Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1905-01-25
Continued.

what everybody does when they get
rich. lift hey haven't got any family
pictures they get them painted, and
nobody knows that they aren't really
ones great-grandfathers!
May looks grim, but suddenly The
absurdity of the situation amuses her,
and she leans back and laughs until
the whole room is filled with bright,
delicious music
"You-you don't remember grand
father, do you, Carrier" she says,
painting and wiping her eyes. He was
such dear, funny old man, with a
red nose, which used to shine as If it
had peeI polished with bees-wax.
an remember him sitting in the back
yarlor of an evening, drinking gin and
water and smoking long clay pipe.
Is his portrait in the hall? Well
we'll. go on, dear. And this Sir Crane
no, Heron-is he an old man."
"Oh-no,' says Carrie. mot what
you'd call old He's about about
oh, thirty, That is rather old, though,
isn't it?'
quite ancient" assents May. smil-
ing.
Now. May, you are laughing at me!
You don't deserve to be told any more.
Anyway, if Sir Heron isn't old, Lady
Heron is"
His Wife! says May, with little
yawn; the wonderful romance, coming
upon her long journey, is beginning to
tell
NO, his mother" says Carrie.
oh May, she is such an awful old
woman! $50 tall and thin and upright,
and such thick eyelids, And she looks
over your mead as if she didn't see
YOU; and she's as proud as-as LucI-
fer"
Another of your new acquaint-
ances?' says May. And how does
her ladyship approve of papa?"
Papa, OH" says Carrie with a
laugh 4 don't know; l suppose
she's seen pa11, but they haven't
called, and hey never speak or look
at us, although we sit almost in the
next pew, and the Void Grounds are
next tc ours"
Charming neighbors,' says May,
with an Indifference that is more
marked than the veriest scorn. 80
they have not called, and although
YOU have been almost two years IN
der their eyes they have not CHANGED
to see you yet, and what does papa
say?"
Papa doesn't say anything" replies
Carrie.
ut is the very wisest thing he
could say" agrees May.
The very wisest. Poor papa" with
a pity that is more than half con-
tempt. How blind he must be! For
you poor child. are too young to see
it all, but oh, how terribly plain it
all is Poor dear old Woodbine
Villa How happy we used to be, ex-
cepting when the butcher and the
baker called for their bills and the
landlord wanted the rent! Poor papa
no wonder he looked uncomfortable
they must laugh Oh. Carrie, I could
laugh if l didn'5 feel inclined to cry;
and to think that if I had been at
home might have stopped it-at least
enough to keep it somewhere within
bounds-have held him back from the
family portraits and the gorgeous
footmen. Oh Carrie-Carrie, it was
bad enough to be poor, but it's thou
sands time worse to be snobs!"
"Snobs!" faltered Carrie, staring at
the flushed face aghast.
Yes, snobs," repeated Mary;
"purse-proud. ostentatious snobs; the
laughing stock of every decent family
in the county, and even the toadies
who have gathered around for the
plumber. Forget Woodbine Villa? Do
you think we shan't carry it about
with us every moent of our lives? DO
you think that" Then she breaks
off, suddenly reminded by the wide
open eyes and mouth of the startled
listener that it is to a child that she Is
pouring out her malignant scorn, and
-sops with something like a groan.
"There-there, don't mind, Carrie
I've must make the best of it. I'm
ired and Overdone, and-what on
earths that" For suddenly there
sounds the clang of a great bell over
their heads.
"That's-that's- servants sup
per-bell" falters Carrie, guilty.
Everybody has bell now, May" she
murmurs. as May breaks out with a
peal of laughter.
Carrie. my child, I give you my
word that delightful thrill ran
through me. I thought that the house
was on fire and that they were ringing
for the freeing mes"
oh, May, you don't mean to say
u do I'd burn it down from gar
'et to cellar, family portraits, footmen
no. not the footmen-and all! Moth
'ng but fire would purge US of our
tnobbery. Oh. why did you send for
me when it was too late? Too late
to stop this display of ignorance and
vulgarity Hadn't he got one friend
in tine world to tell him that he was
making foo of himself? Was there
not one to tell him that his whole
place looks like an upholsterer's shop.
that no one drives about country lanes
with a carriage like the lord mayors.
or keeps a couple OF gorgeous footmen
dangling about the hall? 1t would be
bad taste in anyone smaller than
nobIeman, not very good taste in him,
and-and--''