The Grit-advocate., 1905-12-15

v y walk again with mat MT.
8 " 8 Elleslic, Mcta:' cried Miss
4 l. ! Georgiana Tripton, aus
1o~ tprcly.
Yes, am said Meta
Graham saucily. why shouldn't ~
ats very unfeminine to spend all
ones time running after the gentle
men," snapped Miss Georgiana.
but its just the other way in my
case, Cousin Georsiana." said Meta
demurcly. "Ihc gentlemen ruu after
me-"
"Pshaw!"
"Mr. Ellcslie asked me to walk
through the cemetery with him this
afternoon" added Meta, commanding
her temper with admirable equanimity.
II did not ask him"
And away tripped the little lassic
humming popular air in the sauciest
and most fascinating manner possible.
Gcorgiana TriptOn was seven-and-
thirty, ard Meta Graham was seven
teen, consequently it can easily be COM
pretended that there was 40 great
sympathy between the two cousins.
Georgiana was bilious and yellow. ex-
acting and irritable-Mcta fresh and
rosy as Aurora's self, with n temper
sweet as. a May morning, and score
of lovers at her feet. Love was as yet
only Meta's plaything, but matrimony
) IN the eyes of Georsiana Tripton was
the one serious business Of life.
She had made up her mind to marry
Frank Eiesle, albeit that young law
yer was ten good years younger than
herself and as both happened to be
SOjourninS at the same hotel. fate for
once seemed inclined to favor her.
But when Meta Graham came down
from the city in all the glittering
armor of her golden-haired beauty.
rose-and dsnow complexion and dimp!cd
smiles, Miss Georgiana saw at once
that her cause was lost.
Frank EllCs,ie deserted basely to the
enemy at the very first tlutter Of those
irrestistible banners of youth and beau
ty; but Georgiana secretly resolved
that if she could not marry the young
lawyer, Meta Graham should NOS,
either.
''I'l Keep my eye on 'em at all
events" thought Miss Georgiana, vic
iously. THE cemetery is as free for
me to walk IN as it is for thcm.'
So Miss Tripton hurriedly invested
herself in outdoor attire and took the
crosscut over the fields toward the
beautiful rural cemetery, which was
the pride and ornament of all the
neiShborhood for miles around.
Il shall get there first" thought
Georgana: "for. of. course, they'll
dawdle along under the shade of the
trees and be twice rs long as they need
to. I've no patience with such senti-
mentalism. But I'll be even with that
pert little inertia yet. III listen to all
their nonsense, and III write such an
account of it to my Uncle Graham that
my young lady will find herself recalled
home the very first she knows. OF
course, they'll go TO the Livingdalc
monument-thcre is green bench
there and an arbor of sweet honey
suckle and 1 can hide Just beyond
Miss Tripton smiled grimiy to her,
self as she mentally surveyed this pro.
pretty little Meta Graham, whose only
tangible offense was youth and beauty.
But when was the dragon in the fairy
tales ever known to spare the bright
eyed princess just because her efes
were bright and her face pure oval?
The sprays of white and buff-hIos
somed honeysucEle here waving softly
n al,
Miss Tripton stole into the green glade
where the eXquisitely carved statue
that surmounted the Liviugdale monu
ment kept its still watch in the LIQUID
gold and odorous sweetness of the
sunshine. 1t was a marble tribute II
the memory of Il girl who had diei
young, and whose features were sup
posed to be perpetHatcd in the grace
full lines of the statue. But Just now
4 time nor attention to waste or sleaIn
ing marble or exquisite outline.
Just beyond. a grim old grant,
vault seemed to hide itself in the si,l'
slope of 4 hill, with its iron gate swing
ing idly to and fro at the will of th'
wind. Georgiana stole into this vault
shrinking beneath its damp, sepuchra
shadows, as the sound of footsteps ol
the green turf beyond. and the rinGiiI,
sound OF Meta Gralam's laughter. be
tokcned the near approach of th
young lovers.
"A cankcrcd old maid" pronoulcc'
Mr.. Frank EllesIis. not without rnl
phasis. $50 she thinks it very wron
Of you to walk with me, does she