Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-12-08


Miss Mackinstry. my last governess,
had Mysteries In the schoOlroom and
tainted among the tea things.
| suppose shan't be able to decide
about the state Of my feelings until
I've had more Of them on the same
subject or until I've written down In
this book of mine everything exactly
as it's happened. like doing that. 1t
makes things seem 30 clear when you
try to review them afterward.
The excitement began at breakfast
by mother having letter that she
liked. knew she liked 1t by the way
her eyes lighted up, as II they had
been lamps and the letter match.
All the other letters, mostly with hor-
rid, tradesmanny looking envelopes,
which had been making her quite glow
cry, she pushed aside.
Mother won't have crown Oh her
envelopes. She thinks it's vulgar. Be-
sides, putting 1t only OH the paper saves
expense. This envelope had great
sprawly gold crest, but she didn't seem
to disapprove Of 1t. She read on and
on, then suddenly glanced up as If she
would have said something quickly to
Victoria. She didn't say 1t, though,
for she remembered me. l am never
taken into family conclaves because
I'm not out yet. don't see what diff
ference that makes. especially as I'm
not to be allowed to come out till after
Vic's married. because she was pre-
sented four years ago and isn't even
engaged yet. So for all can tell
may have to stay In till I'm hundred
or leak out slowly when nobody Is no
ticlng, as Vic says girls do In the mid
die classes. This time I didn't mind,
however, for l couldn't see how the
letter concerned me, and as was dy'
ing for a sight Of Berengarla's puppies,
which were born last night. l was glad
when mother told me not to fdget after
I'd finished breakfast, but to run down
to the kennels II liked.
Soon forgot all about the letter. for
the puppies were the dearest ducks on
earth (can puppies be ducks. l won
derO. and besides. 1t was such de-
ucious June morning that could have
danced with Joy because was alive.
often feel like that. But there's no.
body to tell. except the trees and the
dogs and my poor pony. who is almost
too old and second childish now to un.
derstand. She was my brother Stan.
fOrth's pony first Of all, and Stanforth
Is twenty-eight Then she was Vic's.
and Vic is-but mother doesn't like
Vics age to be mentioned any more.
though she is years younger than Stan.
took walk In the park and after
ward went through the rose garden to
see how the roses were getting Oh
There were lot Of petals for my pot.
pourri, and gathering them has kept
ne for some time. Then as the jar
stands In Vic's and my den (she calls
1t her den, but It has to be part mine,
as have no other,, ! was going In by
one of the long windows when heard
mothers voice The question Is, she
was saying. whats to be done with
Betty"
turned around and ran away ON my
tiptoes across the lawn. for didn't
want to be an eavesdropper, and 1t
would be nearly us bad to have mother
know had heard even those few
words. She would be annoyed, and
mother chills me all the way through
to my bones when she's annoyed. 1t IL
wonderful how she does 1t. for she
never scolds. But the thermometer
simply drops to freezing point, and yoa
feel like Il poor little shiverlng crocus
that has come up too soon by mistake
to find the world covered with snow
and no hope of squeezing back into Its
own cozy warm bulb again.
stopped out Of doors till luncheon
and played croquet against myself.
Wishing that Stan would run down.
for although Stan rather fancies him
self rs n .-,-yaous parson since DOOR
fathers death gave him the title. he is
quite nice TO me when 1t occurs to him
I'm always glad when he comes to the
Towers. but he hardly ever does In the
season. and then In August and Sep
ten,ber he's always in Scotland. So Is
Vic. for the matter Of that, and she
hates being In the country in May and
June. though Surrey Is so close to
town that luckily she doesn't miss
much. But this year we seem to have
been horribly poor for some reason
Vic says It's STAINS fault. He is ex-
travagant. suppose. However. as
everything Is really his, don't see that
we ought to complain. Only 1t can't be
pleasant for him to feel that mother Is
worrying lest he should marry and
make her frumpy dowager before we
two girls are of her hands.
At luncheon mother mentioned tc
me that she had wired to ask Mrs
Stuyvesant Knox and her cousin, Miss
Sally woodburn. down to dinner and
| to stay the night. you will be pleas
ed. Betty. as you like Miss Woodburr
so much" she said.
T like her, but don't like Mrs
Stuyvesant- Knox, and ] don't know
how to pronounce her," ae6 l.