mother felt hov-
| ering sort OF interest In the lonely boy
/ representative OF what had once been the
most important family In the county. II
was natural that Miss Malvina should
| have a hand in things connected with
| Broxton hall
Mrs Spillman held that nothing short
! ~ Toms own marriage would have war
| ranted such "a turning upside down oi
| things" adding Indignantly. Il suppose
| all Mrs. Broxton's silver ana emma VIII
\ be used Just like II was their own.
| Miss Malvina sounded placating note.
| "Oh. that's all right. mother. ollie wrote
| % Tom that she wanted 10 have her
| birthday celebration on his grounds, and
| no wrote back he would be only too glad
| 70 have her chase the shadows out or the
! old house. to use everything as freely as
| ~ IL was her own.
| Trust them for doing that; but, 3'
| for her chasing the shadows out that
| morcn she can do. Malvina -more'n n any
| bodv can do. They are gathering thick
| or ard blacker and heavier. and the storm
| will hurst over that poor boys heao
| without one friendly voiee to give hin
| warning.
| Dear me. mother. how do YOU wo'Iy
over Tom, He's all right. His fath1'
trusted Mr. Matthews II YOU don't give
| him warning OF what7
Miss MaIvina performed as many ol
| her daily duties within reach OF hei
mothers car trumpet as was practicable
| II saved time and steps. Just then shc
| was hurriedly buitoning up her stoutas'
| pair OF boots. They would be waiting fol
| her IN at the han. There was no end
| OF things still to be done.
Tho stand for tho hand was TO be
1 decorated and Jess would he wautine
Co know how many turkeys were TO be
| dressed. and all that cut glass was To- be
| washed CHANGING from her low stool
she saw something that made her stare
| curiously-marks ~ damp yellow clay oi
the soles VI her mothers ample oxford
\ ties. which were crossed conspicuousb
/ on the hassock I'm front of her chair. She