Middletown transcript., 1905-01-07

on pitingly. ''She cannat i'e more tliah
nineteen now. Poor cousin Agnes was in
great way though, they say, and since
then she has kept Lenore At home. and
they have pupils, ! believe. Yes-let
them come here, Angus" she aided
quickly land give them both good
time, like the dear boy that you are !
You can't make cousin Agnes presents--
she won't accept thenl-but if she knows
that ynu really want some one here, surely
she couldn't regard such an invitations a.
| charity And it will be SO nice for the
girl too. She was away from her mother
SO long-when Agnes was in her situation
and has been brought up in cheap
| schools-what could one expect but that
she should try to amuse herself"
by flirting with the masters Hope,
we have been talking for all age, and have
drifted away fro u your marriage as usual.
But YOU quite understand mean what
I say !, and that there is to be no more de-
lay. You are to write to Charlie by this
mail, as shall, and you are to be ready to
marry him in August y
"Any more commands? ? / might turn
round and say that you must not de-
lay"
"Charlie is not so patient as May and
myself.
The case is quite different"
"Yes-I suppose it is ; and poor Charlie
has been very good. Ihad never thought
Of cousin Agnes, Angus, or perhaps ]
might have suggested it sooner but l
knew you didn't want to he hurried into
marrying, and thought that you would
be SO uncomfortable without any one to
look after things for you"
Poor old Hope So you acknowledge
that at last II you had given me the
smallest hint, my dear, you might have
been married long ago. I thought you
were not very keen."
Il have had a very happy time" Hope
said dreamily. "But may write too to
cousin Agnes?''
"And beg her to have pity on me !?
Perhaps it would be as well. If you tell
her that you can't marry Charlie unless
she comes here. it may have some effect.
You might write to Lenore at the same
time, and say that sae mustn't fiirt here
that 1t isn't allowed 70
Don't be goose She will be under
cousin Agnes's eye, and have plenty Of
other things to amuse herself with. But
it would really be a very good thing if
she should meet some one."
mo matchmaking! You carried
through your first attempt, my dear Hope;
but don't think that even you can look
upon it as wholly satisfactory. Don't try
it on again."
If thought that had had any hand
in making you unhappy"
my dear child, do l look unhappy ?
No-I may wish sometimes that l had
been allowed to have little free choice in
the matter Of my future wife but still
do not forget all the advantages which ac-
company the bargain, nor the fact that
May is far too good for me-"
THAT she is not r
"Or, again, that might have made a
fool of myself-one hears OF such things.
Perhaps might have married my house
maid"
| Hope disdained to reply.
81 am going TO write my letters" she
said. If you have quite finished talking
nonsense. perhaps you will write yours,
1t will mean rather q rush, Angus -
with little flush Of excitement on her
pretty facs. Remember, | shall have
my trousseau to get"
i IF you can't buy few frocks and fall
lals in three months, am sorry for you. !"
"A few frocks r. his sister replied con-
temptuously. THAT is all you know
about it shall have to have fortnight
in town, at least p
THAT can easily be arranged. Run
along now, like good child and leave me
to write my letters in peace"
| Dear little Hope She should have her
happiness, however much lie might miss
her and selfshly wish to keep her near
him ! Charlie Fairford was a good
fellow and thoroughly devoted to her.
If only he had been stationed in England.
their marriage would have been all that
he could have wished. But there things
had to be accepted as they came, and as
for himself be would be comfortable
enough if Agnes Daintrey would come to
look after the household arrangements for
him. As Hope had said, it would be a
good thing for her and her GIRL
1t WAS odd to think Of Agnes with a
grown-up daughter. He had not seen
her for nearly four years, and Lenore had
been at school then. Agnes looked
daintily neat, and calm and fresh. and
gave no sign OF the long years Of widow
hood which had been hers, or OF the great
suffering, anqiety and poverty which she
had known. But her hair had turned
very gray, though she was only forty-two
years Of age-he himself was but seven
years younger and he could remember
her when he was boy, and she had been
engaged to be married to Edmund Dain-
trey. She had been lighthearted girl
then and universally beloved.
Always proud, always unwilling TO be
dependent on others, that pride had
grown by giant strides in her trials, un.
til all the members of her family, all her
relations and connections, had grown 20
know that it was OF no use to offer lIelD to
Agnes unless it were very skilfulIy dis
guised. She would not accept no gifts
she had very small annuity, and az she
said, she could work.
| Lenora had been only two wears old
when her father had died. Angus Mac,nil.
Ian frowned q little as he thought Of her.
She was rather an undesirable appendae.
to Agnes. 1t was great pity that she
was not still ut school flirting with the
| .,,,.+a~, Ia s.x,,lal