The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1907-04-26

SUul lUI plCLuIS SdllSIlSS anu duIuAlll
tints, and that sort of thing. Art is
all very we'll when it's got out of
the West Hampstead stage, and come
west really; but it is O. little trying
when one is expected to enthuse over
! impossible Madonnas with wooden
looking babies in their arms, ami
that sort OF thing"
Miss Graham looked at her sister
wistfully; but Lady Elmsworth only
laughed.
Poor Pi,yl! Is he trying to edu-
.. cate you? 1t sounds rather awful"
mo, thtt's the worst of it! He
imagines che education, artistic feel
ing, and all the rest of it, is there.
That's The fault of what mother calls
the Graham Manner We've got a
knack Of appearing intelligently SYM
patheti:; and because we are pretty
people take US for granted. Haven't
you found that?"
LAZY Elmsworth nodded, and a
slight color rose in her cheeks.
I'VE can't help it," went on Phyl-
lis; but they have a nasty knack
of turning round on US when they
find US out, and being generally
horrid.'
"And you think Mark"
ooh, he won't find out for ever so
long. He's very much in love; and
well, like him we'll enough to try
and live up to him, for time, at
any rate. But it's good stretch on
ones nerves to be always on the tip
really does not care a button for.
I'm afraid it's the beauties of nature
that will bowl me over. A sunset al
his majesty's, where it's we'll done,
is pretty enough, once in way. But
you know, honestly, I'd rather look
at bonnet shop in Bond street any
day than on the finest scenery any
where I'm afraid it will be shock
to Mark when he grasps the fact"
What is he exactly?"
Hes rather ugly, and ridiculously
rich; a colonial, you know, proprietor
of mines, and all the rest of it. His
manners are not quite like every one
else's. Oh, you need not raise your
| eyebrows; it is not in that way l
mean at all. Only, I don't think he'd
have cared the least bit if I'd been a
butchers or bakers daughter, II
he'd cared for me, he'd have married
just the same. I'm afraid I'm rather
proud of the fact"
'You do care for him, them" Lady
Ellsworth stopped little toward her
sister, and looked into her face.
Il" Phyllis blushed. well,
yes, think l do, because, if did not.
I don't suppose I.should care whether
soul 1 am or not after we are safely
| married"
Clare bent and kissed her sister.
HE won't find out if you love him.
Phyl! Oh, you don't know how glad
I ami"
Phyllis was startled at her sisters
sudden earnestness. What she had
said was quite true. The four years
difference in their ages had always
! kept them rather apart. And now
that they were respectively twenty
one and twenty-five, and that the gulf
was bridged, there were the five
years separation to hold them apart.
Phyllis remembered distinctly the
time when Glare had been tout" when
she herself was in the school room.
She remembered, too all the talk
she had overheard as to her sisters
successes. Looking back, she realiz-
ed that Clare must have refused many
opportunities of brilliant matches, al
though she had finally done exceed
ingly we'll for herself in marrying
| Lord Elmsworth True, ne was near
ly twenty years older than Clare;
and surely among those she had re-
fused before
Suddenly Phyllis started What
had there been at the bottom OF
Clare's being ordered off to winter at
Davos the year before she married?
It had never occurred to the girl.
But had there really been anything
the matter with her sisters lungs?
"Clare," she said, impulsively, tell
! me something Were you really Ill
when you went to Davos that time.
Or
Lady Elmsworth laughed outright.
"Or was l sent off to be out of
somebody's way, you mean? No, my
dear, 1 believe | was really i'll, and
before l went to Davos. | had never
cared two straws for any one in my
life"
"And-after?"
Il don't know why I should tell
you," said Lady Elmsworth. 1--we
never told any one. don't believe
any one ever guessed except"
Except him. Go on, Clare
"Oh, there's not much to tell. It's
like every one else's story, expect:
and you'll only think me fool for
remembering all these years. You
know how l went out. Mother could
NOT or would not, come with me.