Smyrna times., 1907-10-16

was always there now molding butter
with swift touches of hGr deft fingers,
now pulling up tiny mafauding weeds
from the thrifty flower beds. And, as
always. her talk, beginning where it
might, ended with the perpetually fas-
cinating topic of the city. Again and
again he was forced to describe it for
Fer, while Esmeralda listened with Un-
tagging attention, but when, to amuse
her, he talked lightly and cleverly OF
the summer colony at Berkeley she
paid little heed till he mentioned the
flower cOtillOn, and then she was like
a child in her eagernc $.
"WOuld You like to So?" asked Fan
shaw without waiting to consider the
wisdom of the Impulse.
Esmeralda was radiant, though Mrs.
Farley was dubious concerning clothes.
Yet when Fanshaw rode over next
morning it appeared that the question
had been jOyfully settled, and Esmer-
aida called to him from the upstairs
window that if he would only wait she
and Mrs. Farley would he down. Aft
er a short pause they eAme, Mrs. Far
ley first in brown silk dress whose
sleeves and panniers had graced fash
ions that held sway some ten years
ago, while Esmeralda's pale blue cash
mere belonged to an even earlier
| period.
| They were so innOcently pleased with
what Mrs Farley termed their fix
ings" that Hollister Fanshaw had not
the heart to protest. He tactfully sug-
| gested that the road to the hotel was
long and dusty and would work havoc
with such finery and that the simple
sprigged muslins that Esmeralda wore
every day would do equally well,
whereat Mrs. Farley merely smiled
and produced two long black bOmba-
zine cloaks antedating even the brown
silk and blue cashmere. These, she
said, would cover them from head to
foot so closely that not a speck of dust
could penetrate.
For a moment FanShaw weakened.
He had a fleeting vision of these two
absurdly old fashioned figures among
the ultra smart crowd at the HillbrOOk.
Then his eyes met Esmeralda's, so
a-sparkle with anticipation, and he in
wardly called himself a coward and a
snOb. Whatever the outward symbol
of dress might be, there was not girl
at HillbrOok who could compare with
this princess of curds and cream.
The night of the dance was clear
and cool. A breeze swept across up
land and meadow. Even the loqua-
cious Mrs. Farley seemed to feel the
summer silence and ON the way from
the farm to HillbrOok spoke hardly a
word. Esmeralda, too, was quiet.
From the folds of her all enshrOuding
black bombazine cloak her neck rose
white and slender Her cheeks were
family flushed, her eyes like stars.
Never, thought Fanshaw. had she look
ed more beautiful.
Some people on the broad hotel
veranda paused curiously to watch the
arrival of Hollister Fanshaw and his
, guests.
The moment that passed while Mrs
, Farley and Esmeralda removed their
wraps was a miserable one for him
. The world was full of snobs. Suppose
his dairy divinity should be sighted
: patronized.
"JOve," cried a man at Fanshaw's ell
bow, 81 thought that Miss Van Rem
, syn was at Newport!'
i Fanshaw stared There, coming to
ward him, was princess Of curds and
: cream-the cream of white, glistening
satin, the curds of billowing lace.
"Oh," he groaned beneath his breath
"what an unmitigated fool I've been
more stupid than the dullest dullardw
yes" said Miss Van Remsyn, nod
ding, dull enough to prefer the sOcie
, ty of a poor little country girl-dul
t enough to be chivalrous, to ignore hel
E inexperience. her ridiculous attempts
p at dressr'
! "Dull enough to be madly in love
e with herr cried Fanshaw in half say
: age hOpelessness.
4 81 shouldn't call that dull" murmur
ed Miss Van Remsyn, with a humor
g GUS upward glance.
q do you mean that there'd be ;
;. ghost of a chance for me?" stammereC
r Fanshaw, suddenly joyful.
1 "Oh, Hollister, are you quite, quit
e blind?' said Esmeralda the second.