The new South-news., 1908-06-20
Miss Van Busker's
Limerick.

all whether Miss Van Buskcr had or
had not accepted the Duke OF Derry.
This Is SO sudden. dook." his sis
ter, little Lady HildsEarde. wickedly
pretended Miss Van Busker to have
said. and then that she must have
time--a month or so--in which 10 get
10 know him.
So far Miss Van Busker's getting to
know the Duke Of Derry had seemed
almost to consist in staying in country
houses where he wasn't and-well.
talking to his men friends. sup
pose she talked about him.
A plain white envelope among her
pink and mauve scented letters on the
sideboard at Littiewick every morn
ing OF our stay there seemed some
thing of an indication. however, for
Lady Hildegarde used to raise her
pretty eyebrows whenever she came
down before Miss Van Busker and
saw the writing.
We we're all AS a party very keen.
as the men called It. on llmericks. We
usually spent the morning spelling
sheets Of poor Lady Newbattle's best
notepapcr.
Miss Van Busker wasn't 80 enthusi-
astic as the others, however.
"1ll help" she said the first morn
ing at breakfast--she always came
down as fresh as daisy and as sweet
tempered as possible while trays were
going up to lot OF the other girls
rooms. Il mayn't be a flyer. but
guess I can fix a limerick"
Capt. Croome. who Is q nice looking
young man. with place In Warwick
shire. and thirteen motors. but who
certainly isn't clever. developed a
most extraordinary taste for liner
icks
III you'd be SO good, Miss Van Busk-
er," he said. quite eagerly for him.
why. certainly" Miss Van Busker
said, with her pretty smile and hold
ing out a buttered roll to the pug. and
Captain Croome hurried through his
breakfast to 20 and look for . pencil
and paper.
yas a : asssa's' scss1s1 .sss "sss 3. 8 AsIa ~;
- not cold enough to skate.
"What We should have done with
out these delightful limericks." Lady
Newbattle connded to me. Il tremble
to think
All the rooms, and even a drafty
passage called the armory. were full
OF people--usually two at time
with two pencils and one piece OF pa
per. At luncheon they didn't seem to
have Gone so very much. but the but
Ter spent all his time sending down TO
the village for sixpenny postal orders.
which soon ran out and had to be
fetched from the town
TIE nrst few days Miss Van Busker
had sat In the music rooP. and Gap
tain Croome had sat there. too. and
made noughts and crosses, as l hap
rened to see afterward, on a whole
sheaf Of papers.
The other girls at this time were
rather indignant with Miss Van Bus
ker.
IF she isn't engaged to stony
(that Is. the Duke OF Derry "she
might say so: and II she is. we'll
Captain Croome ought to know IT,
LADY Htldegarde said to me as VI
went up to dress for dinner.
think some one must have given
Captain Croome = hint. for to my a.
constituent he joined me in . very
very damp and uncomfortable trsmI
around the park on the Wednesda,
afternoon.
sEr-ah-" he began suddenly. JUS
"a ~e got up to the statue OF Daani
thc house and a. was wonder
n he'd come for--"er-Ah. II
Busker engaged to tina
Really, Captain Croome." ! said
Il cant think who you mean. aad
think you'd better ask Miss Van Bus
ker anything like that yourself"
changed the conversation. AM
very soon Captain Croome said he va
sure I'd catch cold II We stayed ou
any longer. and ~ he wouldn't go u
by himself we both went back.
lust At this time Miss Van Buske
took to attaching herself to me. sh
Ii very sweet anu 2PPo@@'ue' "S~
liked having her. but Captain Groom
would follow US about and gaze
Miss Van Busker and say nothing. an
II kot quite embarrassing.
Are you-will you think II indii
Greet IL l ask IL you are going to D
married." said At last one evening
rather abruptly. ~ Miss Van Buske
came into my room before dinner !
an exquisite silver tissue over layes
of roee-colored chiffon.
Miss Van Busker gase4 pensively u
TO the hre Il guess | don't know
she said. thoughtfully- Il don't see'
able to know But III write 20
whenever do" she added, briShte'
Ing mp
Thank you" I murmured. aAd
couldn't think Of anything else to -
- ~ weat down to TIE drswi1