Middletown transcript., 1904-09-17


voice and clinging ways, looked to him
for advice in everything. She glanced
up with smile as her daughter and
he entered the room. Kilmeny went to
her and kissed her, taking a low seat at
her feet.
"We have had such an adventure,
mamma !" she cried, and she gave her
an account of their meeting with Mr..
Daryl. "Wasn't it nice of him to ask
me back after our trespassing on his
grounds"
'Do you mean to go?" Mrs. Richmond
asked doubtfully, glancing at Mr.. War
render.
Il am going" Kilmeny answered de-
cidedly. "He looked so old and lonely,
she said; ''and, when Chris told me
about his dismal life, and his misfor-
tunes and disappointments, | was sorry
for him. Oh, yes | intend to go back
and perhaps see him again. You have
no objection, mamma, have you? There
could not be any harm in it, and should
meet nobody except possibly Mr.. Daryl,
and he is an old man. Think of his
living there all through his life and see
ing his relatives disappoint him one by
one-even his wife and his son And
then for years everybody has been dead,
and he has lived alone p
''Such q state of things generally comes
about through ones own fault" Christie
pher Warrender said. "0ne always reaps
what one sows, Kilmeny."
"And does that make his case less
sad ?'' the girl asked, still in the same
thoughtful tone. Mamma, aren't the
children in yet? They have been out
long time"
"They are gathering flowers to decor
ate Lancelot's room before he comes
home tomorrow. It is delightful for
them to be in the country, and they are
never happy except when out Of doors" "
"Just like me p Kilmeny cried, with
laugh, rising from her seat. II am
going TO see about tea, Chris, SO do not
run away"
"What do you think l ought to do
about Kilmeny and this Mr.. Daryl?'
Mrs. Richmond asked, when her daugh-
ter had left the room. ''Shall | let her
go?"
"Kilmeny generally does what she
likes, think" he answered with smile.
"Recollect that am invited too, and am
as much bent on accepting Mr.. Daryfs
invitation as she is, though from differ
ent motive"
"Oh, if you 60 with her it is all rightp'
Mrs. Richmond, with relieved look,
resumed her work, and kilmeny pres
emily came in, accompanied by the old
servant carrying afternoon tea. The big
lattice window was open, and the sum-
mer roses were nodding outside, the
green of their leaves thrown into relief
by the deep-red color Of the brick walls.
The faint warm air carried in now and
then the mingled scents of summer. Mrs.
Richmond, still lovely in her gentle
motherhood, sat TRANQUILITY setting the
ornamental stitches III her work, while
Kilmeny moved hither and thitler, as
sweet vision as one could wish to see,
busy about the details of the tea table.
As she did SO she sang softly to herself,
and presently, looking up and meeting
Christopher's eyes, blushed, smiled, and
then frowned little
1t was all pretense Kilmeny's asking
her mothers leave to do anything. As
Mr.. Warrender said, she generally did
what she liked, and was the one to give
advice, not to ask it. She was the mov-
ing spirit Of the house. 1t was kilmeny
with her blithe ways and joyous laugh,
her tireless activity and whole-souled
interest in everybody's affairs, who made
life such pleasant thing in the Doctors
household. Kilmeny was the beginning
and end of everything, always discover
ing fresh interests, always ready to help,
and scold, and laugh, and make life a
delight for those around her.
Christopher gathered one of the roses
at the lattice and offered it to her, and
she put it in the belt OF her white DRESS
Though he had told her many times that
he loved her, the fact did not seem to
have entered as yet into her serious, and
their intercourse had been kept on its
old frank footing. So they sat and sip
ped their tea in the pleasant afternoon
warmth, while Mrs. Richmond listened
for the sound of the children's footsteps.
Lancelot, the only son, boy of twelve,
was expected home for his holidays the
next day, and their thoughts turned to
him.
He will be SO sorry that papa is
away" Kilmeny said regretfully. "But,
then, Chris is getting SO aged that he will
almost do instead. How old are you
really, Chris?"
81 thought that it was only young
ladies who concealed their ages ?' tho
young man said, leaning over for bis
cult. Il am sure You know my age as
well as do, Kilmeny, and ! shall not
excuse you from your usual Offering OH
the happy anniversary of my birth, if
that is what you are meditating / shall
be twenty-eight next month, and you
will be twenty at the same time. Cur
ious-is it not ot?-haying our birthdays
in the same month";
"Most extraordinary Nature must
have exhausted herself in producing two
such paragons together. However, as
there were eight years between us, she
had time TO gather mp her energies.
What sort of house were you living in
when | was born, mamma? 1t was be-
fore you settled in Redminster,"
Mrs. Richmond awoke with a start |
from fit of dreaming into which she
appeared to have fallen and came back |
49, =, /