Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-02
my family without making a p,.te.s., :


And them
II began to cry, and put my arms
Ground fathers neck and said he must de-
fend me: that was not sly ana Basil was
not @ sneak and father kisss.i me. end
said he would settle with any man and
every man who presumed 10 call me either
sly or fiirt-''
II think Mr.. Denning acted beautifully.
What did Bryce ssy2.'
HE turned to Basil and said Mr. star
hope, II You are not a cad you wall leave the
house. You have no right to intrude your
self INTO family affairs and family quar-
reis Basil had seated mother, and was
standing with one hand on the back of
her chair. and he did not answer Bryce
there was no need. father answered quick
enough. He said Mr.. Stanhope had asked
to become one of the family and for his
part he would welcome him freely; and
then he asked mother if she was Of his
mind. and mother smiled and reached her
hand backward to Basil. Then father
kissed me again, and somehow Basirs arm
was round me. and | know looked lovely
almost like bride. oh, Ethel 1t was
Just heavenly
II am sure it was Did Bryce leave the
room Them
Yes: he went out In a passion. declar-
ing he would never notice me again. This
morning at breakfast I said / was sorry
Bryce felt so hurt, but father was sure
Bryce would find plenty of consolation in
the fact that his disapproval of my choice
would excuse himsfrom giving me we'd
ding present. You know Bryce is a mean
little miseri"
ION the contrary, 1 though he was very
luxurious and extravagant."
Where Bryce is concerned, yes; toward
every one else his conduct is too mean to
consider. Why, father makes him an al
lowance of $4,000 year and he empties
fathers cigar boxes whenever he can do
Let us talk about Mr.. Stanhope-he is
far more interesting. When are you go
ing to marry him?"
W. thn irocr at hor 10 % n
me some money and l have the fortune
Grandmother Cahill left me. 1t has been
well invested, and father told me this
morning l was a fairly rich little woman.
Basil has some private fortune. also his
stipend-we shall do very well. Basils
family is one of the finest among the old
Boston aristocrats, and he is closely con-
nected with the English Stanhopes, who
rank with the greatest of the nobility.
II wish Americans would learn to rely
on their own nobility l am tired of their
English noble family. No matter how
great or clever a man may be, you are
sure to read of his descent from some
Scottish chief or English earl"
They can't help their descent, Ethel
"They need not pin all they have done on
to 1t. Often father frets me in the same
way. If he wins difficult case he does 1t
naturally. because he is a Rawdon. he Is
handsome. gentlemanly honorable, even a
perfect horseman. all because, being Raw
don, he was by nature and inheritance COM
PEELED to Such pGr19CtlO0. II Is very pro-
voking Dora and If I were you / would not
allow Basil to begin a song about the Eng
lish Stanhopes.' Aunt Ruth and l get very
tired often of the English Rawdons, and
are really thankful for the separating At
lantic."
II don't think I shall feel in that way,
Ethel. I like the nobility; SO does father;
he says the Dennings are fine old family.
why talk of genealogies when there is
such a man as Basil Stanhope to consider?
Let US grant him perfection and agree that
he is to marry you in the spring. well, then,
there is the ceremony and the wedding gar
mentsi OF course. it is to be church we'd
ding?"
church, | can hardly eat sleep for think
ing of the JOY and triumph of it, There will
be women there ready to eat their hearts
with envy-I believe. indeed. Ethel, that
every woman in the church is in love with
Basil"
You have said that before and am sure
you are wrong. A great many of them are
married and are in love with their own
husbands: and the kind Of girls who go to
ST. Jude's are not the kind who marry cler-
gymen. Mr.. Stanhope's whole income would
hardly buy their gloves and parasois.'
Il don't think you are pleased that am
going to marry. You must not be jealous of
Basil / shall love you just the same"
Under no conditions, Dora, would al
low jealousy to trouble my life. All the
same, you ill not love me after your mar
riage as yog have loved me in the past I
shall not expect it.
Passionate deniaIs of this assertion, reni-
niscences of the past. assurances for the flu
ture followed. and Ethel accepted them
without dispute and without faith. But she
understood that the mere circumstance of
her engagement was all that Dora could
manage at present: and that the details of
the marriage merged themselves constantly
in the wonderful fact that Basil Stanhope
loved her, and that some time, not far off,
she was going to be his wife. This
joyful certainty filled her heart and
her comprehension, and she had
natural reluctance to subject it to
the details of the social and religious cere-
monies necessary. Such things permitted