Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-22

but a step. Mrs. Tudor. full of zeal and
questions. asked permission to inspect
the dairy and larder.
There be no dairy said the sulky
Clarice. land nought in the larder but
t. bread crock
land when they got there the cup
board was bare"" quoted Mrs. Tudor.
in an aside to Hester. Now you must
take me to the garden"
Arm in arm with Hester. the visitor
slowly paced the walks. which were
punctuated at intervals with the saucers
of the outdoor cats. She was shown the
old sun dial with an inscription-so I'M
suitable for its locality-'I only mark the
sunny hours" and the thickest of black
currant bushes. past which, as child
Hester had fled in fear of her life, and
her.
II think you have couple Of witches
indoors" remarked the guest. Dear
me! l cannot i.lagine why. in old days.
NORTH she observed. standing still and
solid edifice. and old: but If 1 lived here
1 should go mad! Happy thought! why
rot let it for a private lunatic asylum?
are high and SAFE"
Hester merely laughed and said. II
must admit that the Grange is not cheer
full: indeed. the very leaves seem to trem-
BILE and the trees to sigh
well. and so you've been thinking Of
Paul?'' observed the old lady, unexpect-
edly.
NO. no." coloring to her hair at this
sudden attack.
to do. You don't paint, or write. or
compose. You have no society-but he is
here with you all day long. OF course.
the ideal Paul! Oh. you need not deny
It! Well, you must come away with me-
and put the faithless Paladin out Of
your head and heart-yes."
Il suppose he is still at Biarritz?"
asked Hester timidly.
am not ure-dnd am not interested
The Duauesa has departed; there is an
idea that she was Ill. or there was some
family fracas. no doubt, her debts! All,
there is bell! Nv eight-mile drive has
made me ferociously hungry; / declare
l have quite a country Appetite
- =. hen the ladies entered the dining
room they found Jane already estab-
lished. carving away at a piece of cold
corned beef. in shape resembling the rock
of Gibraltar.
Clarice. bare-armed. was in attendance;
in one hand she held dish of potatoes,
In the other one of yellow cabbage.
AS Mrs. Tudor seated herself she cast
an anxious glance around-was this all
the fare? She was by no means a greedy
old woman. tut her appetite was small
and delicate. Accustomed to dainty food
and French dishes, she had cherished
visions of real country feast-tender
IL,
new potatoes, followed by a fruit tart
and quantities of thick. rich cream. But
the menu was meager indeed!-the beef
SO hard 1t might have been wood; the
potatoes old and soapy.
AS Clarice filled her glass with water
Hester said. alphabetically:
Il am so very sorry 1 have nothing to
offer you-no wine-I don't take it, you
know. and there is nothing to drink in
the house.
The old lady. accustomed to her glass
of claret. glanced over at MISS Jubber
and said:
There you are mistaken, my dear
Hester: when we were in the Miss Jub-
bers' sitting room I noticed several bot
ties of gin-Hollands or Geneva, you
know
My poor sister is in weak health"
said Jane. firing up. land the doctor has
is SO bad
Realty asserted Mrs Tudor, in
polite tone; then turning to Hester. in
confidential aside. ''Of course. that will
account for her complexion-it recalls a
Spanish sunset!'
Jane Jubber was at loss to under
stand this comparison Being an ig-
norant woman, she feared to make some
blunder: for all she knew; Spanish
low. In England it was red. OF one
thing she was confident. that this sharp
faced. spying, prying old body intended
10 De ruQe.
Jane meaaured the intruder with her
eye and summed her up as poor
hanger-On of Hessie's. She wore a
mushroom hat tied under her chin with
wide Strings, plain Lack gown with a
little cape on her white wrinkled hands
merely wedding ring, and one of plain
carnelian. her only ornaments gold
eyeglass-seldom out Of her eye.
So. here was the home, and the woman
who had crushed the effervescence of
IL
and blighted her youth! Mrs. Tudor was
saying to herself. Oh, the pity OF it.!
Mrs. Tudor also noted and envied the
excellent appetite of Miss Jubber. to
whom the corned beef seemed delectable
Well. her own hopes, and possibly those
of Hester. were based on the sweet
here it came! She felt a shock sweep
through her when much-burnt,. gluey
tap1oca pudding made its Appearances
thing she never touched. AS the little
hungry lady sat stiffly at the board,
with her clean plate before her. her
heart sank and her indignation rose. At
last she said:
II cannot compliment you on your
cook. my dear Hester! May I presume
on the privilege of an old friend and in
quire if this is the kitchen dinner?'
BE good enough to put your questions
to me-" said Jane. helping herself vio-
knew that 1t was considered manners
for company to pass remarks on their
vittleSi
.'Oh. l really beg your pardon!" re-
joined the guest. with exquisite polite
ness ''Of course. L forgot. L suppose
you are the cook"
mo. certainly I am not" Jane an
swered angrily.
.Oh. then the housekeeper. I conclude?
Hester. my dear, if you think of living
here. YOU must procure new staff of
servants-you look as If you did not get
enough to eat!"
r. why. she's drinking tea and eating
bread and butter all day long!" cried
Jane. LAS to new staff, there will be
no new servants mere in my time" she
announced. with acrid self-assertiOn.
But is not this Miss Forbes house?"
incurred the old lady. In a dulcet voice.
Part of 1t only: her father left it also
to my sister and me-for life
Indeed, and may l ask who pays the
wages and the bills?
well. you are rare one for asking
questions! but ! don't mind saying that
Mr.. levin pays the wages and allows
six pounds a week for the house bills"
six pounds a week for this re-
peated Mrs. Tudor. with little scream.
pointing tragic finger at the blackened
pudding well. some one must be
pocketing a fortune"
Some one pocketing-dO you mean that
for me?" burst out Jane, in fury.
Miss Hessie you sit there like a stuck
pig and listen to this talk! What do you
me3l by bringing such folk into your
fathers house? First the French bag
gage: now this insulting, crazy old
woman-nicc people you do pick up. that