Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-03-03
CHAPTER XXVI.

CHAPTER XXVI.
TROM the senior Miss Wolcott to
l. DR.. Peter Kinross:
Newport, Sept. -
4 "She has been with me here
ut Newport for nearly three weeks.
Ind this is my first opportunity, Peter,
Tor writing to you. You must, OF
course. be curious to hear how things
have gone with each of us since the
girl came to me.
"Of course after your noncommittal
account Of her, was prepared for the
worst and had braced myself to meet
The shock which my own niece's man.
ners and appearance must give me.
The bracing served me in good stead
when she arrived, for the shock was
even greater than | had counted on;
though as 1t came from an unexpected
my being prepared to meet
It did not count for so much as 1t
would otherwise have done. OF course
I knew Mrs. Kenyon would do all she
ccu.d 10 soften the '.ow by liking her
up as to clothes. bit from what you
had told me of my uiece's life, | could
not reasonably have expected to see
;he graceful, exquisite looking girl who
walled into my drawing room last
Friday night. You know it is the ex-
preston Of face and not merely per.
fection of coloring and feature which
saves it from being common.
81 thought she would look vacant
and awkward or else vulgarly loud and
self assertiye. l was not prepared to
see face Of extraordinary refinement
and intelligence and to meet man.
ner of dignity and gentleness. Do you
acknowledge now that blood will tclli
At first l was Inclined TO be angry
with you for not having spared Inc
the suffering / endured In anticipating
her coming. thought you might have
told me what she was like, how she
had educated herself, and so forth.
But on second thoughts l knew you
had done wisely in leaving me to find
1t out for myself.
"The child is tOuchingly grateful to
me for the motherly care-so new to
her-which I confess I delight in Law
ishing upon her, and I need not tell
you that two lonely. love hungry
hearts have found comfort in this
newly discovered tie Of blood.
"When we came to talk Of finances
was surprised Mt her quickncss to
understand business problems which
were so entirely new to her. A trained
intelligence. even when the training
has been as one sided as hers has leen
helps so much in every direction
Against my protest she has Insisted
upon an equal division rcs:"cHa us o.
her fathers wealth. i.i"e /? ,so.utel,
refused to accept this until she has ha'
at least one years experience of III,
In the world. when she will understand
something Of the value OF money.
Even II | wished to don't think |
could ever make wordling Of her
Each dag she is with me am i'm
pressed afre: \ with the purity anr
Of her mind.
"It is a keener pleasure than hav'
known in many long year to wntc
her impressions Of things rs ! tax
her about with me-slc IS 50 file
with wonder at everything. She Is llla
a small boy at his first ci"cCs. He
comments are often so funny and yc'
so unexpectedly wise. 1t will be dc
lightful to take her to Europe.
ut isn't always easy to understanc
her. At times she seems absent an
dreamy in n way that is quite unac
countahlc to me. There IS n mean
choly about her which she seems I'M
able to shake off and which puzzle
and troubles me. for surely she ha@
to he happy for. Is 1t. pc
haps. the somberness Of her past Sti.
to her? Or can 1t be posS!bl,
that she Is brooding over some countr.
lover she left out there? If that wer
the case, you. Peter. having been b.
her all summer. would know. | wis.
you would tell me. Wouldn't II b."
tragic II that were the casc?'
Miss Wocott concluded with warm
Of obligation to DR.. Kinros
for his dlsinterested kindness.
It was this letter which had brough
DIR. Kinross after bitter struggle
with himself to the place where he
was on this afternoon late In tn
month of October-at Eunice's side
walking with her in Central park.
1t was a bracing autumn day. but
the fresh air was not alone responsible
for the L..!lliant color in Eunice's face
and the light In her eyes. But the
color and the light suggested excite
ment rather than JOY. There was n
shadow of melancholy back OF them.
In KinrosG' face. too, the signs o.
his battle with himself were deeply
marked.
They walked slowly In a secluded
path. The change he had felt In Eu
nice from the hour Of their meeting
that morning had given him sense
of loss, rs though the unsoph!SticateG
child who hGd trusted and liked him
had slipped from him, for there was q
dignity in her manner with him that
almost made him think she had al
ready crown conventional. And us 70.
the deep feeling for him which In thci
last talk to"ether Mt the farm she ha'
so mai .ely rcvcal2d--he shrugged hi.
shoulders nj the Gckleness OF the sex
for not a SIN of 1t could he read III
her new manner Of reserve.
Now, however that they were alone
In the Isolation of the great park he
had sense of being nearer to her
She was unbcnding to him and open
Ing up as she had not done all day.
81 am waiting to hear some Of your
first impre;: ions. Eunice, of life In the
great world" he said as they strolied
under the great trees which rustled In
the autumn breeze.
Perhaps" she answered, when !
am more adjusted to my new life and
it better the world may
look very much less mournful and
lamentn BILE to me than II looks now
Yet am happy. Life is full OF won
der and beatty and constant new de-
lights. And. rei.:ember, ! never before
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