The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-04-20
an UNLIMITED GUEST.


An UNLIMITED GUEST.
Mrs. Sandys stood at the open
window of the rectory breakfast
room, complacently surveying the
garden wherein her husband was
roaming, and noting, with the keen
delight of the botanist, the unfolding
of some of his cherished blooms.
Mrs. Sandys, her enemies said, was
the real rector of the parish but she
allowed her husband perfect liberty
in his gardening, and the result was
not unsatisfactory in regard to the
gardens. There were long shady
alleys where one might loiter in the
heat of a June day, and big beds
where carnations and roses of every
hue and shade grew and hourished.
There were lilies, tall and stately,
and immense banks of sweet peas
and fragrant rnignonette, and beds
ablaze with geraniums and calceolar-
las. Further away, beyond the thick
hedges of rhododendrons, were the
strawberry beds and bush fruit gar
den and beyond that was the orchard.
It was not yet the breakfast hour,
but Mrs. Sandys was an energetic
lady, and more than usually so on
the morning of her annual garden
party. It was form of entertain
ment very well suited to the rectory,
and it generally drew big crowd.
The gardens in themselves were a
delight, aud so, too, were the dishes
of freshly picked strawberries and
rich cream, the delicious tea, the
rich cakes and abundance of home
made sandwiches, with which Mrs.
Sandys regaled her guests.
When the servant entered the room
with the breakfast dishes Mrs. Sandys
called to her husband. The call was
repeated twice before the Rev. Mr..
Sandys came up to the window in
some excitement.
1.-The new York and Lancaster is
in bloom - he cried. "And the
flower is superb, my dear, really
superb! Come and see it."
''Not just now. Breakfast is
served, and I have good deal still
to see to. Jane" to the servant,
tell Master Oliver and the young
ladies-Oh, here they are
Oliver Sandys and his sisters took
their places quickly at the table. The
girls were handsome in snowy style,
while Oliver was a rather elegant
young dandy who was reading for the
bar.
1.-The York and" the rector be-
gan, when grace was said. Oliver
interrupted him.
You'll have perfect day, moth
err" he remarked languidly. "Tis a
beastly bore, though. entertaining
those humdrum country folks.'
"You can't call the Duchess hum
drum" the younger girl said with
laugh.
She's an eminently disagreeable
parsonage at all events" the young
man said.
Don't be absurd, Oliver" Mrs.
Sandys admonished. cat any rate
you needn't make your opinion of
Her Grace public. She rarely visits
anywhere, so that it is exceeding
ly-" Mrs. Sandys paused for fit
ting word-"kind of her to accept my
invitation"
"She disappointed you last year,"
her elder daughter remarked.
"She had neuralgia, Ada," Mrs.
Sandys replied, with dignity.
"Or said she had," Carolina Sandys
laughed, as she held out her cup for
an additional lump of sugar.
"Is your new acquaintance, the
American, to appear?" Oliver in
quired, with look toward his moth
er.
eyes. Mr.. Treloar is coming.
He is not an American, Oliver. He
is an Englishman," Mrs. Sandys cor.
rected.
"Well, he made his pile in the
States, didn't he?" the young man
asked.
'.And a very big pile, too," Caro-
line remarked. "He is million
aire."
"He must be when he gave fifty
thousand pounds for Boxhill," Oliver
said. "It was stifish price, and I
believe he has had the old place thor.
oughly renovated"
Entirely so. You wouldn't recog-
nize it," Mrs. Sandys said. "He
asked our advice on almost every
thing. Mr.. Treloar is really an ac-
QUESTION to the parish. He is very
generous, as your father knows"
The rector looked up from the gar
dening magazine he was reading.
"What did you say, my dear ?"
he asked his wife.
"We were speaking of Mr.. Ire
loar," the lady replied.
ga very nice, unaffected gentle
man." the rector said. "Isn't he
coming today?'
"Of course" Mrs. Sandys answer
ed. "I am anxious that the Duchess
and he should meet here"
"By the by, Millicent," the rector
said. "You might have asked that
little girl who is stopping in the
Royal Oak for today. She is leaving
tomorrow"
Mrs. Sandys looked at her husband
in astonishment that was too great
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